Insight Venture appoints five new executives as partners

Insight Venture Partners has appointed technology industry professionals Jason Ewell, Josh Gray, Karl Karlsson, Emmet B. Keeffe III, and Thilo Semmelbauer as partners.

The group will join Insight’s executive group Onsite and serve as advisors and board members for the firm’s control-oriented private equity and venture capital investment activities, as well as its portfolio companies, Insight said. Their appointments follow that of former Obama Administration deputy chief technology officer Nick Sinai who joined the Onsite team last year.

They also follow the appointment this month of Donna Smolens as a senior advisor in investor relations.

Prior to joining Insight, Ewell was executive vice president at Travelclick and worked at American Express for 14 years. At Insight, Jason will focus on assisting companies with marketing strategy and other business activities.

Gray was vice president of development at Oracle for two years before joining Insight. Prior to Oracle, he served as general manager of BigMachines and worked at Boston Consulting Group, Lehman Brothers Venture Capital Group and Svoboda Capital Partners. In his new position at Insight, he will help companies with product strategy, sales and marketing. 

Karlsson, who is based in Europe and a co-founder of China Internet Ventures, will assist with Insight’s deal origination within Europe, and portfolio company marketing, strategic partnerships and M&A. 

Keeffe, former CEO of iRise, has been charged with growing Insight's innovation network focused on generating thought leadership projects. He will also assist with the firm’s portfolio company advisory boards for technology companies.

Formerly the president and COO of digital licensed images company Shutterstock, a former portfolio company of Insight, Semmelbauer’s responsibilities will include overseeing organic business plans for Insight’s internet-related, subscription and other businesses.

Insight closed its $3.2 billion IX control buyout and growth capital fund in August, along with its Growth-Buyout Co-investment Fund at $1.4 billion.