What Should You Look For in a Venture Capital Fund Manager?

A successful fund manager will combine efficiency and attention to detail with innovation in terms of performance reporting and information exchange.

The location of a venture capital fund manager and the funds it manages is also important.

What Does Portugal have to Offer?

Over the last decade Portugal has become a desired location for global families and high-net-worth individuals. It is a forward-thinking country with evolving legislation and new opportunities and initiatives. In the last few years there has been a substantial rise in the number of start-ups and companies moving to Portugal.

STAG Fund Management

During 2021 STAG Fund Management established seven Funds which have raised over €140 million of investment in Portugal, to date. These are exceptional figures for a new Asset Management Company.

Based on their experience the team at STAG, identify three core values as being critical:

Three Critical Values for a Successful Fund Manager

• Excellence: STAG is independent – privately owned and not tied to any Group. This means that an individual approach can be provided to clients, to meet their particular circumstances. The professionals at STAG are not only highly qualified and experienced but are also independent thinkers.

• Meticulous: scrupulous attention to detail.  Client objectives can be complex and varied and it requires careful listening, to make sure that the specific aims, ambitions and ideas are understood. It is vital, at every stage to analyse and evaluate, and at the same time to ensure that all due diligence and risk analysis steps have taken place.

• Innovation: a high calibre fund manager needs to play an active and dynamic role in evaluating investment opportunities. Potential return is a critical factor but it is also important to research Venture Capital Fund options that offer other benefits in terms of improving the environment and/or developing a specific region in a sympathetic way and providing new job opportunities. 

The STAG Team

The relatively young professional team at STAG offer an impressive range of knowledge and experience.

President: Antonio Pereira

Antonio is a qualified Lawyer specialising in Private Wealth Management, and he actively monitors, advises and provides consultancy services regarding the implementation of various real estate and financial investments.

He has an extensive knowledge of best practice relating to due diligence and risk assessment of investments, and ‘AML’ and ‘KYC’ procedures. Antonio is heavily involved in liaison with the Portuguese Stock Market’s Regulator, and this coordination includes; the establishment of Venture Capital Funds, risk investment mitigation, identification, prevention and implementation of measures related to Code of Conduct and Conflict of Interest issues, team and client management, and ongoing client supervision regarding onboarding procedures.

Antonio also has experience in the daily monitoring requirements for individual and institutional clients, in relation to Investment Funds and Venture Capital Funds.

Head of Investments: Diogo Saraiva de Ponte

Diogo Saraiva de Ponte previously established and managed two Asset Management Licenses. He managed more than €1billion of assets under management, covering different asset classes across a number of continents. He is an experienced Investment Committee member as well as coordinating and being responsible for the investment, exit and management strategies of fund portfolios.  

Diogo has also served as a director of various international companies, in jurisdictions such as Switzerland, Luxembourg and Portugal. He has extensive experience dealing with transactions in different countries, across a wide range of sectors, including investments (and restructuring of assets), divestments, private and public offerings, and monitoring. 

Board Member Gisela Martins

Gisela is a qualified lawyer and she focuses on corporate and tax law, mergers and acquisitions, and commercial contracts.

With over 20 years’ experience, she regularly acts on a broad range of domestic and cross-border transactions. She advises Portuguese and international corporate clients on matters relating to; corporate and tax law, commercial contracts, and corporate governance.

She had been involved in a wide variety of domestic and international transactions, with a particular focus on; mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and corporate reorganisations, asset purchases, creation of investment vehicles, private equity and venture capital financing.

Gisela has extensive knowledge of; ‘AML’ and ‘KYC’ procedures, due diligence, and risk assessment of both clients and investments.

Additional Information

If you would like to discuss how STAG might manage a fund for you and the opportunities available, please contact the Team on: advice@stagfundmanagement.com