Welcome to Banvest

Banvest is a private investment company established in 2014 that invests in public and private markets across North America, Europe, and Middle East and North Africa. Banvest utilizes a multi-disciplinary investment strategy focused on maximizing long-term capital appreciation by making investments in public and private equity.

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About Banvest

Overview

Banvest is a private investment firm established in 2014. We engage in a broad range of investment activities and have the flexibility to invest in a wide variety of asset classes.

Mission

Banvest seeks to make investments that consistently generate superior absolute risk-adjusted returns over the long-term, both in public and private markets. We evaluate investment opportunities by utilizing...

Business Principles

Our business is grounded in a set of deeply held values:

01 Laser Focus

We approach every opportunity and task with laser focus, drill down on the issues we see and execute efficiently. We are looking for partners who approach projects the same way.

02 Long-term View

We are committed sustainable growth and make our decision with long-term value creation in mind.

03 Integrity

We uphold the highest standard of integrity on everything we do and expect our partners to do the same.

04 Accountability

Each of us is personally accountable for delivering on our commitments and to contribute to overall success of the firm and our investments.

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Investment Teams

Public Markets

Banvest makes concentrated and opportunistic investments with a focus on mispriced opportunities based on a deep understanding of each investment’s earnings potential over the investment horizon

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Private Markets

Banvest seeks to invest in lower middle market opportunities across the US and Europe. We seek to add value by helping management and owners achieve their next leg of growth – through operational expertise, access to key markets and geographic expansion and instituting professional best practices.

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Leadership

Waleed AlBanawi

Executive Chairman
Mr. Waleed AlBanawi has over 25 years experience as Vice Chairman, Director and C-suite Executive of a diversified manufacturing corporation in based in Saudi Arabia and spanning the MENA region. In this role, he was responsible for overseeing the operations of the entire group in addition to various senior corporate functions. 

Mr. AlBanawi is now an entrepreneur and venture capitalist, spending most of his time as Chairman and CEO of JISR Investment Group, and now more recently Banvest Group.

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Waleed
Omer
Yossaf

Portfolio

BitOasis
Pilleve
ReserveOut
Waitrr
Neoteny
Wamda Capital
Abjjad
TRIBE CAPITAL
all companies

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Public Markets

Banvest makes concentrated and opportunistic investments with a focus on mispriced opportunities based on a deep understanding of each investment’s earnings potential over the investment horizon. We focus on developing a bottom up understanding of the business and it’s cashflow and seek to acquire at valuations below intrinsic value. We place significant emphasis on risk management throughout the portfolio.

Growth and Buyout

Banvest seeks to invest in lower middle market opportunities across the US and Europe. We seek to add value by helping management and owners achieve their next leg of growth – through operational expertise, access to key markets and geographic expansion and instituting professional best practices. A core differentiating factor is our long-term capital base to find investment opportunities which fewer competitors can feasibly pursue.

Venture

Banvest invests in seed and growth stage venture deals across the US, Europe, and MENA. We place an emphasis on business models that are disruptive and founders with unique visions who are aiming to build large and impactful businesses.

Waleed Albanawi

CEO and Chairman

Mr. Waleed AlBanawi has over 25 years experience as Vice Chairman, Director and C-suite Executive of a diversified manufacturing corporation in based in Saudi Arabia and spanning the MENA region. In this role, he was responsible for overseeing the operations of the entire group in addition to various senior corporate functions. 

Mr. AlBanawi is now an entrepreneur and venture capitalist, spending most of his time as Chairman and CEO of JISR Investment Group, and now more recently Banvest Group. 

Mr. AlBanawi is a Board member of numerous organizations and non-profits, including Education for Employment Foundation, Ashoka Arab World, Founding Board member, INJAZ Saudi, International Institute for Strategic Studies, member of the advisory council (MENA) for the UN refugee agency, UNHCR.  His participation in these organizations influenced him to become a vocal advocate of education development to address the workforce skill set gap in the Arab world. He’s a Founding Board member of two leading digital start-ups, Reserveout and Waitrr and an Entrepreneur-in- Residence at INSEAD Business School. He also served as Regional Chairman of YPO Middle East/ North Africa

Mr. AlBanawi received his BA in Managerial Studies and Political Science from Rice University and his AMP and IDP from INSEAD in FontaineBleau

Omar Albanawi

Managing Partner

Omar Albanawi is managing partner at Banvest. He leads overall investment strategy in addition to overseeing both public and private equity investment efforts. Before joining Banvest, Omar was an investment banking summer associate at J.P. Morgan in New York. Prior to that, he was principal at JISR Investment Group where he led investments in the technology and consumer space. Omar started his career at Deloitte Corporate Finance before joining Hassana Investment Company.

Omar received a Bachelor’s in Finance from Syracuse University and an M.B.A from The Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College.

Yossuf Albanawi

Managing Partner

Yossuf Albanawi is a managing partner at Banvest, a boutique family office that invests in an array of different asset classes across North America and Europe. Yossuf leads venture investments and operations at Banvest. On the venture side, Yossuf is passionate about finding opportunities in sectors that have been positively impacted by the rise in digitalization, including healthcare and finance. He sits on the board of Waitrr, an F&B tech company with operations in Singapore, Europe, and Asia, as well as Pilleve, a digital health company that seeks to improve medication safety and compliance, which he founded in 2017. Yossuf is also an investor in Bitoasis, the first crypto exchange platform in MENA that recently raised a $30M series B round from notable investors across MENA and Silicon Valley. Yossuf is a Forbes 30 under 30 entrepreneur (2019) as well as a TED speaker (Riyadh 2019) with a focus on advocating for better mental health solutions and treatments. Yossuf is a fellow at Halcyon incubator, a nonprofit that seeks to empower social entrepreneurs across the world. When not “working”, Yossuf enjoys competing in Triathlons (he completed the iron man 70.3) as well as playing tennis and enjoying long runs. He is currently based between London, Dubai, and Saudi.