Deven Parekh

Managing Director, Insight Venture Partners

Parekh is a Managing Director at Insight Venture Partners and joined the firm in 2000. Parekh invests in e-commerce and internet companies globally, in addition to his investments in data and application software businesses. Notable previous companies in Parekh's portfolio have included Football Fanatics (acquired by GSI Commerce, later acquired by eBay), Media Mind (IPO), Procuri (acquired by Ariba, NASDAQ: ARBA), Russian Trading System (merged with MICEX) and Website Pros (IPO). Parekh is a strong supporter of inorganic growth, and, among others, has assisted ECi Solutions with eleven acquisitions, and Chegg with three. Parekh is a global investor, actively working with investments in China, India and Russia.

Parekh was previously a Principal at Berenson Minella & Company, a New York based merchant banking firm where he served on the firm's M&A Committee. Prior to Berenson Minella, Parekh was with The Blackstone Group, where he was involved in both M&A advisory and principal activities.

Parekh was part of a US delegation of several investors, government representatives and technology companies, that visited Russia to explore investment and technology collaboration opportunities between the United States and Russia. He is a Member of the Advisory Board of the U.S. Export-Import Bank which is the official export credit agency of the United States. He is also a Member of the Technical Advisory Council of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) which assists the Commission with developing informed technology policies supporting America's competitiveness and job creation in the global economy. In 2006, Parekh was named a Henry Crown Fellow of The Aspen Institute, which seeks to develop the next generation of community-spirited leaders.

Parekh received a BS in Economics from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Deven is Chairman of the Board of Publicolor, a New York City-based non-profit organization that uses color, collaboration, design and the painting process to re-engage disaffected students in their education, schools and communities.