David Fischer: How He Joined the VC World After Meta
As Meta’s chief revenue officer for 11 years, Fischer Facebook‘s inputs played a crucial role in the company’s marketing growth. He was responsible for scaling up its advertising revenue from a small base to a huge one that caters to over 200 million businesses worldwide.
In 2021, David Fischer California announced his departure from Meta, explaining that he had grown the business to a point where he could look for other challenges. He also said he wished to take a break and enjoy more time with his family. His break was brief though. Not long after quitting Meta, he was reached out by Antler, a Singapore-founded venture capital firm and startup studio. Antler’s founder and CEO, Magnus Grimeland, had attended Harvard with Mark Zuckerberg and had known Fischer via Larry Summers, the former U.S. Treasury Secretary who Fischer had worked for in the 90s.
Antler proposed Fischer to become part of its board of directors, where he would work with other distinguished individuals such as Summers himself, B Capital Group vice chairman Sheila Patel, and hedge fund manager Nancy Zimmerman. Fischer consented to the idea and became an Antler board member in early 2022. What is Antler’s vision and what drew it to Fischer? Antler is a venture capital firm that also functions as a startup studio. It assists entrepreneurs in developing and scaling their businesses from nothing by offering them funding, mentorship, network access, and talent matching.
Antler has operations in 16 locations across Asia Pacific, Europe, and North America. It has invested in over 300 startups since its inception in 2017, across various sectors such as fintech, healthtech, edtech, e-commerce, and more. Antler wanted Fischer on its board because of his extensive experience and expertise in marketing and scaling businesses globally. Fischer has a strong track record of building and leading teams, developing innovative products and solutions, and driving revenue growth for Meta and other companies he has worked for.
Fischer said he was impressed by Antler’s vision of empowering entrepreneurs to solve real problems and create positive impact. He also said he was excited to work with Antler’s diverse and talented team of partners, advisors, founders, and portfolio companies. As an Antler board member, Fischer will provide strategic guidance and advice to Antler’s leadership team and portfolio companies. He will also use his network and connections to help Antler grow its presence and reach in new markets.
Fischer’s move from Meta to Antler shows that he is not afraid to take on new challenges and opportunities. He is also passionate about supporting the next generation of entrepreneurs who are building the future of technology.
