Ajey Kaushal is a senior investment associate at JLL Spark, responsible for sourcing, evaluating, investing, and scaling early-stage PropTech startups. Prior to joining JLL Spark, he held roles across strategy, tech investing, commercial real estate, and management consulting, most recently serving as Chief of Staff at Anderson Holdings and as an investment associate at PLG Ventures prior to that.

Ajey holds a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and an MBA from the UCLA Anderson School of Management, where he served as student body President. After graduating with his MBA, Ajey has been an official mentor for current UCLA Anderson MBAs looking to launch startups post-graduation.

Andre joined JLL Spark in May 2020 as a growth principal supporting the EMEA region. Previous to this role, Andre was Head of Technology for JLL’s engineering business in EMEA, where his team successfully created a global product that digitized the facilities management service model.

Andre brings more than 18 years of experience in corporate real estate, where he managed large teams in operational and technology roles that oversaw a portfolio of blue-chip clients across multiple sectors. Andre’s passion for PropTech is driven by the innovative technology that connects people and their buildings, enhanced efficiencies, and a more sustainable outcome for the environment.

In 2014, Andre co-founded a high-performance technology business specializing in intelligent building optimization using energy-efficient products, analytical platforms, and IoT devices throughout sub-Saharan Africa.

Arnaud is a growth principal for Continental Europe and has been heavily involved in the real estate market since 2008, typically in sales and business development roles.

Arnaud initially worked in the residential development sector in Dubai for four years, successfully launching and selling high-end projects. He moved back to his hometown of Paris in 2013, later joining the MIPIM market team (RX Global Group) to launch the “Innovation and Proptech” segment of the event. He developed the concept to become a central pillar of the event, culminating in creating the first European Startup Competition for real estate in 2015 and the “Propel” event series launch in 2016 (NYC, Paris) to help bridge the gap between the traditional real estate players and the industry’s newcomers. Arnaud overlooks the EMEA market and team for numerous real estate events: MIPIM, MAPIC and Propel, delivering growth and revenue targets for the company and a wealth of networking and business opportunities for clients.

Arnaud brings his industry expertise, strong network and real estate passion as he continues to contribute to the transformation of the built environment, driving growth and success among the portfolio of companies. 

Carolyn is a senior IT executive with a record of delivering technology and business solutions across various industries and tech platforms. She is passionate about using technology as a strategic enabler for business innovation and growth. Carolyn leads the role of Asia Pacific lead for JLL Spark, performing strategic relationship management with JLL Spark’s portfolio of startup companies and external partnerships to promote growth and co-develop opportunities. Prior to her career in JLL Spark, she headed the Property & Asset Management Business Technology team at JLL for 12 years. Initially focused on Australia, expanding to Asia-Pacific, Carolyn’s team delivered a transformational program that re-engineered and digitized the day-to-day functions for staff and provided clients with a continually improving reporting and service delivery suite.

Chris is the managing partner of JLL Spark China Ventures, focusing on strategic PropTech investments in the China market and developing JLL Spark’s presence in mainland China.

Chris brings more than 20 years of experience in direct investment and business development with on-the-ground venture investment practices in China, East Asia, Southeast Asia, India, and the United States. Before joining Spark, Chris served as General Partner and Head of China for Telstra Ventures. Prior to that, Chris worked at Intel Capital in Silicon Valley and Beijing, overseeing investments in mobile internet, communications, and enterprise software and services in Asia.

Chris holds an MBA from the Wharton School of Business, and an MS in Control Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Christine leads marketing and communications for JLL Spark. She is responsible for elevating the Spark brand within the venture capital, tech, and real estate communities by developing and executing the media strategy for the global venture fund. Christine also partners with the JLL and JLL Technologies corporate communications teams to amplify internal awareness of Spark.
Prior to joining the JLL Spark team, Christine was the communications lead for BakerHughesC3.ai, a joint venture developing industrial AI and machine learning. Before that, she managed marketing programs for tech and consulting firms.

Christine holds a B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley.

Daniel is a growth associate at JLL Spark, where he drives value-creation opportunities for portfolio companies as they implement go-to-market strategies and engage with the firm’s strategic partners. Prior to joining Spark, Daniel worked in growth and development functions at real estate start-ups like Compass, Eataly, and Convene.

Daniel holds a B.A. in design and environment analysis from Cornell University, with minors in real estate and French.

Danny leads innovation for JLL Spark where he is responsible for developing synergies with JLL business lines and driving value through the implementation of new technologies. Previously, Danny was the head of global scouting and ecosystem development for Verizon’s real estate technology group, with a goal to digitally transform its 100 million square foot portfolio.

Prior to Verizon, Danny spent ten years working in venture capital, focused on seed and early-stage companies as well as investments in the lower-middle market. Danny has more than 25 years of experience working with entrepreneurs and startup companies. 

Danny holds an M.B.A from Babson College, and a B.Com in Finance from McGill University in Montreal, Canada. He is based in the Boston area.

Eddie Carroll, a native Iowan, is a growth principal for the Americas at JLL Spark. Prior to Spark, Eddie worked in strategic partnerships at Roofstock, Twitter, TellApart, and Accenture.

Not only is he focused on growing PropTech companies, cash-flowing small businesses, and accumulating frequent traveler points, he is also invested in growing the potential of youth in under-served communities as co-chair of BUILD Bay Area.

Javier is a senior investment associate at JLL Spark based in New York City, where he is focused on sourcing, evaluating, and investing in early-stage companies, with a particular emphasis on the intersection of PropTech and FinTech. Javier comes from an entrepreneurial family and is passionate about empowering ambitious founders.

Prior to joining JLL Spark, Javier worked as a senior investment associate at GPT Ventures, an early-stage fintech & payments focused fund. Earlier in his career, he worked as a banker at J.P. Morgan and Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

Javier holds a B.A. in Economics and M.S. in International Real Estate from Florida International University, and an MBA from NYU Stern School of Business.

Kelly is business operations lead at JLL Spark, focused on process improvement for the investment and growth team. Previously, Kelly joined JLL in 2018 where she was a data analyst for the global research team performing market analysis for Silicon Valley and developing operational playbooks for JLL’s global research team. Kelly became a driver of tech adoption within the CRE industry because of the impact products (like Aero, BlackBird and JET) made on her and her colleagues’ day-to-day.

Kelly holds a B.S. in International Business from San Francisco State University. She was introduced to CRE through the Building Owners & Managers Association (BOMA) mentorship program, where she learned the importance of building relationships between owners, tenants and their buildings.

Kitty is an investment principal with JLL Spark, a strategic venture fund that invests in early-stage PropTech companies. She previously worked at carpooling startup Scoop, LinkedIn, and management consultancies Bain and The Monitor Group. Kitty is passionate about mentoring and collaborating with startups of all sizes on strategy, business operations, and growth.

Kitty holds a B.A. from Bowdoin College and an MBA from the Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley.

Laurent is an entrepreneur turned venture capitalist collaborating with start-ups to successfully build scalable teams, strong company cultures, and disruptive products. Laurent believes there is a need for additional support within the early-stage ecosystem in budding technology hubs in the US and globally. His desire to support these growing tech communities led to his current role as Partner at JLL Spark in April 2021, focusing on strategic PropTech investments.

Laurent has founded, expanded, and managed multiple start-ups ranging from a tech-enabled corporate catering company, Eat Club, to a leader in the mobile health and wellness space, Zeel. His experience working in the early-stage startup scene has given him the tools necessary to understand the needs of founders in the infancies of their companies.

Laurent holds a B.A. in International Relations and Occupational Science from the University of Southern California. He is based in Los Angeles.

Meagan Riley is a growth principal for JLL Spark, serving as the liaison between Spark’s portfolio companies and JLL business leaders and clients. Prior to joining JLL Spark, Meagan led business development and strategic partnerships for a Mark Cuban-backed startup in the Bay Area. Her previous experience includes leadership positions at iHeartMedia, where she led the political and advocacy division, and 1776, a global incubator and venture fund based in Washington, DC.

While at 1776, Meagan led the corporate partnerships team and helped develop UNION, a global software and content platform that connects startup founders, mentors, investors, and corporate innovators around the world. Earlier in her career, she held various positions at Frontier Strategy Group, which provided venture-backed information and advisory services for emerging markets executives.

Mihir Shah is co-CEO of JLL Technologies (JLLT), a business division of JLL dedicated to commercial real estate (CRE) technology, where he draws on his nearly two decades of experience in building and leading teams to bring successful technology-based products to market. Mihir is also a member of the JLL Global Executive Board.

Previously, Mihir served as co-CEO of JLL Spark Global Ventures, JLL’s global venture fund investing in early to mid-stage startups to fuel and accelerate innovation in PropTech. Prior to his time at JLL, he was a senior executive at Groupon, the co-founder and CEO of Mob.ly (acquired by Groupon), a product leader at Yahoo!, and a management consultant at R. B. Webber & Company. Additionally, Mihir has been an angel investor and adviser to a number of startups, including Uber and Boom Supersonic.

Mihir holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and computer science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is based in San Francisco, California.

Natalia is an executive assistant supporting JLL Spark’s managing partner and partner. Before her venture capital career, Natalia worked in family-owned businesses and luxury hospitality brands throughout the globe. Natalia has since worked for venture capital firms such as Menlo Ventures and Fort Ross Ventures before joining JLL Spark in June 2021.

Natalia holds a bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Business Management from Switzerland. Natalia is also trilingual, speaking Russian, French, and English.

Raj is the managing partner of JLL Spark, the corporate venture capital group of JLL, focused on strategic PropTech investments. Previously, he was interim co-head/managing director of investments at JetBlue Technology Ventures, the corporate VC of JetBlue Airways.

Prior to that, Raj served as CEO and co-founder of London-based Sooqini, an on-demand economy task delegator for small businesses. Before that, Raj co-founded and led a Geneva-based consulting firm and worked with various governments to foster entrepreneurship. As a general partner and co-founder of Pervasive Technology Ventures—and also as a principal for the New York-based VC arm of Investcorp—he was responsible for sourcing, negotiating, and closing new investments in tech startups. At Booz Allen Hamilton (now Strategy&), Raj led strategy and technology projects in ecommerce; technology, media, and telecommunications; and financial services. He also held multiple positions at IBM at the start of his career.

Raj holds an MBA from INSEAD in Fontainebleau, France, and a B.S. in computing science from Imperial College London. He is based in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Sean is an investment principal at JLL Spark, covering the EMEA region. Previously, he served as a managing director at Stanley Ventures and Check24 Ventures. 

Prior to working in corporate venture capital, Sean founded Carden Capital, an investment firm which managed a hedge fund and sub-advised several mutual funds. He was also at Allianz Capital Partners, where he completed leveraged buyouts and mezzanine debt investments in Western Europe. Sean began his career as an investment banking analyst at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette.

Sean holds an MBA in Finance from the Wharton School, and a Masters in International Studies from the University of Pennsylvania. He also holds Business Administration and German language degrees from Pepperdine University, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude. He is based in Frankfurt, Germany.

As Chief of Staff for JLL Spark, Sonia develops and monitors critical business metrics that provide actionable information to the JLLT senior leadership, JLL Executives and Board. She drives operational efficiency and repeatability throughout Spark. She serves as a highly visible strategic partner, focusing on long-term planning and projects to ensure the growth of the organization and the success of the Managing Partner.  

Prior to joining Spark, Sonia worked at JLL specializing in tenant representation on both a local and global level. She utilized JLL’s best-in-class technology platform to find creative solutions to meet her clients’ unique needs. Her responsibilities included technology platform management, global market analysis, lease and sale negotiations, client portfolio optimization, as well as all disposition and acquisition activity.

Prior to JLL, she worked at WBT selling into the industrial, construction, and data center markets. She managed revenue streams for six states by establishing sales targets, deployment strategies, and go-to-market initiatives.

Tanguy is an investment principal and offers more than 15 years of experience in real estate innovation and transformation. Prior to this role, Tanguy joined JLL Spark as a growth principal for EMEA in September 2018.

Tanguy has helped scale JLL’s online leasing business in EMEA (in six countries) while managing JLL’s partnership with Concrete VC to bring startup innovation into the JLL Core pillar. Tanguy was CMO, CDO, and a board member of JLL France from 2006 to 2015 with a track record of establishing data-driven innovation programs to generate incremental business and drive cultural change.

Achievements include building a data and business intelligence platform foundational to marketing and business transformation, the digitalization of the customer journey with the launch of the first GIS on the French real estate market (now NxT Office), and a joint venture with Se Loger Group on Webimm.fr. Before joining JLL, Tanguy started his career at Arthur Andersen, where he held digital marketing and brand management roles.

Yishai Lerner is co-CEO of JLL Technologies (JLLT), a business division of JLL dedicated to commercial real estate (CRE) technology. Yishai leverages his 20-year background in leadership and technology to guide his team toward finding innovative solutions to age-old problems in CRE. He is also a member of the JLL Global Executive Board.

Previously, Yishai served as co-CEO of JLL Spark Global Ventures, JLL’s global venture fund investing in early to mid-stage startups to fuel and accelerate innovation in PropTech. Prior to his time at JLL, he was a senior executive at Groupon, the co-founder and CTO of Mob.ly (acquired by Groupon), the first engineer at Carrier IQ and Core Mobility (acquired by Smith Micro), and an artificial intelligence programmer at Activision Studios. Additionally, Yishai has been an angel investor and adviser to a number of startups, including Uber and Boom Supersonic.

Yishai holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and computer science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he concentrated in AI and contributed to the MIT Media Lab. He is based in San Francisco, California.

Zhixue is an investment principal at JLL Spark, based in China.

Zhixue has over ten years of experience in investments and financial services, including CVC, VC, corporate development, and investment banking in China, the U.S., and Europe. She also held operational roles such as B2B commercial strategy and supply chain management. Prior to joining JLL, Zhixue worked as an investment manager at ING Ventures, the venture arm of ING Bank in Amsterdam.

Zhixue holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, an M.S. in Management Science & Engineering from Stanford University, and a B.M. in management science from Fudan University.