As chief investment officer (CIO), Spice Global, Ozi Amanat is responsible for identifying investments in high-growth areas while focusing on innovation and value creation. Elaborating on his role, he says, “At the group level, we have quite a large multinational operation with substantial revenues, many business verticals including health care, finance and entertainment, and almost 9,000 employees. I take a holistic view of the holding company while thinking strategically about synergies between the verticals in order to drive symbiotic growth.”

Amanat is a graduate from Harvard University where he studied business. Straight after finishing his education, he worked on Wall Street with a private equity firm. Prior to joining Spice Global, he headed a billion-dollar family office in New York. He also served as a director at Oppenheimer & Company, where he was in charge of partnerships, deals, the family office business and the global growth strategy.

Amanat counts his current association with Spice Global as an enriching professional experience. “There is no moment like the present,” he observes. “This position at Spice Global is by far the most exciting and challenging time of my career. I have seen 13 countries in 30 days and made a full circle around the globe three times. Each trip with the company’s chairman is memorable because of his keen business acumen and mentoring abilities; it’s always quite a journey for me, both intellectually and spiritually.”

In Amanat’s view, the future of the telecom industry lies in mobile internet since all services – from utilities to health care and financial services – are now available on the mobile. As connectivity grows further, so will the trend in mobile penetration and users will shift from feature phones to smartphones. Hence, the key value drivers in these markets will be focused on providing consumers low-cost, effective and efficient smartphones with easy broadband access.

Amanat sees himself as a team builder and value driver. Sharing insights into his management style, he says, “I think most people who meet me see me as a nice guy. Sometimes, being nice and being right results in tight corners to navigate. I try to do what’s appropriate and what’s best for the business at hand. Sometimes, I tend to micro-manage but for the most part, I stay macro on a strategic level and help optimise value for stakeholders. The company is lucky to have an exceptional talent pool, with individuals who are brilliant at their work.”

Amanat loves reading and considers poetry a remarkable art form.