LONDON and BOSTON, April 29, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --

The Allele Fund is one of the few women-owned and led venture capital funds in the world. Less than 2% of venture capital funds globally were founded or are owned by women, and women make up only 6% of Partners at venture capital firms worldwide.

Ms. Nori Gerardo Lietz, who is a global authority in real estate investments, has joined the Allele Fund as Partner and Chairman of the Advisory Board. Ms. Gerardo Lietz has acquired an ownership stake in the management company of Allele Investments, and becomes a co-owner of the Allele Fund, along with its Founder, Dr Gail Bronwyn Lese. Ms. Gerardo Lietz is the first professional to have been invited by Dr. Lese to become a co-owner of the Investment Management company since its inception in 2011.

Nori Gerardo Lietz co-founded Pension Consulting Alliance, Inc. in 1988, which became the largest real estate advisory firm in the world in terms of client assets. She is also a Senior Lecturer at Harvard Business School and at Stanford Graduate School of Business.

Also announced today, David Friend has joined the Allele Fund's Advisory Board. Mr. Friend has been a successful technology entrepreneur for over 25 years and is an active venture investor. He is co-founder and an Executive Chairman of Carbonite Inc., and a General Partner with Orchid Partners and Orchid Partners, L.P.

The Allele Fund invests in high-growth healthcare and technology companies. Following a distinguished track record at Fidelity Investments and a career in medicine, Dr. Gail Bronwyn Lese founded the Allele Fund and the parent company Allele Investments, with the intention of building a financing mechanism which has a positive social impact, addressing significant unmet medical needs, in the service of patients and their families globally. The Allele Fund is a socially responsible, venture capital fund, which invests in companies in the early life cycle of businesses where significant impact, both financially and socially, can be achieved, in businesses that provide a targeted return on investment, and also have a positive social impact and improve the lives of the people it serves. Allele Investments and its portfolio companies also make contributions to local charities with significant positive societal impact.  

The Allele Fund's portfolio companies include mee Healthcare and healthcare technology platform Healthymee. Mee Healthcare has eleven centres throughout the United Kingdom, providing a range of primary care services under one roof.

The Allele Fund is planning further expansion of its portfolio companies. Both mee Healthcare and Healthymee are being launched in the United States, where there is a growing need for accessible, multi-disciplinary primary healthcare services.

Gail Lese, Founder, CEO and Portfolio Manager of Allele Fund, commented:

"Nori Gerardo Lietz is a global leader in the private equity industry and is a tremendous addition to the Allele Fund team.  

"Nori's appointment builds on the Allele Fund's commitment to diversity in its talent pool and management team. Women entrepreneurs are a powerful force in the American economy and economies globally, and Allele is proud, on behalf of the investors we are entrusted to serve, to capitalize on the best talent.   

"We are also delighted to welcome David Friend, who is a stellar addition to the Advisory Board and brings with him unparalleled expertise and insight in venture investments."  

Please visit the Allele Fund website for further information.

SOURCE Allele Fund