# John Kim
John Kim is a fundraising executive and investor, known in venture capital as Chief Client Officer and Managing Director of General Catalyst from 2019 to 2025, and since November 2025 as Chair and [President](https://www.edgepedia.org/president-corporate-title) of Corporate Development at Lila Sciences, an artificial intelligence company in [Cambridge, Massachusetts](https://www.edgepedia.org/cambridge-massachusetts).[1](https://www.lila.ai/team/john-kim) • [2](https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-kim-106127182) His career has been spent on the capital-raising side of private equity and venture capital rather than on direct deal-making: the firm's profile states he has raised more than $70 billion across industries over his career.[1](https://www.lila.ai/team/john-kim)
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Current role | Chair and President of Corporate Development, Lila Sciences, from November 2025[1](https://www.lila.ai/team/john-kim) • [2](https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-kim-106127182) |
| General Catalyst | Managing Director and Chief Client Officer, May 2019 to November 2025, New York[2](https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-kim-106127182) |
| Earlier firms | J.P. Morgan; Court Square Capital Partners (2004–2014); Kelso & Company (2014–2019)[1](https://www.lila.ai/team/john-kim) • [2](https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-kim-106127182) |
| Career fundraising total | More than $70 billion raised across industries, per Lila's team page[1](https://www.lila.ai/team/john-kim) |
| Education | BA in Economics, magna cum laude, Brown University (1984–1989); MBA, Harvard Business School (1992–1994)[1](https://www.lila.ai/team/john-kim) • [2](https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-kim-106127182) |
| First job | Marketing representative at IBM[3](https://www.simonandschuster.net/authors/John-Kim/243404911) |
| Book | *The Tao of Fundraising*, released Spring 2026[1](https://www.lila.ai/team/john-kim) |
## Career and education
Kim graduated magna cum laude from [Brown University](https://www.edgepedia.org/brown-university) in 1989 with a degree in economics and began his career as a marketing representative at IBM.[3](https://www.simonandschuster.net/authors/John-Kim/243404911) • [2](https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-kim-106127182) He completed an MBA at [Harvard Business School](https://www.edgepedia.org/harvard-business-school) between 1992 and 1994.[2](https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-kim-106127182) After the MBA he moved into fundraising for private equity, where, according to his publisher's biography, he built his reputation on forming direct, long-term relationships with institutional investors.[4](https://www.forefrontbooks.com/author/john-kim/)
**Private-equity fundraising career.** His LinkedIn record shows a decade as Partner at Court Square Capital Partners from February 2004 to February 2014, followed by a Partner role at [Kelso & Company](https://www.edgepedia.org/kelso-and-company) from February 2014 to May 2019.[2](https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-kim-106127182) He also lists earlier roles at J.P. Morgan.[1](https://www.lila.ai/team/john-kim) No source in the public record reviewed here connects him to [American Express](https://www.edgepedia.org/american-express) or HP; his first employer was IBM.[3](https://www.simonandschuster.net/authors/John-Kim/243404911)
## Role at General Catalyst
Kim joined [General Catalyst](https://www.edgepedia.org/general-catalyst), a global venture capital firm, as Managing Director in May 2019, based in New York, and served there for six years and six months until November 2025.[2](https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-kim-106127182) His title for that period was Chief Client Officer.[1](https://www.lila.ai/team/john-kim) The firm's profile describes him as one of the most experienced fundraisers in the industry, with tens of billions of dollars raised across his career.[1](https://www.lila.ai/team/john-kim)
## Public positions and writing
**Views on fundraising.** Kim's stated professional philosophy, expressed in his own writing and publisher biographies, is that fundraising succeeds through authentic, meaningful connections with investors.[4](https://www.forefrontbooks.com/author/john-kim/) He has condensed this into a book, *The Tao of Fundraising*, released in Spring 2026, which draws on lessons from raising more than $70 billion.[1](https://www.lila.ai/team/john-kim)
## Recent developments
Kim left General Catalyst in November 2025 after roughly six and a half years and moved to Lila Sciences, where he became Chairman and Co-President, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts; Lila's team page now lists him as Chair and President of Corporate Development.[1](https://www.lila.ai/team/john-kim) • [2](https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-kim-106127182) Lila Sciences is described by his publisher as a technology company developing a "Scientific Super Intelligence" platform that combines advanced AI with real-world laboratory automation.[3](https://www.simonandschuster.net/authors/John-Kim/243404911) His book followed in Spring 2026.[1](https://www.lila.ai/team/john-kim)
## References
1. [John Kim | Lila](https://www.lila.ai/team/john-kim)
2. [John Kim — LinkedIn profile](https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-kim-106127182)
3. [John Kim — Author page, Simon & Schuster](https://www.simonandschuster.net/authors/John-Kim/243404911)
4. [John Kim | Forefront Books author page](https://www.forefrontbooks.com/author/john-kim/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › Economics and business › Founders, operators, and investors › Venture and growth investors › United States venture since 1985*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Edited: Oct 11, 2026; Oct 15, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license