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The Oxx team has grown! One of our cornerstones at Oxx is finding and developing brilliant talent. The people in our team are our secret sauce, and so we are tremendously excited to introduce the two newest additions to the family: Ben Palmer and Ashna Ahmad. They both joined us over the summer as Investment Professionals in London and Stockholm respectively, and while we’ll see more of them in the future, they joined us for a round of quickfire questions about themselves and their first couple of months at Oxx.
Welcome both! You’ve been with us for a few months now, how are you finding it so far?
Ashna: I've absolutely loved getting to know everyone and getting stuck into some exciting work. In a few short months, I've been able to explore more industries and problems than I could have imagined, and I feel very privileged to have so much variety in my day-to-day. Oxx has created a culture where everyone listens to each other and looks out for each other, so even though I'm still learning the ropes as a VC, I've always felt comfortable having a go at ambitious tasks and learning from the constructive yet kind feedback I've received from my more senior colleagues.
Ben: It’s been a great start to life at Oxx! Being surrounded by a team so knowledgeable and passionate about SaaS scale-ups is both refreshing and intellectually stimulating. What makes it even better is the diversity of skill sets and backgrounds, offering endless opportunities to learn from one another. The team has also been incredibly welcoming, creating an environment where I’ve gained a well-rounded perspective on new investment proposals, portfolio management, and sourcing & networking, among other areas.
What’s been the most memorable moment or the most surprising thing you have discovered since joining the team?
Ben: What surprised me most about Oxx is the depth of its honest and collegiate culture. It’s a place free from internal politics, where tough conversations are welcomed, and people are encouraged to play devil’s advocate. I love this sense of authenticity and openness, which leads to more insightful discussions and ultimately better investments.
Ashna: I've been positively astounded by the athletic and musical skills of some of my colleagues, We have multiple archers and cricketers in the making, and the Happy Birthday rendition I got in the office was possibly the most in tune I've ever heard…
What made you want to join Oxx, and what excites you most about this role?
Ben: I became familiar with Oxx during my previous role as an Investment Banker at a technology boutique firm. From an outsider’s perspective, Oxx stood out due to its unique thesis - its focus on the scale-up stage in Europe, its sharp SaaS specialisation, and its cherry-picking, high-conviction investment approach. Such differentiation, coupled with my desire to shift from a transaction-focused role to one that creates long-term value through closer collaboration with entrepreneurs, motivated me to join Oxx.
I am particularly excited to join Oxx at this time given that we are at the inflection point of AI-driven SaaS that represents a fundamental change set to shape the future of business and technology. I can’t wait to be a part of the fund's journey and support entrepreneurs building the next generation of B2B SaaS products.
Ashna: I come from an early-stage investing background, where we didn't always have a lot of data on the opportunities we looked at. I was keen to move into a more data-driven style of investing, where I could really dig into the numbers to make better-supported investment recommendations and decisions.
As Ben mentioned, Oxx has a unique focus on deep diligence and data analysis - but perhaps more importantly, on leaving our ego at the door when making decisions. I think this is important from a data analysis perspective and from a relationship-building perspective; it helps us to update our opinions appropriately in the face of evidence and to nurture more trusting, productive and powerful relationships with founders and collaborators. This is a principle that really sets Oxx apart in the VC space, and also makes Oxx a great team to work with.
Is there any area within B2B SaaS you find particularly intriguing?
Ben: I have a strong interest in automation and productivity software – particularly solutions that redefine the technology landscape in traditionally slow-to-digitalise verticals such as manufacturing, construction, and travel. There is so much room for software disruption here!
Ashna: In general, the companies I find the most interesting are those which reimagine particular workflows in businesses in inventive and creative ways. I tend to be most able to recognise this in the developer tools and MLOps space, having been a software engineer, product manager and developer tools founder myself. MLOps in particular is very ripe for innovation; since the recent explosion in AI capabilities has barely given us pause to think about how to sustainably build with AI, this is an area that is being defined as we speak, which I find incredibly exciting. At Oxx, I've been able to explore these creative reimaginations in other sectors too, which has been one of the most enjoyable parts of my role so far.
Having been with us for a couple of months already, you have probably already gathered that we are all SaaS geeks – and geek out over different things. What would you say your geeky trait is, and how do you think this can shine through in your role?
Ashna: With my product and engineering background, I love to get deep into technical product discussions with founders, even early on in the conversation. I get very excited when I see unique technology, a strong data moat and an ambitious product roadmap!
Ben: I am a numbers man at heart and have an unashamed love for Excel. As such, I enjoy working with CFOs to build business plans and professionalise their metrics dashboards.
What are you looking forward to learning or contributing in your first year at Oxx?
Ashna: I've already learned so much from deeply researching different industries and beginning to build relationships with exceptional operators and investors. I'm excited to continue growing my network, and for this process to eventually lead us to a great opportunity.
Ben: For my part, I can’t wait to make my first Oxx investment – I’m particularly excited to learn more about product and technology DD from the firm’s ex-operators. I also look forward to assisting the team with ‘Oxx I’ exits where I can leverage my M&A background.
We’re looking forward to getting to know you more over the year, but finally, we’d like to uncover some hidden information about you. So, considering LinkedIn is the platform of choice for VCs, what’s one surprising thing people wouldn’t guess about you from your LinkedIn profile?
Ashna: My earliest ambition was to be a West End actress, and I went to performing arts school for 7 years! In every city I've moved to, finding a dance studio has been a non-negotiable. I've also taken up freelance audiobook narration outside work, but am still waiting for my big break…
Ben: Outside of work, I am a sports fanatic: I spend a lot of my free time on a football pitch, tennis court, or golf course and I am an ever-optimistic supporter of my home football team, AFC Bournemouth. I can also be found exploring my love of music (sometimes behind the decks) or researching my next trip to a remote, snow-capped peak.
