Raising the Brand with Natasha Azar, VP of Investor Relations at OMX Ventures
Welcome to Private Equity Marketeer’s Raising the Brand, where we delve into the stories and strategies behind the leading brand builders & capital raisers in private markets. In this series, we highlight the creative minds and strategic thinkers who are redefining how private market firms connect with their audiences, build trust, and tell their stories.
Today, we’re joined by Natasha Azar. Natasha is Vice President of Investor Relations at OMX Ventures and is responsible for leading capital formation and managing LP relationships for the funds.
Before OMX, Natasha led investor relations and marketing at Osage University Partners, a venture firm that made direct investments in technologies commercialized by universities. In that role, Natasha was responsible for the development and coordination of investor relations, communications, fundraising, and marketing materials.
The Journey to Investor Relations
You hold degrees in Creative Writing and Political Science and have navigated roles from Siemens to venture firms. How have these varied experiences shaped your approach to IR?
Natasha: When I first realized I wanted to transition to IR, I was concerned I didn’t have the appropriate educational background and experience for this career transition. But after networking with IR professionals in private equity and venture, I quickly realized there’s no single path into this field. Some come from finance or economics and start as equity analysts, while others have backgrounds in English or PR. There’s no Bachelor’s Degree in Investor Relations, and while financial knowledge is useful, soft skills like writing, communication, and relationship-building are just as critical.
Looking back now, I can see how my degrees have shaped my approach. A political science background—studying history, diplomacy, and negotiation—helped develop my relationship management skills, which are essential in IR. And while a Creative Writing degree might seem unrelated, studying great literary minds strengthened my ability to craft clear, compelling messaging—which is crucial for investor updates, quarterly reports, and presentations. I’ve come to appreciate where my skills add value in IR and where I need to grow, and that perspective has made the transition both exciting and rewarding.
The many hats of an IR professional in the private markets
Investor relations professionals in private markets often find themselves juggling a variety of roles, and are often called upon to serve as storytellers, analysts, relationship builders, and strategic advisors, all at once.
In your experience, what are the key skills an investor relations professional must master to wear these many hats effectively?
Natasha: Many of the key skills required for success in IR align closely with those of a marketing and communications executive. The first and most critical is effective storytelling and communication—the ability to craft compelling narratives for fund marketing materials, email campaigns, and investor pitches. A well-structured and persuasive message is essential when engaging with LPs and positioning a fund in a competitive market.
Equally important is consistent engagement and relationship management, as IR professionals must build and maintain strong, long-term connections with investors. This requires strategic outreach, personalized communication, and trust-building skills—all fundamental to effective marketing and brand positioning.
One often overlooked yet invaluable skill is public speaking. While many associate public speaking training with politicians or keynote speakers, it is equally critical for IR professionals, especially during fundraising. Whether pitching LPs in one-on-one meetings, presenting at conferences, or leading virtual discussions, strong presentation skills enhance credibility and investor confidence.
Lastly, a solid foundation in financial and market analysis is highly beneficial. The ability to interpret fund performance, analyze market trends, and anticipate investor concerns allows IR professionals to provide deeper insights and engage in more strategic discussions with LPs.
Favorite tool to use
More and more tech is coming out for modern brand builders & capital raisers. Is there a tool you couldn’t live without nowadays?
Natasha: I’ve become quite the fan of Affinity. We switched to it last year as our new CRM, and I find it incredibly simple to use yet effective at tracking investor relationships. As you build your funnel during the pre-marketing period of your fundraise, I find using a CRM tool like this to be a non-negotiable to keep track of all of the concurrent conversations you have going on.
Adapting to Shifting Dynamics
Are there any key trends or market shifts in the IR profession that you think will affect the function more broadly?
Natasha: I think with retail and wealth channel expansion and the democratization of private markets, IR professionals will increasingly engage with HNWIs, RIAs, and wealth platforms more than ever before (rather than just institutional LPs). This is naturally already happening with the increased difficulty of raising capital from institutional LPs in recent years; IR professionals have already begun to market towards these other channels. As a result, IR professionals will have to engage more with financial advisors and intermediaries rather than directly with the institutional allocators. Marketing to these groups may require more education-driven investor engagement and materials, as this may be their first foray into an asset class.
Another trend I anticipate is VC funds in particular raising capital from corporate and strategic LPs. Venture capital consolidating and a small number of funds raising >50% of the traditional LP capital, many VCs will need to explore alternative sources of funding from large corporations across industries such as tech and software, healthcare and medical device companies, financial services and fintech, retail and consumer goods, energy and sustainability. However, raising capital from strategic investors differs significantly from raising with financial LPs. IR professionals may need to adapt their approach, developing new skills to identify and engage the right corporate partners that align with their fund’s strategy.
Brand Building for Emerging Managers:
Emerging fund managers often face resource constraints but need to create a strong, trustworthy brand to attract investors. What advice would you offer these emerging managers on building and communicating their brand effectively?
Natasha: There are a few things you want to make sure you’re doing as an emerging manager raising a first-time fund. Without a track record or dedicated IR support, your focus should be on clearly articulating your story – why your firm exists and why you’re fundraising in a challenging market.
To gain LP confidence, you need to demonstrate that:
Your team (or you as an individual) bring a distinct advantage that leverages deep expertise and prior experience.
You have a proven ability to attract the best founders, make strong investment decisions, and win competitive deals in your market
Your portfolio construction is thoughtfully designed, aligning with your strategy and fund size to position you for long-term sustainable success.
In a crowded landscape, clarity and conviction in your positioning will set you apart.
Insights and Advice for Future Brand Builders & Capital Raisers
Reflecting on your journey from corporate communications to IR leadership, what is one piece of advice you would give to aspiring professionals looking to break into investor relations?
Natasha: Start networking with other IR professionals as much as possible. If you can’t afford to attend conferences, start reaching out to people on LinkedIn, even if it’s a cold outreach. You’ll be shocked by how many people are willing to share their career journeys and offer advice. By doing this early on, I quickly learned what a VC IR professional role was, what tasks were involved day to day, and what I still needed to learn to be successful in that role.
Staying Inspired:
What has been one of the most inspiring moments in your career that continues to drive your passion & ambition?
Natasha: I started consistently posting on LinkedIn over a year ago, and I’m astonished by how impactful this has been. IR professionals, LPs, conference organizers, and students now regularly reach out to me asking for advice on different topics. At first I thought, what credentials do I have to be giving anyone advice? But I realized I do have something to say, some value to add to the private markets community, and so I have appreciated these connections, and it drives me to keep interacting with this community.
Bonus Question
Thinking beyond the private markets, what is your all-time favorite brand and why?
Natasha: I don’t have a favorite brand, but I tend to be loyal to brands that are eco-friendly (and brands that haven’t rolled back their DEI programs!).
