Michael Sharifi
About Michael Sharifi
Michael Sharifi serves as the Head of Talent Operations at Vista Equity Partners, where he has worked since 2020. He has extensive experience in talent and business operations, having previously held roles at Built In LA, Telnyx, and Northwestern University School of Law.
Current Role at Vista Equity Partners
Michael Sharifi serves as the Head of Talent Operations at Vista Equity Partners, a position he has held since 2022. He has been with the firm since 2016, initially joining as an Associate Director before transitioning to Director in 2020. His work focuses on Talent Value Creation, emphasizing strategy formation and operational execution. Sharifi operates from the Chicago, Illinois office, contributing to the firm's talent management and operational strategies.
Previous Experience in Business Development
Prior to his current role, Sharifi worked at Built In LA as the Director of Business Development from 2015 to 2016. In this position, he led West Coast Business Development and Operations for the Built In brand. His experience also includes a role at Telnyx, where he served as the Director of Talent & Business Operations for six months in 2016, helping to scale the engineering team internationally.
Educational Background
Michael Sharifi earned his Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, where he studied Entrepreneurship, Economics, Strategic Management, Statistics, and Econometrics. He also holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Northwestern University, where he studied Political Science, History, and Business Institutions Minors.
Early Career and Internships
Sharifi began his career with an internship at Northwestern University School of Law, working in the Center on Wrongful Convictions from 2011 to 2012. Following this, he worked at Prestige Staffing as an IT Account Manager from 2012 to 2015. His diverse experiences have contributed to his expertise in talent operations and business development.