ForgePoint Capital Strengthens Investment Team By Adding Leading Cybersecurity Experts And Promotes Manoj Ramachandran to Vice President

Cyber forensics pioneer Shane Shook and noted technology veteran Leoncio Casusol join firm as venture consultants

San Francisco, January 29, 2020 – ForgePoint Capital announced today the promotion of Manoj “MJ” Ramachandran to Vice President and that Shane Shook, an expert in the field of cyber forensics, and former Cyxtera Technologies CIO Leoncio “Leo” Casusol have joined the firm as venture consultants. The appointments further strengthen ForgePoint’s experienced and respected team and will advance their mission to invest in and support the next generation of breakout cybersecurity companies.

“Cybersecurity remains one of the most challenging industries given the ever-evolving sophistication and sheer multitude of different kinds of threats. For startups to succeed, they need investors with experience backing many of the world’s most successful cybersecurity companies and access to industry experts who know how to build companies from the ground up,” said Alberto Yépez, Co-Founder and Managing Director, ForgePoint Capital. “Our unique security investment focus and strength comes from not only the operational team, including rising stars such as MJ, but also from experienced technical consultants like Leo and Shane who create a greater understanding between startups, their markets and clients and investors.”

The promotion of Ramachandran is the second promotion earned after only 18 months since joining the firm. He has been instrumental in securing and supporting portfolio companies while leading due diligence of several of the firm’s investments including Anitian, where he serves as a Board Observer. Prior to joining ForgePoint Capital, Ramachandran was a senior financial manager at LendingClub and was an investment banker at AGC Partners, where he specialized in M&A and private placement transactions for both enterprise software and cybersecurity companies.

“MJ brings highly relevant operating experience along with his investment banking background, which has enabled him to hit the ground running,” said Sean Cunningham, Managing Director, ForgePoint Capital. “This combination has been an incredible addition not only to the investment team, but it also serves him well in his capacity as Board Observer. Assisting portfolio companies is job number one for our team and MJ has truly embraced this value driver with ForgePoint Capital companies.”

The firm also continues to strengthen the team with the addition of leading cybersecurity experts Shane Shook and Leo Casusol as venture consultants. Shook is a recognized veteran of information technology and security consulting. An author, trainer and expert witness in cybercrime investigations procedures, Shook joins ForegePoint Capital while also serving as an advisor to several companies in the US, UK and Japan.

Casusol, with over 20 years of executive experience building and operating large-scale global technology companies, comes to ForgePoint Capital after serving as CIO for Cyxtera Technologies, Verizon Business, Terremark Worldwide, Liquidity Services and Quadrem. His expertise in product management, infrastructure, operations, sales, business development, telecommunications and government contracting has been successfully applied in both startups and Fortune 20 companies.

Shook and Casusol bring decades of industry expertise and a strong network of relationships to the firm. As venture consultants, they will support technical due diligence for new venture investment opportunities and help portfolio companies expand and scale their businesses.