Antifragile Fund, BoCG Ventures, announces board leadership appointment of Saeed Hareb Al Darmaki

BoCG Ventures
BoCG Ventures
Published in
5 min readOct 25, 2023

--

BoCG Ventures, a venture operating firm with a focused Arabian Peninsula Fund, proudly announces the appointment of Saeed Al Darmaki, a distinguished fintech serial entrepreneur and investor, to its esteemed Board of Directors. Al Darmaki, renowned for his role as CEO of Sheesha Finance, a decentralized cryptocurrency platform aiming to bridge the gap between DeFi and traditional financial markets, brings invaluable expertise to the table as a prominent figure in the blockchain and cryptocurrency industry.

Under Al Darmaki’s leadership, Sheesha Finance has gained recognition for its unique approach to DeFi. The platform offers investors access to a diverse portfolio of promising projects, allowing them to participate in early-stage investments and receive rewards in the form of Sheesha Finance’s native tokens. Al Darmaki is known for his expertise in blockchain technology and his commitment to driving innovation in the cryptocurrency space.

Al Darmaki’s impressive career trajectory commenced in October 2009 at the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), where he served as an Operations Specialist before transitioning to the role of Fixed Income & Treasury Specialist in May 2013. With a desire to explore the evolving cryptocurrency and digital asset landscape, he co-founded Alphabit in January 2017 — a dynamically managed investment fund. His market knowledge and experience positioned him as Managing Director at Alphabit, where he provided invaluable guidance and mentorship to blockchain entrepreneurs across finance and business development domains.

Beyond Alphabit, Al Darmaki’s influence extended as Chairman of eGovern, a distinguished UAE-based company, collaborating closely with governments and corporations to identify and implement tailored blockchain solutions that address pressing challenges and drive digital transformation. In 2021, he further expanded his portfolio as the Managing Director for the MENA region at Casper Labs, empowering him to deliver enterprise-grade blockchain solutions to meet the growing demand in the market.

“With the addition of Saeed Al Darmaki to our team, we will accelerate our efforts to scale our Venture Operating Model and Antifragile thesis in the Middle East. Saeed and our team have a deep and intrinsic desire to empower local Emiratis and the next generation of scalable companies in the Arabian Peninsula. With our collective expertise in finance, investments, and technology, we believe the GCC and MENA regions will excel in developing a healthy public and private market grounded by fundamentals. Saeed has already made a significant impact in driving the future of digital assets and we are excited to join forces to bring in another pivotal force to the region.” — Lyon Kassab, BoCG Ventures Managing Partner

In his role as a Board Advisor to BoCG Ventures, Al Darmaki will oversee the growth of blockchain-based venture portfolios seeking the next stage of growth through their Venture Operating Model (VOM). Additionally, he will contribute to developing the limited partner base, engaging forward-thinking investors and sovereign wealth funds in the GCC and MENA regions. Al Darmaki’s mission is to bridge traditional investment capital with scalable companies while empowering second and third-generation entrepreneurs to synergize with BoCG Ventures’ core value proposition of integrated teams and technology-driven scale.

“Since our first meeting, I was fully aligned and impressed with the pattern recognition that has driven the BoCG Ventures team to the Middle East. Their antifragile thesis and philosophical underpinnings show a deep understanding of history, geopolitics, macroeconomic trends, and a foundation of human capacity building. As an avid early stage investor, I am well aware of the value creation that their Venture Operating Model can bring to companies and to the future of the GCC and MENA regions. I am thrilled to be in a position to help BoCG Ventures instill their entrepreneurial influence while simultaneously driving local innovation.” — Saeed Al Darmaki

Throughout his career, Saeed has held notable positions such as Managing Director at Binary Financial and occupied board seats at esteemed entities including DEX, RealEx, MENA Fintech Association, BeMobi, Jahani & Associates, LEAD Ventures, Royale Finance, Artha, PAID Network, and Kenzi Wealth. These roles have not only granted him valuable insights into the crypto/blockchain landscape but have also facilitated the cultivation of a robust network, exponentially augmenting his market knowledge. It was in June 2018 that Saeed elected to depart from ADIA, dedicating his full focus to the burgeoning crypto/blockchain industry.

About the firm:

BoCG Ventures is an antifragile investment fund and venture operating firm that specializes in technology-enabled ventures. With their hands-on operational framework, Venture Operating Model (VOM), they create strategic roadmaps and operational frameworks for scalable projects. BoCG Ventures focuses on investing in antifragile brands that leverage technology for long-term, risk-adjusted returns. The BoCG Ventures Peninsula Fund, aims to establish an innovation hub in the Arabian Peninsula. This fund fosters Foreign Direct Investment, develops regional knowledge, and promotes infrastructure initiatives, while bridging connections between the Arabian Peninsula and the rest of the world. Through their investments and partnerships, BoCG Ventures and the Peninsula Fund drive economic growth and technological advancements in the region.

For more information, visit: www.bocgventures.com.

For media inquiries, please contact:

media@bocgventures.com

Investor Relations:

ir@bocgventures.com

____________________________________________________________

The views expressed here are those of the individual BoCG Ventures, L.L.C. (“BV”) personnel quoted and are not the views of BV or its affiliates. Certain information contained in here has been obtained from third-party sources, including from portfolio companies of funds managed by BoCG Ventures. While taken from sources believed to be reliable, BoCG Ventures has not independently verified such information and makes no representations about the enduring accuracy of the information or its appropriateness for a given situation.

This content is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be relied upon as legal, business, investment, or tax advice. You should consult your own advisers as to those matters. References to any securities or digital assets are for illustrative purposes only, and do not constitute an investment recommendation or offer to provide investment advisory services. Furthermore, this content is not directed at nor intended for use by any investors or prospective investors, and may not under any circumstances be relied upon when making a decision to invest in any fund managed by BoCG Ventures.

Charts and graphs provided within are for informational purposes solely and should not be relied upon when making any investment decision. Past performance is not indicative of future results. The content speaks only as of the date indicated. Any projections, estimates, forecasts, targets, prospects, and/or opinions expressed in these materials are subject to change without notice and may differ or be contrary to opinions expressed by others.

--

--