Meya Laraqui
About Meya Laraqui
Meya Laraqui serves as the Head of M&A and Corporate Development at Kite, where she has implemented a category-focused approach to beauty and wellness. She holds an MBA from The Wharton School and has extensive experience in investment banking and private equity.
Work at Kite
Meya Laraqui serves as the Head of M&A / Corporate Development and Director at Kite since 2022. In this role, she has led the decision to adopt a category-focused approach to beauty and wellness, utilizing industry research to inform strategic direction. Laraqui has built a robust sourcing machine that achieved 85% proprietary deal flow, reviewing over 700 deals with a combined revenue exceeding $4 billion. She presents bi-weekly business cases to the board and C-Suite, resulting in the deployment of $6 million. Additionally, she conducts post-close reviews and develops case studies and playbooks to foster a culture of continuous improvement within the organization.
Education and Expertise
Meya Laraqui holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from The Wharton School, where she studied from 2016 to 2018. She also completed a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Economics at the University of Pennsylvania from 2008 to 2012. Earlier in her academic career, she participated in a Study Abroad Exchange Program at Università Bocconi in 2010. Laraqui's educational background provides her with a solid foundation in economics and management, which supports her expertise in mergers and acquisitions.
Professional Background
Before her current role at Kite, Meya Laraqui worked at Thrasio as an M&A Manager from 2020 to 2022 in New York. Prior to that, she served as an Investment Banking Associate at Morgan Stanley, focusing on the consumer and retail sectors from 2018 to 2020. Laraqui began her career as a Private Equity Associate at Triago, where she worked from 2012 to 2016. This diverse experience in finance and corporate development has equipped her with the skills necessary for her current leadership position.
Key Achievements
At Kite, Meya Laraqui has established cross-functional Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and key metrics for tracking investment decision-making frameworks. Her initiatives have contributed to a structured approach to M&A processes and enhanced operational efficiency. Laraqui's leadership in conducting post-close reviews and developing case studies has promoted continuous improvement within the organization, reflecting her commitment to excellence in corporate development.