VSS Capital Partners has appointed Otilia Ciotau as Managing Director, AI and Value Creation, expanding the private investment firm’s focus on using artificial intelligence throughout its investment and portfolio company value-creation processes.
Ciotau brings more than two decades of senior experience across financial services, strategy, finance, risk management, technology and organizational transformation.
Before joining VSS, she served as Senior Advisor to the Managing Director and CFO of The World Bank Group.
In that role, Ciotau advised on work across a finance complex responsible for more than $800 billion in assets.
Earlier in her career, she held chief economist and director-level roles spanning business development, capital markets, research and risk management.
Her experience also includes building multidisciplinary teams, establishing new organizational functions, redesigning operating models and leading transformation initiatives.
VSS said Ciotau has already worked with the firm on developing a framework for assessing AI-related risks and opportunities during the investment process.
The framework has been applied across transactions during 2026 and evaluates how artificial intelligence could influence a company’s growth, margins, competitive position and potential exit value, as well as areas where AI could create additional opportunities.
In her new role, Ciotau will work throughout the investment lifecycle, connecting investment thesis development and due diligence with value-creation initiatives at portfolio companies and eventual exit planning.
The approach is intended to make the assumptions evaluated before an investment more directly connected with the operational priorities pursued during ownership.
Ciotau will also work with VSS portfolio companies to identify AI capabilities that can improve operations, support growth or provide capabilities that historically would have required substantially larger in-house technology investments.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Finance from the Academy of Economic Studies in Bucharest, a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Computer Science from Bucharest University and a master’s degree in Finance and Banking from DoFIN. She is also a CFA and CAIA charterholder.
New York-based VSS invests in lower-middle-market healthcare, business services and education companies.
Since 1987, the firm has completed more than 100 platform investments and over 600 add-on acquisitions. VSS has approximately $4 billion in committed capital across eight funds.
KEY QUOTES:
“Otilia has already strengthened how we evaluate AI risks and opportunities in our investment process. She developed a framework that we applied across our deals this year, examining how AI could affect growth, margins, competitive position and exit value, as well as where it could create new opportunities. Otilia will continue working with our portfolio companies to pursue value creation initiatives and identify where AI can make a meaningful difference for lower middle market businesses.”
Jeffrey Stevenson, Managing Partner of VSS Capital Partners
“I’m excited to continue working with our portfolio companies to identify and pursue opportunities for growth. AI is expanding access to making capabilities and expertise that once required significant in-house investment accessible to more companies. Yet many lower middle market businesses are still building the dedicated AI resources needed to take full advantage of them. VSS will help portfolio companies identify where these capabilities can create real value and put them to work.”
Otilia Ciotau, Managing Director, AI and Value Creation at VSS Capital Partners
