Naina Lal Kidwai Joins Lightspeed as Venture Advisor

New Delhi, Feb 28 (PTI) Veteran banker Naina Lal Kidwai has joined investment firm Lightspeed as a venture advisor, the firm said on Friday.

Multi-stage venture capital firm Lightspeed has assets under management of USD 25 billion and it has invested in several Indian start-ups such as Epic Games, Physics Wallah, Rubrik, Sharechat, Snap, OYO and Zepto.

"Naina's conviction for the startup ecosystem deeply aligns with Lightspeed's vision and we are thrilled to welcome her onboard. Her unparalleled experience in banking and finance coupled with a visionary approach will be invaluable as we continue to back category-defining companies in India and beyond," Bejul Somaia, Partner, Lightspeed said.

In her role as venture advisor, Kidwai will leverage her experience to guide Lightspeed's strategy and support portfolio companies.

Kidwai has served as group general manager and country head of India and retired in 2015 as chairperson HSBC India and director on the HSBC Asia Pacific board.

She is currently the chairperson at Rothschild India, senior advisor at Advent private equity and TPG Rise Climate, and member of the Mission Board of EQT Future Fund.

Kidwai has been the President of FICCI and has served on numerous boards and advisory councils, including Nestlé Global, the Prime Minister's Trade and Industry Council and chair of SEBI's Primary Markets Advisory Committee.

"Lightspeed has long been committed to helping founders build transformative businesses, and I look forward to working with the team to support the next generation of entrepreneurs," she said.