Meet Our Team

José is the Founding Partner and CEO of Reference Capital, bringing over 25 years of global experience in hedge funds and venture capital. Before founding Reference Capital in 2019, he served as CIO for a family office, managing a substantial VC portfolio across the US, Europe, and China. He previously spent 15 years in banking, notably as CIO and Head of Alternative Investments at Syz Group, and began his career at Arthur Andersen. He holds a CFA and a Master in Banking & Finance from HEC Lausanne.

Luke is the Chief Investment Officer at Reference Capital, overseeing all investment product initiatives and leading a team of 10 professionals. He also serves on several Fund LPACs, supporting governance and portfolio oversight. Previously, he was a Director in KPMG US’s Deal Advisory practice, a Senior Advisor to the Irish Banking Resolution Corporation, and part of KPMG’s European Transaction Services team. Luke has advised on 55+ investments across Fintech, SaaS, Defense Technology, and Healthcare for top-tier PE, VC, and corporate investors.

Olivier is a Partner at Reference Capital, based in Dubai, and serves on both the Executive and Investment Committees. He oversees asset allocation for several family offices and brings a strong track record in private markets. Formerly Head of Trading at Quaker Securities, Olivier has played a leading role in major ventures across technology, energy, and biotech; spanning investment, financing, and strategic oversight.

Julien is the CFO & COO at Reference Capital, where he oversees the firm’s financial strategy, operations, and corporate governance. His work spans budgeting, investment legal processes, and operational due diligence, supporting the firm’s global venture capital activities. Before joining Reference Capital, he held finance and operations roles within a large family office, after beginning his career in financial audit. He has developed deep expertise in financial planning and organizational scaling. Julien holds a Master’s degree in Finance from NEOMA Business School.

Arnaud is the Chief Investment Solutions Officer at Reference Capital. He advises private and institutional clients on investment strategy and its translation into venture capital allocations. Formerly CEO of a large single family office overseeing billions in assets, he brings deep experience across investment, corporate, and operational functions, combining strategic insight with hands-on leadership in complex business and investment environments. He holds a LL.M. in Banking and Finance and a Masters in Economic Studies.

Francesco is the Chief Commercial Officer at Reference Capital, directing global commercial strategy, sales, and investor relationships across private and institutional clients. He previously spent more than 18 years at Pictet Asset Management, serving as CEO for the Middle East, Central Asia, and Africa. Francesco has extensive experience advising sovereign wealth funds, endowments, and family offices, bringing deep institutional insight and global commercial leadership to the firm.

Hélène is a Manager at Reference Capital, where she works on fund due diligence and portfolio construction, and leads the firm’s research lab efforts. She joined in 2021 after developing the strategy and investment pipeline for Cottos Food Innovation, an agrifood venture initiative built with former Nestlé executives. Hélène graduated with honors from EHL and completed EPFL’s Innosuisse program and the Newton Venture Program.

Edouard is a Manager at Reference Capital, working across venture capital research, global sourcing, and manager assessment. His work spans diligence and portfolio construction, and he has helped build Reference Capital’s international network of emerging managers. Before joining the firm, he evaluated high-tech and life-science startups at Verve Ventures, contributing to investments in prominent digital health and consumer-tech companies, and began his career in an early-stage tech startup.

Livia is an Associate at Reference Capital, where she focuses on fund due diligence and research initiatives. She joined in 2025 after over three years at General Oriental, a Geneva-based family office, where she conducted investment due diligence across different asset classes. Previously, Livia worked in Transaction Advisory Services at Ernst & Young. She holds a Master in Accounting and Finance from the University of St. Gallen and a Bachelor from HEC Lausanne.

Martin is an Analyst at Reference Capital, contributing to diligence across venture funds from early-stage to growth, direct investment evaluation, and strategic research. His work spans thematic “deep dives” into emerging technologies, supporting the firm’s investment decisions and broader market intelligence efforts. He began his career at Deloitte Spain as part of the audit team.

Nicolas is the Head of Fund Due Diligence & Operations at Reference Capital, supporting the CFO and leading legal, operational, and governance reviews of venture and crypto fund managers while overseeing fund operations and performance analytics. SFO-certified, he previously worked at Lombard Odier and PwC in Switzerland and at Mazars in Luxembourg, bringing expertise across multiple fund jurisdictions and deep experience in fund accounting, reporting, tax, regulatory frameworks, and financial control systems.

Sixtine is an Analyst at Reference Capital, where she works on venture capital and private equity fund research, manager due diligence, and select direct investments. She previously gained experience across venture capital, private wealth management, and investment platforms, contributing to fund reviews, thematic research, sourcing, and portfolio analysis. Sixtine graduated with honors from Babson College and brings an international background shaped by academic and early professional experience across Europe and the United States.

Axel is the Co-founder of Mentriva, which builds programmable settlement infrastructure for global trade. He also serves as a Venture Scout at Reference Capital, supporting sourcing and advisory work. Previously, as an Associate at Reference Capital, he played a central role in building the firm’s Blockchain Funds of Funds through sourcing, underwriting, and portfolio construction. Axel is also an active angel investor and previously worked at L1 Digital on research, valuation, and data infrastructure.