Kasit Rochanakorn is Partner and General Counsel at Atomico based in London. Kasit provides guidance to the Atomico investment teams on the negotiation and execution of investments, divestments and portfolio management as well as helping to oversee fundraising, ESG and regulatory compliance at the firm.
Kasit Rochanakorn
Kasit Rochanakorn is Partner and General Counsel at Atomico based in London. Kasit provides guidance to the Atomico investment teams on the negotiation and execution of investments, divestments and portfolio management as well as helping to oversee fundraising, ESG and regulatory compliance at the firm.
My aim is to ensure that our founders and their teams enjoy a smooth investment and closing process when partnering with Atomico. I also act as a sounding board to founders and their internal legal teams as they navigate complex legal issues from litigation to regulatory reforms, IP strategy and IPO preparations.
The best founders are also great risk managers
The best founders I have worked with are ones that not only have a vision for their company and the ability to foster incredible cultures and develop incredible people but those who are also excellent risk managers - the ones that can see around corners at looming issues, calibrate their tolerance and are five steps ahead in terms of navigating the issues. We now all live in an increasingly uncertain world with constantly shifting geopolitical and macroeconomic risks and the most successful founders in our portfolio are the ones that embrace and flourish in this kind of environment.
Over the past 15+ years I have been privileged to have advised and been involved with some fascinating businesses
Prior to joining Atomico, I was an Executive Director & Senior Counsel at Goldman Sachs in London where I was responsible for the legal coverage of the firm's growth equity fund in Europe. At Goldman Sachs, I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to lead the legal side of the fund's investments into incredible companies such as Nutmeg, Wolt, OutSystems, Redis Labs and BackMarket. Before that I worked as a Senior Associate in the private equity team at White & Case. During my time in private practice, I advised some of the most active investors in the world on their investments and M&A including Bridgepoint, Oaktree Capital and Partners Group.
The investment process is only the start of a very long term relationship with our founders. I honestly believe that if we ever leave a negotiation feeling like we've won every point then we've already lost the game.
It’s our responsibility to make sure our portfolio companies are the best they can be - not just in terms of market impact but also in terms of social responsibility
In addition to my law degree, I also have a Masters Degree in Human Rights from the London School of Economics and, prior to entering the world of VC and PE, I briefly worked with the United Nations in both Thailand and Russia. One of the key things that made me join Atomico is the firm's dedication to making ESG a core part of it's investment operations and philosophy. I am passionate about helping founders to think through the human, social and environmental impacts of their businesses as they grow.
I also serve on the Legal Committee of the British Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (BVCA) where I help represent the venture capital industry in the UK and look after industry-standard documentation and helping managers to achieve best practices on items from ESG to antitrust compliance.
If you can't find me in the office I am most likely somewhere cold or out on the road running
I have long been fascinated by all things related to the polar regions since I was young. I have been to the Arctic, Alaska and Antarctica and couldn't recommend them enough to anyone wanting to see the furthest corners of the world.
I also love running and have completed the London, Berlin, New York, Chicago and Tokyo marathons (while still working to qualify one day for Boston!).
