Brex’s compliance head has departed the fintech startup to join Andreessen Horowitz as a partner

Ali Rathod-Papier has transitioned from her role as global head of compliance at Brex, a corporate card and expense management startup, to join venture firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) as a partner and compliance officer. This move was confirmed , though neither Rathod-Papier nor a16z provided comments on the transition.

According to her LinkedIn profile, Rathod-Papier now oversees a16z’s foreign expansion and policy efforts, supporting the government affairs team, managing financial crime and national security risk, as well as overseas operations. She joined a16z in May after spending 2 ½ years at Brex in various compliance roles, including head of financial crime compliance.

Brex CFO Ben Gammell described Rathod-Papier’s departure as amicable, highlighting her significant contributions to financial management and compliance during her tenure. He noted that she played a pivotal role in preparing Brex for future growth.

Rathod-Papier informed her colleagues about her decision to leave Brex in April via Slack communication. A spokesperson for Brex mentioned that the startup is actively seeking a replacement for her role. In the interim, Bruce Wallace, a seasoned advisor to Brex with extensive experience at Silicon Valley Bank and Wells Fargo, has assumed the responsibilities as interim head of compliance.

Meanwhile, a16z’s recent activities in the fintech sector have drawn attention, particularly amidst its investment in Synapse, a banking-as-a-service startup that filed for bankruptcy in April amid controversies surrounding missing customer funds amounting to approximately $85 million. The firm has not publicly addressed these issues surrounding Synapse.

a16z’s broader fintech portfolio includes notable investments in companies like Wise, Affirm, Deel, and Greenlight, showcasing its strategic interest in non-crypto fintech ventures.