Oak Road Ventures
Advisory to Family Offices, Financial and International Investment Hubs
Our
Story
Get to Know Us
Oak Road Ventures was founded in 2017 by James Martin to bring together expertise in fund placement, structure and growth.
In 2021, the organisation added the Strategic Investment Advisory Office (SIAO) to meet its partners' demands for mid to longer-term guidance on investment profiling and national investment hub development.
A key driver for the establishment of Oak Road Ventures was an understanding of the frustrations of many senior executives working with traditional consultancy projects, where a failure to manage the transition of strategy into delivery brought unacceptable delay. Leading on the actioning of an investment strategy is the added value delivered by Oak Road Ventures.
We work with investment hubs, family offices, national authorities and real estate developers to establish and improve their business environments in accordance with international legal and regulatory standards. Our senior advisory team review and have expertise in all areas of the investment eco-system including the structuring of bankable projects and their promotion to investment opportunity, international financial centre and investment hub creation, sourcing of green and sustainable finance, financial governance, innovation and fintech.
As a leading international advisory business we offer expertise on how to develop financial and professional services ecosystems – ecosystems which, in turn, enable broad-based sustainable and inclusive economic growth throughout the host country and regional economy.
Grow Your Vision
The Team Experience:
Each member of Oak Road Ventures has worked on development projects with regulators, officials, and key private sector stakeholders in countries across the globe, from the EU, US & Asia, including Albania, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Turkey, UAE, Uzbekistan and Zimbabwe to help partners develop core financial infrastructure and investment potential.
In Terms of Value, Oak Road Ventures offers:
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Multi- year experience as a trusted advisor to national authorities wishing to develop internationally recognised financial centres and investment hubs which conform to global standards;
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Proven expertise developing frameworks, models and solutions for inward investment and trade growth;
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In-depth knowledge of the political context and commercial sensitivities in key markets;
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Successful delivery of high-impact policy recommendations and campaign messages to key stakeholders;
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High-level long-term network within SWFs, development institutions, infrastructure and real estate development and private capital funds;
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The power to convene groups of technically competent subject matter experts from a variety of financial and related professional sources;
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Effective communication and investment promotion management strategy which includes: coordination of event and forum participation, policymaker roundtables, working group and bilateral meetings to support trade and investment objectives and dialogue between national authorities, policymakers and the international investment sector;
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Representation at highest level to communicate investment opportunity to key stakeholders;
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Capacity building and talent pool / skillset development and supervision; and
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Risk management, monitoring and mitigation.
Services
Building the Investment Eco-System
Oak Road Ventures engages with national authorities and sovereign funds to develop their country’s investment capability, project pipeline and outreach.
In Terms of Value, Oak Road Ventures offers:
High-level long-term network within SWFs, Family Offices, development institutions, infrastructure and real estate development and private capital funds.
Engagement covers all areas of investment eco-system development including:
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International financial hubs
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Investment Office creation, bankable project pipeline and initial due diligence
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Inward investment stakeholder mapping and introduction
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Private Placements
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Real Estate investment strategies
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International promotion programmes.
Oak Road Ventures has offices in UAE, London (Oak Road Ventures Ltd: Company Number 14648471) and in Astana, Kazakhstan.
Family Office
International Investment Hub
Fund Advisory
Investment and Real Estate Partnerships
Meet the Team
James Martin
Founder
James Martin created Oak Road Ventures following a successful period as Deputy CEO and Chief Investment Officer at the Astana International Financial Centre.
James has been working with, and towards, developing markets, such as the Middle East for over 30 years, as well as Central Asia.
James worked at Nasdaq for 15 years, based in Europe and the Middle East, focusing on business development, technologies and strategic consultancy.
Throughout his career James has advised private family offices, governments and corporates on business development, international partnerships and international investments. Success was delivered through negotiated, executable agreements, implemented strategies and bankable project investments.
Prior to this, he worked in the finance sector in London and the US on asset management, securities lending and custody banking.
Knut Pedersen
Managing Director, Investment Strategy
Knut Pedersen has many years of experience from various positions in the financial sector, most recently in the role as President and CEO of Catella, a Nasdaq listed leading specialist in investments with operations in 12 countries. Prior to this Knut was the Managing Director of Nordic Investment bank ABG Sundal Collier, located in Sweden, focusing on private & public placements, corporate finance and Equity research.
Under his leadership Catella restructured and grew assets under management from approximately EUR 4 billion to approximately EUR 22 billion.
Knut has joined Oak Road Ventures to lead on investment strategies & corporate finance.
Knut sits on a number of boards and is a private investor into high-growth start-ups.
Akshu Campbell-Holt
Director, Sustainable Investment and Digital Assets
Akshu has fifteen years of experience working in the financial services, e-commerce and technology industries in the Middle East, Central Asia and India. She specialises in sustainability, strategy formulation, market research, and business infrastructure development at international financial centres in emerging and frontier markets.
Since 2017 she has advised on sustainability, strategy formulation and implementation, and investment solutions across various AIFC entities including the AIFC Authority, the Astana International Exchange (AIX), and the financial regulator of the AIFC – the Astana Financial Services Authority (AFSA). Previously, she worked for ten years in Qatar including at the financial regulator of the Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) – the QFC Regulatory Authority.
Steve Bourne
Director, Strategic Partnerships
Steve joined Oak Road Ventures in 2023, having been the Chief of Staff at the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC), leading on governmental and private sector relations.
Steve was the coordinator for AIFC’s membership of the World Alliance of International Financial Centers (WAIFC) and was previously based in Moscow, working for the inter-governmental non-proliferation organisation ‘The International Science and Technology Center (ISTC)’ representing the European Commission as Head of Communications and External Relations.
Now based in UK, Steve currently leads on Oak Road Ventures' support to the development of Ukraine's financial eco-system and investment development in Kazakhstan, Central Asia and the Eurasia region with Parnassus Capital.
Hanaa El Mchrafi Bengtsson
Advisor, Financial Services
Hanaa El Mchrafi Bengtsson is a seasoned leader in financial services, with more than 25 years spanning fintech innovation, strategic advisory, and global business development.
Drawing on an extensive international network built across Casablanca, Paris, and London, she brings unique cross-market insights to her entrepreneurial ventures.
Hanaa thrives at the intersection of finance and diversity, creating inclusive solutions that connect people, ideas, and opportunities worldwide.
Get in touch
Contact Us
Address
UAE Office:
Al Jazira Al Hamra
RAKEZ Business Zone-FZ
Kazakhstan:
Astana
UK Office:
Epsom, Surrey.
Contact
+44 7718206708
Opening Hours
Mon - Fri
8:00 am – 8:00 pm
Saturday
9:00 am – 7:00 pm
Sunday
9:00 am – 9:00 pm
