Melis Kahya Akar

Managing Director and Head of Consumer for EMEA at General Atlantic

📍 London, England Metropolitan Area, United Kingdom🔄 Updated September 2026💼 6 investments📅 10 years investing🗓 Last invested May 2025𝕏 @upgrade_to_unlock
VC🌍 United Kingdom
6
Total investments
0
Early stage
1
Mid stage
4
Late stage
10y
Years active

Portfolio

5 investments · sorted by recency
All investments
Early stage
Mid stage
Late stage
Board Member
May 2025
Fueled by passion, KAYALI was founded in 2018 by beauty mogul and fragrance fanatic, Mona Kattan. Translating to ‘my imagination’ in Arabic, Kayali is inspired by her rich Middle Eastern heritage and the sacred ritual of layering scents to help you create your mood. Mona collaborates with some of the world’s most renowned perfumers and sources the finest ingredients to create unique juices that are infinitely memorable, long-lasting, and cruelty-free. Each luxurious fragrance is an ode to true craftsmanship and tells a special story, from the addictive notes to the multi-faceted jeweled bottles.
late stageRetail
Board Member
Oct 2023
A fresh take on dog food. Certified B Corp 🌱 We are always looking for talented people to join the Butternut squad. So if you love dogs as much as we do, get in touch. https://butternutbox.com/careers
late stageManufacturing
Board Member
Sep 2020
Gymshark is one of the fastest growing and most recognisable fitness apparel and accessories brands, supported by over 22 million highly engaged social media followers and customers in 100’s of countries. Imagine working in a world of rapid change, where open minded, ambitious, curious, creative and resourceful people exist. Were always looking for great people and if you can imagine yourself here, this could be the place for you.
late stageRetail
Board Member
Jun 2019
Depop is the community-powered fashion marketplace where anyone can buy, sell and discover desirable, affordable secondhand fashion. With over 35 million registered users, we’re on a mission to make fashion circular - encouraging more people to choose secondhand and extend the lives of their clothes, redefining fashion consumption. We believe that the secret to making fashion more circular - at scale - is by offering the most inspiring and accessible alternative to new, making it easy for people to choose resale over retail. Sitting at the intersection of style, value, and sustainability, we want Depop to be the most exciting place for anyone to engage with fashion and trends in a more circular way. Powered by a team of over 400 people, our company is headquartered in London, with offices in New York and Manchester. In 2021, Depop became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Etsy - the global marketplace for unique and creative goods - and continues to operate as a standalone company. Depop is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage individuals from underrepresented communities to apply, and collaborate with our Talent Team to ensure broader outreach. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We’re continuing to build recruitment processes that are fair and welcome requests for reasonable adjustments required throughout your interview experience with us. Depop supports visa sponsorship, sponsorship opportunities may be limited to certain roles and skillsets.
Board Member
May 2018
Fondée en 2013 par Morgane Sézalory, Sézane est la première marque de mode française à placer la qualité, la créativité et le prix juste au coeur de ses collections. Certifiée B Corp, ce label exigent atteste de son engagement à respecter des normes environnementales et sociales strictes. Si vous souhaitez nous rejoindre, merci de déposer votre candidature spontanée ou répondre à nos offres sur notre site : https://apply.workable.com/sezane-3/ A très vite !
Experience · 8 entries
All (8)
Investments (6)
Board (6)
2025
Board Member
May 2025
Fueled by passion, KAYALI was founded in 2018 by beauty mogul and fragrance fanatic, Mona Kattan. Translating to ‘my imagination’ in Arabic, Kayali is inspired by her rich Middle Eastern heritage and the sacred ritual of layering scents to help you create your mood. Mona collaborates with some of the world’s most renowned perfumers and sources the finest ingredients to create unique juices that are infinitely memorable, long-lasting, and cruelty-free. Each luxurious fragrance is an ode to true craftsmanship and tells a special story, from the addictive notes to the multi-faceted jeweled bottles.
late stageRetail
2023
Board Member
Oct 2023
A fresh take on dog food. Certified B Corp 🌱 We are always looking for talented people to join the Butternut squad. So if you love dogs as much as we do, get in touch. https://butternutbox.com/careers
late stageManufacturing
2021
Managing Director and Head of Consumer for EMEA
Jan 2021
General Atlantic is a leading global investor with more than four and a half decades of experience providing capital and strategic support to over 830 companies throughout its history. Established in 1980, General Atlantic continues to be a dedicated partner to visionary founders and investors seeking to build dynamic businesses and create long-term value. The firm leverages its patient capital, operational expertise, and global platform to support a diversified investment platform spanning Growth Equity, Credit, Climate, and Sustainable Infrastructure strategies. General Atlantic manages approximately $108 billion in assets under management, inclusive of all strategies, as of March 31, 2025, with more than 900 professionals in 20 countries across five regions. For more information on General Atlantic, please visit: www.generalatlantic.com.
2020
Board Member
Sep 2020
Gymshark is one of the fastest growing and most recognisable fitness apparel and accessories brands, supported by over 22 million highly engaged social media followers and customers in 100’s of countries. Imagine working in a world of rapid change, where open minded, ambitious, curious, creative and resourceful people exist. Were always looking for great people and if you can imagine yourself here, this could be the place for you.
late stageRetail
2019
Board Member
Jun 2019
Depop is the community-powered fashion marketplace where anyone can buy, sell and discover desirable, affordable secondhand fashion. With over 35 million registered users, we’re on a mission to make fashion circular - encouraging more people to choose secondhand and extend the lives of their clothes, redefining fashion consumption. We believe that the secret to making fashion more circular - at scale - is by offering the most inspiring and accessible alternative to new, making it easy for people to choose resale over retail. Sitting at the intersection of style, value, and sustainability, we want Depop to be the most exciting place for anyone to engage with fashion and trends in a more circular way. Powered by a team of over 400 people, our company is headquartered in London, with offices in New York and Manchester. In 2021, Depop became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Etsy - the global marketplace for unique and creative goods - and continues to operate as a standalone company. Depop is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage individuals from underrepresented communities to apply, and collaborate with our Talent Team to ensure broader outreach. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We’re continuing to build recruitment processes that are fair and welcome requests for reasonable adjustments required throughout your interview experience with us. Depop supports visa sponsorship, sponsorship opportunities may be limited to certain roles and skillsets.
Show all 8 entries ↓
Investment activity
2016–2025 · 6 investments
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