Adams Street Partners, LLC, a private markets investment firm, announced that Brijesh Jeevarathnam will be promoted to Partner & Global Head of Fund Investments.
Jeevarathnam, who joined Adams Street as a Partner in Primary Investments in 2016, will also become a member of the firm’s Executive Committee as part of his new role.
Jeevarathnam succeeds Kelly Meldrum, who is retiring after 17 years as a Partner & Head of Primary Investments at the firm. Meldrum will transition her duties at year-end and will make herself available through the end of Q1 2023, the statement said.
“Over her long tenure with Adams Street, Kelly has made innumerable contributions to the firm, not the least of which was building a terrific team of seasoned partners who make material contributions to our clients’ success,” said Jeff Diehl, Managing Partner & Head of Investments at Adams Street. “I am excited for Brijesh to now take on this larger role and am confident he will build on Kelly’s success after a smooth leadership transition over the next six months.”
Since joining Adams Street, Jeevarathnam has been instrumental in the creation and scaling of the firm’s Venture Innovation and Leaders programs as well as being the portfolio manager on multiple separately managed accounts. Prior to Adams Street, Jeevarathnam spent 10 years at Commonfund Capital where he held a leadership role and helped manage a $14 billion global private capital portfolio.
Also as part of the leadership transition, Saguna Malhotra, currently a Partner in Primary Investments, will be promoted to the role of Partner & Head of Global Buyout Fund Investments. Malhotra will focus on global calibration and strategy for Adams Street’s buyout fund portfolios globally. Malhotra joined the firm in 2015 from Stanford Management Company, where she oversaw a $6 billion global private equity portfolio.
“The entire Adams Street team will miss Kelly both personally and professionally and we wish her all the best in her next chapter,” said Diehl. “For both Brijesh and Saguna, they have earned their well-deserved expanded roles and I look forward to their contributions moving forward.”
