Episode 13: Ash Patel on the Beginnings of Babylon, Serendipity in Venture Capital, and Pivoting into Investment Banking
Description
What does it take to leave anaesthetics behind and reimagine your career in the world of finance?
In this episode, we speak with Dr Ash Patel – an anaesthetist turned Managing Director at Houlihan Lokey. Ash shares his extraordinary journey from the wards of the NHS to the early founding days of Babylon Health, through venture capital at Mercia and Optum Ventures, and finally to investment banking.
We dive into:
💡 The serendipitous introduction that led him to join Babylon in its infancy
🚀 What it was like to help shape one of the UK’s most high-profile digital health startups
📈 How he broke into venture capital at a time when almost no doctors were in the field
💼 Why he pivoted again, this time into investment banking, and what he’s learned along the way
Ash’s story shows how curiosity, courage, and a willingness to embrace uncertainty can open doors to unexpected and rewarding career paths.
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