Claire Valoti

Claire Valoti has spent over 24 years at the forefront of the technology, media and venture capital industries. Best known as the former Vice President of Snap Inc. for EMEA, Claire is now the Co-Founder of Haylo Ventures, a venture operator specialising in deep tech. Haylo Ventures takes a hands-on approach to investing, with a focus on accelerating the commercialisation of startups, particularly in AR/VR, and building the technologies that will shape the future. Throughout her career, Claire has demonstrated a unique ability to scale businesses, drive revenue growth and develop sustainable, diversified business models. Her career journey can be described as a continuous path of innovation and disruption, spanning technology, advertising and venture capital.

Claire’s early career began in media, where she pioneered digital transformation at Mindshare, part of the WPP Group. As Head of Digital Display and Mobile, she helped major brands embrace digital channels to better connect with customers—long before Google and Facebook became dominant players. She then moved into mobile advertising, holding senior roles at O2 Media, Weve, and Telefonica, where she served as Media Director, spearheading mobile media strategies during the early days of app monetisation. In 2015, Claire was headhunted by Snapchat’s Evan Spiegel to join Snap Inc., first as General Manager UK, and then rising to Vice President for EMEA, where she led Snap’s growth across key international markets including the UK, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Canada, Australia and MENA.

During her time at Snap, Claire drove significant revenue increases, expanded Snap’s operations across the region, and became a recognised advocate for female representation in technology. It was during this period that Claire also began angel investing, building a portfolio of over 23 startups alongside her husband, Amir Nooriala. This experience deepened her understanding of venture capital and laid the groundwork for the launch of Haylo Ventures, a firm designed to disrupt the traditional VC model by taking a more engaged, operator-led approach with the companies it backs. Claire’s leadership has been recognised by numerous accolades, including being named one of the Most Powerful Women in Advertising by Business Insider in 2012, listed in The Drum Digerati’s Top 25 Most Influential People in UK Digital in 2016, and recognised in 2019 by Business Insider as one of the Most Impactful Women in British Technology.

In addition to her corporate roles, Claire holds several board positions. She is a Non-Executive Director at Genius Sports and Howbout, a social planning app, as well as a Trustee of Founders4Schools, supporting young entrepreneurs. As a speaker, Claire shares insights on innovation, technology, female leadership in STEM, and the future of venture capital. She has spoken at world-renowned events such as The AI Summit, covering topics like “Snap’s Approach to Innovation” and “Is Technology a Priority for You?”. Claire’s passion for disruption, commercialisation of innovation and gender inclusion continues to inspire audiences and the next generation of leaders in tech.