Relay Ventures has announced that Irfhan Rawji has joined the firm as a venture partner. In this role, he will be responsible for the firm’s market development in Western Canada and the US Pacific Northwest.
Rawji, who is based in Calgary, brings 15 years of experience in roles like associate at McKinsey & Company; director at Onex Corporation; and principal at Birch Hill Equity Partners. Rawji has also acted as adjunct professor at the Sauder School of Business at the University of British Columbia, where he taught finance, public policy, strategy, and leadership.
“Irfhan’s depth of experience in private equity and strategic consulting is a valuable complement to the Relay team,” said Kevin Talbot, co-founder and managing partner of Relay Ventures. “He has been an active business builder throughout his career and will undoubtedly benefit our current and future portfolio companies.”
Rawji currently sits on the boards of The Organic Box, as well as Relay portfolio company Carrot Insights. He is also a board member of the Institute for Canadian Citizenship and Vice Chair of Glenbow Museum.
“Relay has a long history of supporting great companies from startup to scale, providing them with more than just capital,” said Rawji. “I look forward to leveraging my experience to benefit Relay’s current portfolio. At the same time, I will also be exploring new opportunities for the firm in Western Canada and the US Pacific Northwest.”
In November, Relay Ventures raised $200 million for its third fund to continue its mission of investing in — and creating a network of — mobile-focused companies.