Hassan Ayinde is an investment and strategy professional currently leading M&A at Ascend Learning, a Blackstone Group portfolio company in Boston, U.S.A. At Ascend Learning firm, Hassan has helped drive growth in the business through strategic investments in emerging growth areas and acquisition of education technology companies that fulfill Ascend’s mission of improving education outcomes for students and institutions. He is also the Managing Partner at RANA Capital, an angel investment group that provides seed and growth capital to early stage businesses in agriculture, fitness and wellness, education and healthcare industries in Nigeria.
Prior to joining BAF, Hassan was a Principal at The Parthenon Group, a strategy advisory firm, where he led engagements to advise private equity clients looking to make acquisitions in the education and financial services industries. Hassan also worked as an Analyst in bulge bracket investment banking firms in New York including Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan.
An astute investment and strategy professional, Hassan is passionate about social impact and private venture development in Nigeria, where he grew up. He serves as Advisor on Education, Science & Technology for the Bayo Arowolaju Foundation (BAF).
Hassan holds an MBA from University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a BS in electrical engineering from Howard University, where he graduated with the highest honors.