Verender Badial | Official Profile on The Marque

Verender Badial’s Biography

Verender S. Badial is a strategic advisor, SEC-regulated CFO, and former investment banker with over 20 years’ leadership in global capital markets, M&A, SPACs, and strategic growth. He is recognised for delivering one of the few successful UK-founded de-SPAC transactions, managed entirely from the UK, and for raising and deploying efficient capital from sovereign funds, private equity, institutional investors, and family offices worldwide. With a track record spanning biotech, technology, and large-scale real estate, he has consistently scaled high-growth ventures and delivered long-term shareholder value.

Most recently, Verender was co-Founder, Sponsor, and CFO of JATT Acquisition Corp, a NYSE-listed SPAC raising $138M, and later CFO of Zura Bio Limited, a clinical-stage biotech firm listed on Nasdaq via a successful reverse merger. He was a key architect of the deal, leading fundraising, structuring, and investor engagement, and post-merger raised over $273M to drive growth. His current investments include listed fund vehicles across biotech, technology, and real estate.

In... Verender S. Badial is a strategic advisor, SEC-regulated CFO, and former investment banker with over 20 years’ leadership in global capital markets, M&A, SPACs, and strategic growth. He is recognised for delivering one of the few successful UK-founded de-SPAC transactions, managed entirely from the UK, and for raising and deploying efficient capital from sovereign funds, private equity, institutional investors, and family offices worldwide. With a track record spanning biotech, technology, and large-scale real estate, he has consistently scaled high-growth ventures and delivered long-term shareholder value.

Most recently, Verender was co-Founder, Sponsor, and CFO of JATT Acquisition Corp, a NYSE-listed SPAC raising $138M, and later CFO of Zura Bio Limited, a clinical-stage biotech firm listed on Nasdaq via a successful reverse merger. He was a key architect of the deal, leading fundraising, structuring, and investor engagement, and post-merger raised over $273M to drive growth. His current investments include listed fund vehicles across biotech, technology, and real estate.

In 2015, he founded Cryfield Investments, a private investment and advisory platform backing scale-ups and innovation-led companies. Its capital-plus-strategy model has supported ventures including over £150M across 500,000 sq ft of UK real estate developments, as well as ME Asset Management, an investment vehicle, where he is CEO of a diversified portfolio focused on ESG integration and long-term value creation.

Earlier, Verender held Managing Director roles at ABN AMRO, Rothschild, and Société Générale, advising on landmark ECM/M&A transactions. His expertise spans IPOs, SPACs, cross-border financings, and complex strategic deals.

Beyond business, he champions education in underserved communities and serves as Fundraising Director for a women’s nursing college in North India. He holds an honours degree in Actuarial Science from the London School of Economics (LSE). READ MORE VIEW LESS

Verender Badial’s Newsfeed

Businesswire

Zura Bio Announces Chief Financial Officer Transition

Verender Badial’s Background

ME Asset Management Ltd

Founder and CEO

Apr 2025 - Present

London, UK

ME Asset Management Ltd was set up to manage Verender Badial's investments in real estate.

Zura Bio

Chief Financial Officer

Mar 2023 - Jul 2025

London, UK

Zura Bio is a Nasdaq-listed biotech company focused on developing therapies for immune and inflammatory disorders. It was formed through a merger with JATT Acquisition Corp in 2023. Zura Bio was targeted by JATT due to its strategy of advancing therapies that were previously developed and clinically validated by larger pharmaceutical companies but not fully pursued, saving time and money.

JATT Acquisition Corp

Chief Financial Officer

Mar 2021 - Mar 2023

London, UK

JATT Acquisition Corp was a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) set up with the goal of merging with a life sciences or biotech business. In June 2022, JATT entered into a business combination agreement with Zura Bio, a clinical-stage biotech company. After the merger was approved in March 2023, JATT was renamed Zura Bio Limited and its shares began trading as ZURA on Nasdaq .

Mackenzie Homes Ltd

Chief Financial Officer

Dec 2015 - Nov 2018

London, UK

Mackenzie Homes is a privately owned residential property developer focused on creating well-designed homes, particularly in the Western Corridor of Greater London. Specialising in mid-sized developments of 50 to 150 units near key transport links like Crossrail, the company uses local expertise to address the region's housing needs.

Cryfield Investments Ltd

Founder and Managing Director

2015 - Present

London, UK

Cryfield Investments is a private investment and advisory firm founded by Verender Badial. The firm focuses on providing corporate finance advisory services and supporting capital fundraising activities, particularly for early-stage and growth-oriented businesses.

Société Générale

Managing Director (ECM)

Mar 2010 - Dec 2015

London, UK

Established in 1864, Société Générale is a major French multinational bank offering a full range of retail, corporate, and investment banking services across more than 60 countries, with over 119,000 employees. Its Equity Capital Markets (ECM) division offers equity fundraising services including IPOs, follow-on offerings, equity-linked instruments, and strategic equity advice.

Friend Partnership LLP

Head of Corporate Advisory Services

Sep 2008 - Mar 2010

Birmingham, UK

Friend Partnership LLP is a UK-based firm of chartered accountants and business advisors, with offices in Birmingham and London, offering accounting, audit, tax, corporate finance, and M&A services to businesses, both nationally and internationally.

Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS)

Executive Director | Financial Sponsors' Team

2007 - 2008

London, UK

During the acquisition of ABN AMRO-Rothschild's equity capital markets business by Royal Bank of Scotland, Verender worked within RBS's Financial Sponsors’ team as an Executive Director focused on Structured Equity Financial Solutions.

ABN AMRO-Rothschild

Director

Sep 1996 - Jan 2007

London, UK

ABN AMRO-Rothschild was a joint venture between NM Rothschild & Sons, a leading independent financial advisory group, and ABN AMRO, the Dutch banking group. The joint venture focused on equity capital markets (ECM) and aimed to combine Rothschild’s strength in advisory and client relationships with ABN AMRO’s distribution and underwriting capabilities. It was discontinued at the end of 2007.

Wasserstein Perella & Co.

M&A Associate

1994 - 1996

New York, NY, USA

Wasserstein Perella & Co. was a prominent New York-based boutique investment bank founded in 1988 by Bruce Wasserstein and Joseph Perella, known for its expertise in M&A. The firm advised on some of the era’s most high-profile deals before being acquired by Dresdner Bank in 2000.

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Previous Board Positions

Zura Bio

Director

Mar 2023 - Jul 2025

London, UK

After stepping down as Chief Financial Officer, Verender remained with Zura Bio as a non-executive director until July 31st 2025, ensuring a smooth transition following the appointment of his successor.

Mackenzie Homes Ltd

Board Director

Dec 2015 - Nov 2018

London, UK

Current Advisory Roles

JAAQ

Advisor

2025 - Present

London, UK

JAAQ (Just Ask A Question) is a free, cutting-edge mental health platform where users can explore over 60 topics, such as depression, addiction, and ADHD, by asking questions and receiving video answers from top experts and people with real-life experience.

Philanthropy

College Of Nursing, Public Khalsa College For Women

Director of Fundraising

Jan 1992 - Present

The college has grown from an idea into an institution, educating over 2,000 women and girls in science and nursing.

Memberships

Kontaktsource

Founding Member

Kontaktsource is a membership-based group that connects professionals in mergers and acquisitions, private equity, investment banking, and family offices through networking events and an online community.