MANAGEMENT TEAM
Ryan McCalley
FOUNDER AND MANAGING PARTNER
Ryan McCalley is the Managing Partner and Founder of SQN Venture Partners with lead responsibilities for the sourcing and investment process, and portfolio construction. Ryan brings over 20 years of portfolio management and startup operational experience to SQN Venture Partners.
Prior to establishing SQNVP, he was the Senior Vice President of ATEL Ventures, a San Francisco based private equity firm managing $2BN in assets. Mr. McCalley’s tenure spanned over a decade with ATEL providing venture debt financing to emerging technology companies and he held various positions responsible for portfolio management, underwriting, origination and head of Clean Energy Investments.
His extensive experience financing emerging technology companies led him to the co-founding of PURE Energies, Inc. in 2010. Mr. McCalley was part of the founding senior management team and board responsible for taking PURE from concept to the largest VC backed exit for a Canadian company in 2014. While with PURE Mr. McCalley raised over $20 million in venture capital financing from multiple funds, including New Enterprise Associates, the nation’s largest VC fund by AUM. He was also responsible for key strategic acquisitions that resulted in the sale of PURE to NRG Energy in 2014.
Mr. McCalley holds a BA in Economics and accounting from the University of California Santa Barbara, and holds multiple board and advisory positions within the entrepreneurial community stemming from his angel investing.
Nicholas Barnett
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT/PARTNER
Mr. Barnett assisted in co-founding SQN VP and developing its capital raising strategy. Mr. Barnett developed and curated SQN VP’s investor base and is responsible for SQN VP’s capital raising and investor relations strategy. Mr. Barnett is integral to the fund formation process, investment thesis, on-going fund and SQN VP operations, marketing strategy, and onboarding of new registered investment adviser firms. As SQN VP continues to grow, Mr. Barnett is responsible for leading the due diligence process for new and ongoing allocating registered investment adviser firms. Mr. Barnett also assists with all compliance efforts for SQN VP.
Mr. Barnett has previously held director, senior director, and vice president positions at a $2 billion private equity asset manager located in San Francisco. During his tenure Mr. Barnett developed the firm’s RIA Fund distribution channel, and managed the firm’s internal distribution team. Mr. Barnett has over a decade of experience distributing funds focused on venture debt strategies.
Mr. Barnett holds a BA in Psychology with an emphasis on Social Psychology and Philosophy from DePaul University. In addition he assisted on research journal studies in the field of Judgement and Decision Making. Mr. Barnett holds Series 7 and 63 licenses.
TIMOTHY ROBEY, CAIA
MANAGING DIRECTOR, HEAD OF CAPITAL FORMATION
Tim Robey plays a key role in raising capital, managing investor relationships, expanding the fund’s network of limited partners, and driving business development initiatives. As the subject matter expert for the firm’s venture debt products and a member of the Investment Committee, Tim is actively involved in the portfolio construction of SQN’s investments.
Mr. Robey began his investment career in 2001. He has held Senior Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager positions with Morgan Stanley Investment Management, Eaton Vance, Dwight Asset Management, and Lehman Brothers Asset Management. In these roles he was responsible for buy and sell decisions, portfolio construction, and risk management for the firm’s multi-sector and short duration portfolios. Tim was also instrumental in the growth of the separately managed account (SMA) businesses and capital formation at these firms.
Mr. Robey earned a B.S. in Finance with a minor in Computer Information Systems from Bentley College and an M.B.A. from Yale School of Management. He holds the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) designation, is an active member of the Boston CAIA association, and holds the series 7 and 63 licenses.
SAM PETRECKY
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, FINANCE AND OPERATIONS
Mr. Petrecky has 20 years of experience in the finance industry, working primarily in the private equity space for fund managers and fund administrators. Previously, he was a Senior Vice President of Fund Accounting with Phoenix American Financial Services, providing fund accounting services and consultation for alternative investment funds focused on venture leasing, private debt, buyout, and real estate funds. At Phoenix American, he built out the fund accounting platform, and oversaw the administration of over $2 billion in alternative investment funds. Prior to joining Phoenix American, he worked with Gen II Fund Services, Alternative Investment Solutions LLC, and Vista Equity Partners focusing on operations and accounting for private equity, private credit, and debt hedge funds.
While at Vista Equity Partners, Mr. Petrecky worked on the launch of the credit platform, coordinating fund activities with the fund and loan administrators, assisting in trade settlement and deal fundings, fund operations, and overseeing the audit and tax work done on the funds. He worked closely with investor relations and limited partners on reporting of capital accounts, fund performance, and investor communications.
Mr. Petrecky received his BA in Urban and Regional Planning from The University at Albany, and a MBA with a concentration in finance from Stetson University.
RICHARD RYAN
CHIEF CREDIT & OPERATING OFFICER
Richard Ryan is the Chief Credit & Operating Officer and a member of the Investment Committee at SQN Venture Partners, where he leads the firm’s credit strategy, underwriting, portfolio management, and operational execution. A seasoned entrepreneur, investor, and operator, he brings more than two decades of leadership experience across finance, technology, and strategic operations.
Before joining SQN, Mr. Ryan served as President and CEO of Six15 Technologies, a leader in wearable and augmented reality systems, where he drove product innovation and strategic growth. He also co-founded Thayer Bancroft Equity Partners and The Legacy Network, partnerships focused on investing in and improving the performance of small businesses. Earlier in his career, he was a consultant with McKinsey & Company, advising corporate leaders on transformation, valuation, M&A integration, and turnaround strategies.
A U.S. Army veteran, Mr. Ryan served seven years in the aviation branch, leading teams, maintenance and logistics support, and flight operations around the world. He holds an MBA from Cornell University and a B.S. from the United States Military Academy at West Point.
Ishaan Sharma
VICE PRESIDENT, PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT
Mr. Sharma as Vice President of Portfolio Management is responsible for managing day-to-day responsibilities within the portfolio and supporting underwriting and financial analysis of new opportunities.
Prior to joining SQN Venture Partners, Mr. Ishaan worked for over four years in Blacksoil Capital, a Venture Debt Fund in India, where he served as a Senior Associate in his most recent role.
During his tenure at Blacksoil, Mr. Ishaan led the entire lifecycle of Venture Debt transactions across diverse verticals such as Healthcare, SaaS, EdTech, Defense, and D2C. Before his stint at Blacksoil, he worked at Deutsche Bank in Market Risk and at Allevard IAI in the Research and Development department.
Mr. Sharma holds a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Pune. He has also cleared CFA Level 1 and FRM Part 1.
YASH TAHILRAMANI
ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT, PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT
Mr. Tahilramani, as Assistant Vice President, is responsible for underwriting, evaluating new opportunities, and managing the portfolio.
Prior to joining SQN Venture Partners, Mr. Tahilramani worked as an Associate Vice President at InCred Capital’s private credit fund. Before that, he was a part of the investment team at BlackSoil Capital, where he managed the entire investment lifecycle across various sectors.
During his tenure at BlackSoil and InCred, Mr. Tahilramani oversaw transactions across multiple industries, ensuring comprehensive due diligence and strategic portfolio management. Before his roles in private credit, he worked as an Associate in Investment Banking at PwC and several boutique firms based in Mumbai. Over his investment banking career, he advised corporate clients on raising approximately $100 million through M&A and private credit transactions.
Mr. Tahilramani is a Chartered Accountant and holds a Bachelor's degree in Commerce from Mumbai University