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Our Team
Diverse team of professionals with deep regional experience, comprised of capital formation, investment, and legal expertise from sovereign wealth funds, asset managers and placement firms — supported by a strategic advisory board with high-level access across the GCC and global markets
Kamyar Nemazee
Managing Partner
Kamyar leads all aspects of Akrivia’s business. Prior to Akrivia, Kamyar led international capital raising for Cadre. He has been an Investment Director with Beaumont Partners and Director of WSK Holding, an investment vehicle formed to invest in emerging markets on behalf of a group of Middle East investors. Kamyar started his career as an attorney in the private funds group at Bracewell LLP, where he helped open the firm’s Dubai office in 2008.
Kamyar holds a BA in International Relations from Bucknell University, a JD from American University Washington College of Law, and an MS in Real Estate from NYU. He is licensed to practice law in the State of New York, is a member of the American Bar Association and holds FINRA Series 63 and 82 licenses.
Alina Pakhomenka
Director
Alina focuses on coverage of family offices and institutions across the Middle East, Europe and Asia. She has over 10 years of experience in capital raising, having worked with a range of global and emerging managers across asset classes.Before joining Akrivia, Alina was Head of Family Offices at A2Z Private Capital (formerly Capstone Asia). She has also held senior roles at boutique advisory firms in Europe and with a Swiss multi-family office, focused on capital raising and investor relations. Alina began her career at J.P. Morgan Private Bank in London, where she worked with UHNWIs and family offices.
Alina holds a Master of Arts in Strategy and International Management from the University of St. Gallen. She is a CAIA Charterholder and part of the CAIA UAE Executive Chapter.
Sami Al-Shalchi
Principal
Sami leads underwriting, diligence, analysis and execution for Akrivia’s investments and mandates. Previously, he worked in the private equity teams at Mubadala Capital in Abu Dhabi and PSP Investments in Montreal, where he screened funds and global managers, and executed transactions across sectors including hospitality, financial services and technology.
Sami holds a Master of Financial Economics from Western University and graduated summa cum laude with an Honours BA in Economics from York University.
Ana Drezgic Hooker
Client & Team Coordinator
Ana collaborates closely with Akrivia’s investors and clients to facilitate strategic partnerships and mandates while supporting organizational structure, roadshow logistics and team development. Ana has over a decade of experience as an impact investor focused on advancing initiatives in education and women's empowerment at the Hooker Family Foundation and Culture College in Australia.
Ana holds an MBA from AGSM (UNSW Sydney, Australia) and brings a global perspective to her work, reflected in her passion for learning. She is currently studying Arabic as her seventh language.
Ali Khalaf Al-Tawil
General Counsel
Ali is Akrivia’s General Counsel, responsible for legal, compliance, transactional, and corporate governance matters. He has also been General Counsel at Evolvence Group since 2012. Previously, he led legal and compliance at Rasmala Investment Bank Ltd., overseeing operations across jurisdictions and serving as Deputy Money-Laundering Officer before the DFSA. Earlier, he practiced law at Jorden Burt LLP in Washington, D.C.
Ali holds an MBA from the Kogod School of Business at American University and a JD from Michigan State University College of Law. He is licensed to practice law in New York and is a member of the American Bar Association.
Valeriia Ivanova
Senior Investment Analyst
Valeriia conducts market research, due diligence, and investment analysis across global mandates and opportunities. She brings experience from single family offices and investment research boutiques, where she built and managed multi-hundred-million-dollar portfolios spanning public equities, fixed income, private equity and real estate, shaping asset allocation strategies and driving long-term returns.
Valeriia is a CFA charterholder and holds a Master of Financial Analytics and a Bachelor of Economics from Plekhanov Russian University of Economics.
Saqib Rashid
Strategic Advisor
Saqib is Akrivia’s strategic partner in the US, where he supports all aspects of Akrivia’s mandates, including GP and deal sourcing, capital raising, investment screening and other strategic initiatives. Saqib is currently the managing director of Inverness Capital Advisors. Prior to forming Inverness, Saqib spent over 12 years with the Abraaj Group, where he was on both the investments and capital raising teams based in Dubai, Malaysia and New York.
Saqib holds an MBA from the Wharton School and an MA from the Lauder Institute at the University of Pennsylvania. He received his BBA, with Honors, from George Washington University. Saqib is both a Kauffman Fellow and US Fulbright Scholar.