Meet PEM: Rafael Hubatschek
In the Meet PEM series we introduce the brand builders & capital raisers across our community.
Partner | Head of IR & Capital Formation
redalpine
Based in Zurich
How did you get into investor relations in the private markets?
I started in investment banking and then advised Ultra High Net Worth Individuals and institutional investors through a multi-asset-class lens. Over time, I more and more realized, that my heart beats for private markets, more specifically venture capital. The stories, the bold visions, the courage, the growth, and the way game-changing entrepreneurs strive to change the future for the better completely fascinated me.
I started investing in start-ups myself and finally found my love in venture capital, as it sits at the intersection of things I genuinely love: people, finance, and entrepreneurship & innovation. What drives me today is the leverage we have, to enable disruptive innovation with the help and trust of our investors and partners.
What's a piece of advice you wish you'd learned earlier in your career?
Relationship building, empathy and EQ are your ninja skills – the ones that are hardest to master. The ones that are in the quadrant of being super important but often considered not urgent. The ones that only compound over time. Make those your constant priority! Try to understand what makes people tick, what motivates them. Pay it forward, play the long game. In that context, I highly recommend "A Case for Humans” by Evgenia Plotnikova, which is very timely.
What are you currently learning or experimenting with?
Fortunately, having been gifted (thanks again, Job) one of the first editions of the Tao of Fundraising, I currently think a lot about the complexity in communication and how to reduce it. Particularly as redalpine has become a platform and we more and more think in solutions for LPs, rather than individual products. I usually practice with my 5-year-old daughter - if she’s excited, I know I’m on the right track ;) Apart from that, I am getting back to practice on the tennis court.
What tool or workflow upgrade has had the biggest impact on your day-to-day?
Granola for note-taking, Wispr Flow for dictation, Claude ppt integration to build ad hoc slides while maintaining corporate identity in literally no time and some workflows that elevate traditional CRM functionality. I have a fantastic team that experiments constantly, so I am learning from them and progressing every day.
If you weren’t in IR, what do you think you’d be doing?
I’d have a coffee cart with specialty coffee. And while steaming milk and doing some late art, I’d hold customers unsolicited lectures on behavioral finance, talking about investor psychology, trust and decision making.