Ankush Shah

Managing Director, Sumaria Systems Inc.

Ankush Shah is an investor in venture capital and special situations, with a keen interest in technology and tech-enabled businesses; operating across asset classes.

He holds board or advisory roles with several startups in sectors such as artificial intelligence, data/OSINT, web3, and renewable energy, as well as in venture capital advisory.

Ankush’s other roles include managing director at Sumaria Group, a family owned investment holding company operating primarily in Eastern Africa, and chairman of Doughworks Limited, the KFC and Pizza Hut franchisee in Tanzania, as well as chairman of a franchised F&B business in the UK.

Ankush has worked in East Africa and the UK with many partners – including private equity, VCs, DFIs, banks and multinationals as well as local partners – to create value in sectors such as manufacturing, FMCG, pharmaceuticals, real estate, quick service restaurants and tech/telecoms– by starting, investing in, advising, acquiring, growing, financing and selling businesses.

In the 2000s, Ankush was based in London and worked as a hedge fund manager investing long/short across the capital structure in risk arbitrage, event driven and value based strategies in Europe and South Africa. He started his career in M&A investment banking with Credit Suisse First Boston in London.

Ankush holds a first class degree in politics, philosophy and economics from the University of Oxford and is additionally an alumnus of the London School of Economics (MSc) and Harvard Business School (OPM).

Outside of work, Ankush enjoys practicing and teaching yoga. He is a member of YPO London and a past chairman of the Young President’s Organisation Tanzania Chapter.