Michela Puddu

Based in our Zurich office, Michela Puddu is a senior investment manager in sustainable materials and circularity. Within this sector she performs sourcing, evaluation and due diligence. Moreover, Michela is responsible for managing one of the CVCaaS mandate.

Before joining Emerald, Michela has been an entrepreneur for several years. She co-founded and led as CEO the company Haelixa, commercializing the technology that she had developed during her PhD. She had a key role in establishing the company and largely contributed to build its partnerships, client base, and catalyzed its international growth.

For her entrepreneurial achievements, she has received several awards, such as the EU Prize for Women Innovators and her work has been broadly featured (Fortune, Forbes, Le Monde, Wired, Tages-Anzeiger, Il Corriere della Sera and many others). She exited the company in 2023 and later worked as consultant in a boutique management consulting firm (Gherzi). As consultant, she has managed multiple client projects with focus on innovation and sustainability (strategy, market, technology etc.) and performed M&A assignments.

Michela has a PhD in chemical engineering from ETH Zurich (Swiss federal Institute of Technology Zurich) and a Master’s degree in Materials Science.