Meet The WPL Team
The sustainable food and agriculture sector presents a significant growth opportunity, fueled by consumer, corporate and regulatory focus on health and climate change. By partnering with WPL, stakeholders can drive meaningful sustainability and economic outcomes while shaping the future of our planet.
The food , health and wellness sectors present a significant growth opportunity, fueled by consumer, corporate and regulatory focus. By partnering with WPL, stakeholders can drive meaningful sustainability and economic outcomes while shaping the future of our people and planet.
WPL Team
In addition to the WPL Team below, following subsequent closes, WPL will build out a wider team to support deal origination, execution, and portfolio management
Ben Gibbons
Co-Managing Partner | Chief Investment Officer | Investment Committee Chair
Ben Gibbons is the Co-Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer at Waterpoint Lane, where he oversees the firm’s investment strategy, capital allocation, and portfolio execution. As Investment Committee Chair, he ensures that high-impact investments deliver strong risk-adjusted returns and drive sustained portfolio growth.
With over 20 years of experience in investment banking, private equity, and capital markets, Gibbons has led $2 billion+ in exits, including strategic sales, private equity transactions, and public market placements. His expertise spans capital structuring, M&A execution, and institutional fundraising, positioning businesses for long-term financial success.
Expertise & Leadership
🔹 Capital Markets & Liquidity – Structuring equity, debt, and hybrid instruments to optimize capital structures and enhance enterprise value.
🔹 Board-Level M&A & Deal Execution – Leading strategic transactions, target selection, and valuation strategies to maximize shareholder returns.
🔹 Growth Capital & Fundraising – Raising capital and structuring institutional, VC/PE, and alternative financing solutions to scale high-growth companies.
🔹 Sector-Specific Investment Strategy – Advancing food system innovation, energy transition, and healthtech, integrating financial innovation with impact-driven investments.
Previously, Gibbons advised global firms on capital markets strategy, M&A, and structured financing, executing complex debt and equity transactions, private placements, and liquidity solutions to maximize shareholder value. At Waterpoint Lane, he focuses on transaction execution, capital structuring, and strategic exits, driving portfolio-wide growth and financial optimization.
Meifan Shi
Co-Managing Partner | Chief Strategy Officer | Executive Committee Chair
Meifan Shi is the Co-Managing Partner and Chief Strategy Officer at Waterpoint Lane, where she leads the firm’s fund growth, global expansion, and value creation strategy. As Executive Committee Chair, she oversees the firm’s operating partner and advisory boards, leveraging global networks and sector expertise to scale transformative businesses.
With over 20 years of experience in technology, finance, and investment strategy, Shi has successfully built, scaled, and exited high-growth companies, driving EBITDA growth, enterprise value, and long-term scalability across both Fortune 500 corporations and disruptive startups. Her expertise integrates financial discipline with operational leadership, ensuring sustained portfolio-wide returns.
Core Expertise & Leadership
🔹 Board Leadership & Strategic Oversight – Advising companies through complex inflection points to drive sustained growth and governance excellence.
🔹 Portfolio Strategy & Value Creation – Designing data-driven investment strategies to optimize margins and maximize returns.
🔹 Fund Growth & Investment Innovation – Scaling multi-billion-dollar investment platforms and structuring high-impact transactions.
🔹 Technology & Advanced Analytics – Leveraging AI, automation, and predictive analytics to accelerate growth and optimize capital allocation.
🔹 Strategic Partnerships & Exits – Structuring high-value alliances and positioning companies for successful liquidity events.
Previously, Ms. Shi co-founded the private equity business at Amazon Web Services (AWS), pioneering new service lines and forging strategic partnerships with top-tier investment firms. Under her leadership, the initiative grew a client portfolio exceeding $800 billion AUM and generated over $50 million in revenue within 18 months.
At Waterpoint Lane, she integrates portfolio strategy and capital markets expertise to scale businesses in food, health, and wellness, driving fund growth, portfolio expansion, and strategic exits. Ms. Shi is deeply committed to building diverse investment ecosystems, aligning financial returns with purpose-driven innovation to create lasting value for investors, communities, and the planet.
Ben Gibbons
Co-Managing Partner | Chief Investment Officer | Investment Committee Chair
Ben Gibbons is the Co-Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer at Waterpoint Lane, where he oversees the firm’s investment strategy, capital allocation, and portfolio execution. As Investment Committee Chair, he ensures that high-impact investments deliver strong risk-adjusted returns and drive sustained portfolio growth.
With over 20 years of experience in investment banking, private equity, and capital markets, Gibbons has led $2 billion+ in exits, including strategic sales, private equity transactions, and public market placements. His expertise spans capital structuring, M&A execution, and institutional fundraising, positioning businesses for long-term financial success.
Meifan Shi
Co-Managing Partner | Chief Strategy Officer | Executive Committee Chair
Meifan Shi is the Co-Managing Partner and Chief Strategy Officer at Waterpoint Lane, where she leads the firm’s fund growth, global expansion, and value creation strategy. As Executive Committee Chair, she oversees the firm’s operating partner and advisory boards, leveraging global networks and sector expertise to scale transformative businesses.
With over 20 years of experience in technology, finance, and investment strategy, Shi has successfully built, scaled, and exited high-growth companies, driving EBITDA growth, enterprise value, and long-term scalability across both Fortune 500 corporations and disruptive startups. Her expertise integrates financial discipline with operational leadership, ensuring sustained portfolio-wide returns.
Life at Waterpoint Lane
WPL Strategic Partners
WPL has partnered with industry leading groups in order to launch and execute on our
strategy, driving value for all WPL’s stakeholders
Decile Partners
• Decile Partners is a full-service back office for operating venture capital funds, unifying legal, accounting and strategic support to achieve firm success through Fund I, II and III.
• Decile Partners provides a dedicated venture associate and deep bench of specialized experts to build a top decile venture capital
fund.
GitHub
• GitHub for Startups partners with leading investors, accelerators, and startup support organizations to help early-stage startups go
from seed funding to unicorn status.
• Through the GitHub for Startups partner program, WPL supports our portfolio companies in executing on their technology strategies leveraging GitHub and, as such, are eligible for additional discounts and benefits while in the program.
OpenGate
• Opengate offers a tailored approach to the strategy and innovation needs of both corporates and startups involved in the agrifood and clean energy sectors.
• In particular, Opengate supports growth strategy and provides visibility and friction-less engagement with potential corporate clients enhancing the opportunities for WPL portfolio companies in engaging with large corporate customers.