"The perfect home for me" – Blackstone boss joins Verdane as partner in double senior hire

Moez Gharbi, who spent over 12 years at American-led asset management firm Blackstone and helped launch their growth team in Europe, will operate from London to boost Verdane's B2B software investments.

Meanwhile, Bjarne Abrahamsen, who managed operations across 30 locations for Singapore-born early startup invester Antler, will be based in Oslo.

"We are delighted to welcome Moez and Bjarne to Verdane," says Bjarne Kveim Lie, founder and managing partner at Verdane. "Moez's network and investment expertise perfectly complement those of our existing partner group. Bjarne's operational expertise and technology focus will help us strengthen the firm's capabilities across all dimensions."

Focus on decarbonisation

The appointments align with Verdane's focus on digitalisation and decarbonisation investments. Gharbi expressed his enthusiasm in a statement:

"I’m thrilled to join Verdane and to work with the team on consolidating the firm’s position as a preferred partner to European entrepreneurs and GPs. Verdane’s flexible investment mandate, entrepreneurial culture and best-in-class performance made it the perfect home for me."

Abrahamsen, whose background includes roles at SEB, McKinsey & Company, and JPMorgan Chase, added: "Verdane has an ambitious approach to partnering with leading European businesses and I'm looking forward to working with the entire Verdane team to support the firm's presence across Europe."