Northleaf Capital Partners has appointed John Rikhtegar as Vice President, Private Equity & Venture Capital, based in Toronto, as the firm continues to expand its capabilities across venture capital and growth equity investing. In this role, Rikhtegar will play a key part in supporting Northleaf’s investment strategy, with responsibilities spanning deal origination, investment evaluation, due diligence, and ongoing portfolio monitoring. His addition reflects the firm’s continued focus on identifying high-growth opportunities and deepening its presence in the venture and growth equity ecosystem.
Rikhtegar brings a diverse background across venture capital, financial services, and operational leadership. Prior to joining Northleaf, he served as Director at RBCx, the innovation and technology banking arm of Royal Bank of Canada, where he led the firm’s North American venture capital strategy. In that role, he was responsible for overseeing the primary commitment program, developing venture capital products across both equity and debt structures, and managing key strategic partnerships within the startup and investment community. His experience at RBCx provided him with significant exposure to emerging technology companies and venture investors across the continent.
Earlier in his career, Rikhtegar held leadership roles at Kognitiv, where he served as Chief of Staff and Vice President of Strategic Operations across London and Toronto. As part of the senior leadership team, he led cross-functional initiatives focused on scaling operations, driving strategic growth, and improving organizational effectiveness. His work at Kognitiv positioned him at the intersection of strategy and execution, helping to guide the company through key phases of development.
Rikhtegar began his career at VaynerMedia, where he was Head of Commerce Revenue for the EMEA region. In this role, he was responsible for building and managing revenue streams across multiple markets, gaining early experience in digital commerce and international business development.
He holds an H.B.A. from the Ivey Business School at Western University and has also completed an Executive Leadership certificate in Leading with Finance from Harvard Business School.
