Issam Dairanieh

Operating Partner at Ascent Capital Holdings

Operating Partner
2018 - Current
ACH is a special purpose investment company established to recapitalize the assets held by a major investment fund with a focus on sustainability. ACH is capitalized by some of the world’s largest and most sophisticated investors. Crestline Investors is the lead investor and manager of ACH. As an operating partner, Issam provides strategic support to current portfolio companies and assists in assessing and developing future options for ACH.

CEO
2016 - 2018
Led a global effort to develop and commercialize technologies capturing and converting CO2 into commerially viable products. Led the innovation arm of the organization by funding early stage technologies and led the commercialization arm by investing in late stage technologies. Created a global syndicate to develop standardized guidelines for Life Cycle Analysis and Techno-Economic Analysis of processes converting CO2 to products.

Managing Director, BP Ventures
2011 - 2016
Issam led BP's corporate venture team which is a strategic investment group that amis at accelerating techology development, and creating strategic and financial returns . AUM > $220m. Issam has completed 13 investments (from deal origination through deal execution and portfolio management). In addition to serving on the board of 5 portfolio companies, Issam sat on the governance board of (a) ICAM, a $100m advanced materials BP initiative and (b) the Digital Center of Excellence. Issam also served as a co-director of the first Technology accelerator in the Middle East ( Abu Dhabi) focused on Sustainability.

US Venture Director,
2010 - 2011
Built a US Venture team and led the execution of most of the team's deals.
Technology Principal
2007 - 2009
Technology assessment of potential investment opportunities. Authored multiple white papers and investment theses in a number of alternative energy sectors including Energy Storage, Carbon Conversion and Utilization, Solar Thermal Power Generation, Marine Energy and Geothermal Energy.
Renewable and Alternative Energy Program Manager
2006 - 2007
Assess emerging clean energy technologies and provide insights to strategic business positioning.
Commercial Development Manager
1998 - 2006
Issam started as a research scientist at BP Chemicals working on the commercialization of new product applications. Issam led on the interactions and joint development agreements with key customers in the packaging and engineering materials value chain. Issam then moved to a commercial development manager role in the Aromatics Busienss Unit. Between 2012 and 2014, Issam served as a co-head of BP's Materials' Science Network.