Issue link: https://trevordayschool.uberflip.com/i/915972
Zach Finkelstein '05 Tech Executive What is your current profession? I run corporate development for Careem, the largest Internet company in the Middle East. Previously, I worked in San Francisco, in venture capital, at Lumia. Both jobs have a lot in common: I spend much of my time looking for fast-growing tech companies to invest in or acquire. Outside of work, what are your passions or hobbies? Reading history and traveling to new places are my two favorite non-work pursuits, though I rarely have enough time for either. I also try to make time to mentor promising entrepreneurs in developing markets who lack access to some of the resources that we take for granted in developed countries. What was your most exciting Lumia project? It was definitely finding and investing in Careem. Playing a small part in the rise of what is now the most successful tech company in the Arab world was a unique experience. Because of our investment (and that of many others), Careem was able to create hundreds of thousands of jobs in the region. What could be more exciting than that? What other career might you have considered? I would be a historian. History teaches us so much about the human experience. I believe that societies can't fully understand our present and future without a historical context. Plus, I'm a nerd and I just think it's a really fun subject to study. What aspects of Trevor best prepared you for your chosen path? Trevor taught me to think critically and to have confidence in my ideas. I always thought of school as a place to learn how to think, rather than to learn specific facts. What is most unique about Trevor? How much the teachers were able to make learning a positive experience. I always felt that my teachers motivated me with their own passion, rather than fear of failure. Mr. McClintock used to take me to biology lectures at New York University on weekends. I don't know what's more impressive—that he cared so much about his subject that he spent his weekends at lectures, or the fact that he was willing to bring me with him! Do you keep in touch with any former classmates or teachers? Not enough of them, which is a shame, because so many went above and beyond to instill my love of learning. Mr. Smith created some of my most memorable Trevor experiences by directing amazing plays. Mr. McClintock fueled my passion for biology. Mr. Greene endured my wisecracks while instilling a lifelong love of history. I could easily name ten more. What is your fondest Trevor memory? My fondest memories were the three plays in which I acted. Mr. Smith was extraordinarily passionate about making each production an incredible experience for the audience and the actors alike. Playing a Russian ballet teacher who combined pirouettes with inappropriate rants about the Soviet Union in You Can't Take It With You was a particular highlight. What's one thing you wish you knew when you were in high school at Trevor? I should have appreciated how special an opportunity it is to learn for learning's sake. It can be hard to appreciate that as a teenager, though. What's your favorite way to relieve stress? Reading and meditation. When I read, I try to read about the most obscure subject that I can find, to change tracks a bit from my day-to-day. What do you miss most about New York? I miss the energy of New York. ere's no place like it. n Opposite page: Zach atop Lumia's building in San Francisco the day before he left for Dubai; Left top: At a 2016 wedding with Citi colleagues; Left bottom: Zach poses with his sisters, niece, and nephew at a 2017 wedding in Puglia, Italy; Above: In San Paolo, Brazil, Zach is interviewed by Anderson ees, the founder of Redpoint ventures, one of the country's largest venture capitalists. Left: In 2016, Zach was named one of "Forbes' 30 Under 30," one of "600 of the brightest young entrepreneurs, innovators and game changers," for his venture capital work. Every year, over 14,000 people are nominated for this honor.