Openspace appoints Jessica Huang Pouleur as third general partner

VENTURE capital firm Openspace has promoted Jessica Huang Pouleur to general partner. She joins co-founders Shane Chesson and Hian Goh, who have led the firm since 2014.

Huang Pouleur joined Openspace in 2020 after her time at The Walt Disney Company, where she headed corporate strategy, business development and mergers and acquisitions across the Asia-Pacific and the Middle East.

Prior to her role at Disney, she led the South-east Asia investment team for Providence Equity Partners, a private equity fund focused on the telecommunications, media and technology sector.

Huang Pouleur will continue to lead investments for Openspace's mid-stage growth fund, OSV+. She sits on the boards of GoPlay and JIWA Group, and acts as a board observer for Validus and Kumu.

She led a series of investments through OSV+, doubling down on existing portfolio companies such as Pluang and Kumu, and executing the first external deal in Indonesia's JIWA Group.

"Hian and I have known Jessica since 2005, and have been constantly impressed with her judgement, expertise and hustle as she built her track record across senior investing and corporate roles," said Chesson.

"As Openspace moves into a new stage of development, with 2 new funds closed and 10 new team members in 2021 alone, she is the ideal addition to the partner group to help the firm address the vibrant South-east Asian opportunity."