London-based VC fund LocalGlobe, an investor in UK tech firms including Citymapper and TransferWise, has hired a new female partner.
Julia Hawkins, who previously worked at Universal Music, will join the firm to focus on media and HealthTech investments.
On the new appointment, Hawkins said: “For many years I have admired the development of LocalGlobe’s team, portfolio and brand. When I saw the announcement that the team was expanding, I knew I wanted to work with London’s most active Seed investor.”
Hawkins came to London 20 years ago to study social policy at the London School of Economics and went on to work at Investment bank Goldman Sachs, Last.fm, BBC Worldwide, and then helped set up the venture capital activity at Universal Music.
Whilst at Universal, Hawkins led investment deals in three LocalGlobe portfolio companies: ROLI, Sofar Sounds and Wool & The Gang.
Hawkins now hopes to develop LocalGlobe’s investments in specific verticals: “I’m currently very curious about genomics, HealthTech and the potential for gene therapy.
“LocalGlobe has already demonstrated its interest in this area with early moves to invest in companies like MyHeritage and Zebra Medical Vision and most recently Echo,” she added.
LocalGlobe was founded by Saul Klein and his father Robin Klein in 1999. The company made its name by backing notable companies in the UK including Improbable and Zoopla.
Traditionally, the firm focuses on investing in companies which are either pre-Seed or Seed. Klein previously told UKTN he is interested in “investing in practical science-fiction.”