Grace Dhanraj & Shaneel Parekh Promoted to Principals at Hearst Ventures

Hearst Ventures, the global venture capital arm of Hearst, announced that Grace Dhanraj and Shaneel Parekh have been promoted to principals. The announcement was made by Ken Bronfin, senior managing director and head of international investments, and Scott English, senior managing director and head of U.S. investments.

Dhanraj, based in New York, has played a key role in executing Hearst Ventures’ investments in the healthcare vertical, including portfolio company RxLightning, which was recently acquired by CoverMyMeds. In her new role, Dhanraj will continue to lead healthcare technology and data investments across North America. She joined Hearst Ventures in June 2021.

Parekh, based in London, has led or co-led several of the firm’s European investments, including sees.ai. As principal, he will oversee Hearst Ventures’ European activities, focusing on B2B opportunities across transportation, industrial technology and digital healthcare, as well as select digital consumer sectors. He joined Hearst Ventures as a senior associate in July 2021.

Since its inception in 1995, Hearst Ventures has invested more than $1 billion globally, with offices in New York, London and Hong Kong.

“Grace and Shaneel have each made outstanding contributions to our portfolio,” said Bronfin. “Shaneel has significantly expanded our European footprint, sourcing high-impact B2B investments aligned with our company’s strategy.”

“Grace has built strong connections across the U.S. healthcare ecosystem,” said English. “She has deep knowledge of the startups relevant to Hearst Health and with this promotion is now our primary Venture professional focused on the health vertical.”

Dhanraj brings a blend of operating and investing experience through her previous roles as a founder, operator and venture investor. Prior to joining Hearst, she held investing and operating roles in healthcare and helped launch the first impact investment fund at Harvard Business School. Dhanraj began her career as a portfolio manager within the multi-asset Solutions group at J.P. Morgan Asset Management. She earned an MBA from Harvard Business School and a bachelor’s degree in applied mathematics in economics from Harvard College.

Parekh offers a broad background as a management consultant, venture lender and growth equity investor. He began his career at PwC, where he focused on commercial and operational due diligence. Parekh holds a master’s degree in finance and private equity from the London School of Economics and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Queen Mary University of London.

As principals, Dhanraj and Parekh will continue to lead sourcing, diligence and portfolio development efforts in their respective regions, while partnering with senior leaders across Hearst Ventures.

About Hearst Ventures

Hearst Ventures is the global venture capital division of Hearst. Founded in 1995, the group has grown to invest over $1 billion in strategic investments across technology, media, healthcare, transportation, SaaS and fintech. With offices in New York, London and Hong Kong, Hearst Ventures drives innovation through global networks and deep integration with Hearst’s operating businesses.

About Hearst

Hearst is one of the nation’s largest global, diversified information, services and media companies. Hearst has been innovating for more than a century, leading with purpose, integrity and a culture of care, with a mission to inform audiences and improve lives. The company’s diverse portfolio includes global financial services leader Fitch Group; Hearst Health, a group of medical information and services businesses; Hearst Transportation, which includes CAMP Systems International, a major provider of software-as-a-service solutions for managing maintenance of jets and helicopters; ownership in cable television networks such as A&E, HISTORY, Lifetime and ESPN; 35 television stations; 28 daily and 50 weekly newspapers; digital services businesses; and more than 200 magazine editions around the world.