Aekta Patel is Global Head of the Venture Capital Unit at the Department for Business and Trade (DIT) in the United Kingdom. In this role she leads a large team that attracts overseas investment from Corporate VC Funds, VC Funds and Sovereign Wealth Funds into British high growth potential companies and British Venture Funds. Her team also supports overseas funds to set up in the UK. Over the past eight years, her team has attracted more than £1 billion into the UK.

Prior to DIT, she worked in the Cabinet Office working closely with Number 10 and Ministers – leading on initiatives such as growing social investment in the UK as well as making government departments more efficient. Before joining the Civil Service, she spent a few years working as a Management Consultant at Accenture, followed by a two year stint in Deutsche Bank’s global strategy team reporting directly to the COO.

In 2012, Aekta was selected as one of Management Today’s “35 Women Under 35” list. More recently Aekta, was recognised in the Timewise Power List 2021 as she successfully continues her high profile role on a part time basis.