Manish Thakur

Manish Thakur is the Founder and Managing Partner of Option3, a specialist cybersecurity private equity firm based in New York and Reston, Virginia.12 Here are some key details about his background and role:

Professional Experience

Manish Thakur founded Option3 in 2014 after recognizing that cybersecurity innovation required a specialized approach to venture investment.1 Prior to Option3, he was a founding partner of Hudson Fairfax Group, a boutique financial advisory and investment firm serving the broader security sector.1

Career Background

• 25 years of experience in finance, investing, and public advocacy, with a focus on telecommunications and security1
• Worked at investment banks like Merrill Lynch and SG Cowen, managing mergers and acquisitions, private equity, and strategic investments1
• Served as CFO of Ellipso, a satellite venture backed by Boeing1
• National Security Coordinator for the United States India Political Action Committee, providing geopolitical risk analysis and research on US-Asia security issues1

Education

• MBA from Columbia Business School14
• Bachelor of Science in Economics from the University of London1

Role at Option3

As Managing Partner, Thakur leads Option3's investment strategy, which combines experience from the classified world of U.S. national security with expertise in investing, capital markets, and mergers & acquisitions.23 Under his leadership, Option3 has:

• Invested in 9 companies since 2015, with three successful exits and four pending3
• Shifted focus from minority investments in early-stage companies to control investments in mid-market buyouts3
• Launched new initiatives, including a Zero Trust platform and plans for a cyber buyout fund2

Thakur's approach at Option3 emphasizes the integration of cybersecurity expertise with investment acumen, aiming to build or assemble leaders in the cybersecurity sector while focusing on national priorities.3