The Ontario Municipal Employees’ Retirement System has appointed Saar Pikar as managing director, head of ventures and growth.
The move comes after Michael Yang, former senior managing partner at OMERS Ventures, departed the organization, effective July 21st.
Prior to his promotion, Pikar was a member of the OMERS Growth Equity team for six years, serving first as an advisor for a year, then taking on the role of managing director in 2020. In addition to his current role at the pension fund, he also serves as a board member for TouchBistro, Celigo, PandaDoc, and Crosbie & Co. Inc.
In his new role, Pikar will lead the OMERS Ventures team and set its strategy. In a statement, the investment organization said OMERS Ventures is increasing its focus on the Canadian market, while continuing to pursue selective opportunities in the U.S. through direct investments and strategic partnerships.
The pension fund also promoted Laura Lenz to managing director at OMERS Ventures, where she will develop and execute the portfolio’s strategy alongside Pikar and the team. She was previously a partner with OMERS Ventures before being elevated to her new role.
In addition to her work at OMERS, she is a board member for Float, OneVest, Solink, and Hopper.
“As the first Canadian pension plan to invest directly in early-stage technology, with years of leadership in this space, we are confident that this evolution of our strategy allows us to channel our resources where we can deliver the greatest value to portfolio companies and our members,” said the statement.
