Karl Massey

Senior Board Advisor, Serendipity Capital

Karl Massey is a member of the development board of the physics department at the University of Oxford. He is a senior advisor for Serendipity Capital, Singapore. Karl is a permanent capital vehicle investing in financial services, technology and climate-focused businesses. He is a Mentor at Creative Destruction Lab – Oxford which runs at the Said Business School, University of Oxford. At CDL, Karl has participated in the AI Stream (2022-23 and 2023-24 cohorts) as well as the Space Stream (2023-24 cohort).

Karl is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, Manufacture and Commerce (FRSA). He is also a member of the Institute of Physics and the Investment Committee of the Athenaeum Club, London.

Since May 2020, Karl has been advising and mentoring ventures in deep tech, artificial intelligence and the decarbonization value chain. He has also been working with early-stage (pre-Series A) spin-off technologies originating from within Oxford University physics department and the MPLS division, including quantum computing and organic photovoltaics.

Karl holds a First Class bachelor’s (Hons) in physics from Imperial College, London with specializations in space and astrophysics, quantum mechanics, cell and molecular biophysics. He also earned a master’s Molecular biophysics fromm University College, University of Oxford with a specialization in X-ray crystallography of proteins.

Karl is FSA General Registered Representative and holds an IMC (Investment Management Certificate).

Karl has had a career in finance for just under 30 years, which began at JP Morgan. He held senior roles in derivatives trading, alternative asset management, strategic asset allocation, proprietary risk and bank treasury in both the U.K. and Spain.

Until February 2020, he was investment director, member of the investment committee, which determined both public and private market investments, and the head of markets at a £20B AUM U.K. pension fund.

In August 2018, he was a participant at the Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Economic Symposium which considers new themes and developments within central bank policymaking.

Karl contributes to op ed, podcast, macroeconomic research and risk commentary for the MacroHive website. He has been a member of the Athenaeum Club, London since 2011 and also the Vincent’s Club , Oxford University since 1986.

He is a member of the Henry Moseley Circle at Oxford University, whose aim is to secure the future objectives of the department of physics.

Karl is proud to be a trustee of Bag Books, a charity which provides multisensory books and storytelling for people with severe or profound multiple learning disabilities.