Our team

Yara Yazbeck

Yara Yazbeck has 16 years’ experience in the technology, sustainability and energy sectors in fund raising, private equity, and investment research.

Prior to founding EKTA Partners, Yara was a principal at Deutsche Bank in London, within the energy and infrastructure private equity team, covering sectors including renewable energy, electricity and transport.

Prior to that, Yara was Sector Head and Executive Director in the Technology sector in Investment Research at Goldman Sachs in London.

Prior to Goldman Sachs, she worked in a tech start up in the Silicon Valley, at Morgan Stanley in London and at Linklaters in Paris.

Yara is a board member of Sun King Inc., the global leader in off-grid solar home systems.

She graduated from Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales (HEC Business School) and received a Master in Laws from the University of La Sorbonne.

Ludovic Blanc

Ludovic Blanc has 20 years of experience fund raising across the capital structure and across investor types.

Prior to EKTA Partners, Ludovic worked in financing private equity transactions at J.P. Morgan and as a cleantech founder, CEO and chairman.

He graduated from Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales (HEC Business School) and the Ivey Business School at Western University.

Eleonore Manson

Eleonore Manson has 10+ years’ experience in investment banking, in capital raising, corporate finance and mergers & acquisitions.

Prior to EKTA Partners, Eleonore was an Associate Director in the M&A team of HSBC in London.

Eleonore has experience in emerging markets, having been based in Hong Kong and having worked on transactions across South East Asia, Turkey and the UAE during her time at HSBC.

She is a graduate from the London School of Economics (Msc in Accounting and Finance) and Paris Dauphine University (Magistere Banque Finance Assurance).

Eliza Macmillan-Scott

Eliza Macmillan-Scott has 7 years’ experience in climate-focused management consulting and financial institutions advisory.

Prior to EKTA Partners, Eliza was a Project Manager at Systemiq, where she worked on designing climate impact frameworks for private equity funds and on financing structures for the energy transition in South Africa, among other projects. She has experience across energy, finance, and the built environment.

Prior to that, Eliza worked in the Financial Markets Advisory team at BlackRock in New York and London on complex assignments for a wide range of financial institutions, including central banks.

She is a graduate from the London School of Economics, majoring in Economics and Philosophy.

Firas Atwa

Firas Atwa has 6 years’ experience in venture capital, management consulting and operational roles.

Prior to joining EKTA, Firas was a Senior Associate at Algebra Ventures, a $100m Africa fund investing in Seed and Series A startups. Firas has invested in multiple startups across fintech, agtech, e-commerce, and B2B marketplaces.

Prior to that, Firas worked at Swvl, a late stage mass mobility startup operating across emerging market, and as a consultant at Alvarez & Marsal.

He is a graduate from New York University, majoring in Economics and Finance.

Driss Sefrioui

Driss Sefrioui has 19 years’ experience in M&A advisory for European clients.

Over the course of his career, Driss has been involved in a broad range of assignments including mergers, acquisitions, equity and debt financings, leveraged buyout transactions and restructurings involving many of Europe’s leading companies. He advised on >40 transactions representing an aggregate value of >€70 billion.

Before co-founding AltRaise, Driss was a Managing Director at Perella Weinberg Partners in London where he focused on advisory for Industrial, Consumer / Retail and Energy sectors.

Prior to that, Driss was a Director at Credit Suisse Investment Banking in Paris covering the Industrial and Energy sectors. Driss started his career at Lazard in Paris.

He graduated from ESSEC Business School.

Denis Viennot

Denis Viennot has 19 years’ experience in International Development Finance, Corporate Finance and Project Finance, including as an entrepreneur.

Before co-founding AltRaise, Denis was a Principal in the Energy Efficiency & Climate Change team at the European Bank for Reconstruction & Development, where he was notably in charge of developing clean energy programs in the MENA region.

Prior to that, Denis co-founded the ReEnergise Group, a UK-based energy finance and services provider, funded by the GIB and SDCL.

He began his career in M&A at UBS Warburg and debt financing at GE Capital, last as a Director in London focusing on leveraged and project finance.

He graduated from ESSEC Business School.