Paraag Davé
UK Managing Partner
Paraag is the Managing Partner in the UK where he leads our work with our founders to invest and grow their businesses. He has spent over 15 years in the UK private equity industry prior to which he was an executive at Exel plc, a logistics company, and spent several years at Monitor Consulting before that.
Start in tech – Ignoring the computer games I played on my Amstrad-64 (the one with games loaded on a cassette), I started learning Pascal and Fortran at university in Alabama.
First job – I grew up stacking shelves and working the till in my family’s convenience store – you really learn how important first impressions and customer service are when you meet so many people daily. The first paid job however, was with British Airways who sponsored me through university. I eventually joined Monitor Consulting, where I worked on projects with Coca-Cola and the London Taxi company all while worrying about the millennium bug – one of the biggest anticlimaxes in history.
First entrepreneurial experience – I helped my wife start up an online business selling cushions on eBay and Amazon. My wife and I were on holiday in India at a wedding and while there she decided to quit her lucrative job at Merrill Lynch and start a business. We found suppliers between wedding events, brought home some stock and the business started from there. We learned how hard the retail sector can be.
Bravest investment – I invested in two students that developed software for online retailers – my wife sourced that deal as she used it for her business. The software centralized orders and stock management across platforms such as eBay and Amazon. A long journey with lots of twists and turns, but it was worth it in the end.
Most memorable childhood experience – I was 17 and I landed in Montgomery Alabama, where I moved to play college tennis at Troy State University on a scholarship. I had never been abroad by myself and I was one of only a handful of Asians at the university: I was tee-total, I was vegetarian, and I felt I spoke a different language. It was a shock to the system. I cried a lot the first few weeks, but my family had invested in me and I had to make the most of it whether I liked it or not – a truly character-building experience.
What changed me the most – Having a tumor and radiotherapy treatment. Anything can change in flash. Live life to its fullest, don’t upset people and make the most of what you have.
Toughest experience – Dealing with the “less racially tolerant” people while growing up in an Asian family with a convenience store. You can’t get a more of stereotypical Indian upbringing in London.
Biggest excitement – Building Norland and finding our niche, among a very crowded field of investment firms. The investment world is changing, and we hope we are driving a small piece of that change.
Key lessons from previous jobs – Every job and experience teaches you something, but often you don’t know what you’ve learned until you put yourself in new environments.
Family life – Married nearly 20 years, two energetic boys that keep me on my toes.
University – I was at Troy State University, Alabama, for a while playing college tennis. I then completed a Masters in Aeronautical Engineering where my time was split between MIT in Boston, and Imperial College in London. I had dreamt of being a pilot, hence the degree choice.
Best advice received – Whatever you do in life, always put in your full effort and be the best you can be.
Advice to founders considering an investor – Find an investor you can talk to and bounce ideas around with. It’s lonely being an entrepreneur where you always need the answers. Find a partner you can share your thoughts and ideas with and who will bounce ideas around with you. Any investor who says they have all the answers is lying!