our team
Find Strength in
The founding partners have built extensive networks over the course of distinguished careers in private equity, which we believe provides a competitive advantage in developing unique investment insights and accessing the best global investment opportunities.
Steve Byrom
Founding Partner
Steve is a Founding Partner of Potentum Partners. Prior to Potentum Partners, Steve spent 11 years as Head of Private Equity and Investment Committee member at Future Fund, Australia’s sovereign wealth fund. He led the team that created Future Fund’s private equity strategy, building a $27.5bn investment program.
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As an Investment Committee member, he was involved in the whole of portfolio strategic and tactical decision making.
Steve has over 30 years of private equity and corporate finance experience across Europe, Australia and New Zealand. His previous experience includes establishing a private equity program at the New Zealand Superannuation Fund, Co-Head of ANZ Private Equity, financial sponsors with SG Hambros in London and corporate finance at Ernst & Young in London and Auckland.
Steve is a graduate of the University of Auckland and holds a Masters of Commerce in Finance.
Jasmina Osmanovic
Founding Partner
Jasmina is a Founding Partner of Potentum Partners. Prior to Potentum Partners, Jasmina was a Director at Future Fund where she was the youngest Investment Director ever promoted to that role at the organisation.
During her time at Future Fund, Jasmina led new manager appointment efforts and many of its venture co-investments. Jasmina left Future Fund with Steve and Dave in late 2018 to form Potentum Partners.
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Jasmina started her career in the Investment Banking Division of Goldman Sachs, where she advised Australian corporations on financing transactions and mergers and acquisitions.
Jasmina graduated from the University of Melbourne with a Bachelor of Commerce degree and a Bachelor of Science degree.
David Simons
Founding Partner
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Prior to joining Future Fund, David worked in a number of roles for ANZ Capital in its Private Equity team. This was a team executing direct growth and buyout deals in Australia and New Zealand out of the Bank’s balance sheet and a fund raised by the Bank. Initially joining as a Graduate then Analyst in the Corporate Finance team in 2000, from which the Private Equity strategy was launched in 2001, David left to travel from 2002 until 2004, when he re-joined the Private Equity team as a Manager and then Associate Director.
During his travels, David spent time on contract and fixed term roles in property management and corporate finance in the UK.
David is a graduate of the University of Auckland and holds a Masters of Commerce (Honours) in International Business.
Michael Sterry
Director
Michael is Director at Potentum Partners. Before joining Potentum Partners, Michael was Investment Manager at Jolimont, a private equity firm investing in venture, growth and buyout opportunities globally. At Jolimont, Michael originated and executed investments and advised portfolio companies on operations and M&A.
Michael began his career as an engineer building electrical and control systems in Australia and Norway, before becoming Project Manager consulting to a range of industries. Michael received a Bachelor of Engineering from Monash University and an MBA from the University of Melbourne.
Ned Scott
Investor Analyst
Ned joined Potentum Partners in 2022 and is based in our USA office.
Prior to joining Potentum Partners, Ned was an Associate at RCF Jolimont where he worked on growth investments in the mining technology sector. During his time at RCF Jolimont, he held board observer positions at Minnovare and indurad.
Ned graduated from the University of Melbourne with a Bachelor of Commerce.
Victoria Macarthur-Stanham
Capital Formation & Distribution
Victoria takes carriage of fundraising, distribution and investor relations at Potentum Partners.
Prior to Potentum Partners, Victoria was Head of Development at M. H. Carnegie & Co. where she managed fundraising, distribution and business development. Prior to joining M. H. Carnegie & Co., she worked at Shaw and Partners Financial Services and was responsible for firmwide business development, marketing and strategy.
Victoria holds a Masters of Finance from UTS and a Bachelor of Liberal Arts and Science (Psychology) from the University of Sydney.
Minrah du Toit
Office Manager
Minrah started at Potentum Partners in 2019 as Office Manager, however this was not the first time she has worked with the founding partners. Previously, Minrah was at Future Fund (Australia’s sovereign wealth fund) supporting Steve, Dave, Jasmina and the rest of the private equity team as Executive Assistant from 2013, until joining Potentum.
Prior to that, Minrah was a Co-Office Manager at Varde Partners Europe in London, and has held various administrative roles in both Australia and abroad.
For further information on our investment strategies please reach out to the Potentum Partners team.