Investment Team
James C. Murray, J.D., Partner
James is a co-founder and partner at ExSight Ventures where he has helped lead the firm’s investments in nine transformative ophthalmic companies. In addition to serving on the ExSight investment committee he helms the firm’s operations. His duties include sourcing and evaluating early-stage companies, assisting current and prospective portfolio companies, and is responsible for the firm’s operational functions. He serves on the board of Re-Vana Therapeutics, Ltd, a Northern Ireland ocular pharmaceuticals and drug delivery company, Usher III Initiative, a nonprofit dedicated to finding treatments for individuals with Usher III, and Nectar Services, an unaffiliated New York UCaaS company. James is a board observer at 2C Tech, a California company pioneering nanoparticle technology to treat blinding ophthalmic disease. Prior to co-founding ExSight Ventures, James held various positions at a New York City asset management company, eventually serving as General Counsel and Head of Strategic Initiatives. James is admitted to practice law in the State of New York. He is a member of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York where he serves as Chair of the Emerging Companies and Venture Capital Committee. James received his B.A. from Canisius College and his J.D. from Brooklyn Law School.
Dr. Michael Nissen, Partner
Dr. Nissen is a partner at ExSight. He is an experienced clinician with a particular interest in the surgical instruction of retina fellows in the US and abroad as well as a faculty member at Weill-Cornell University Medical Center since 1998. Dr. Nissen is the founder and director of the Insight Foundation. He is a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Society of Retinal Specialists, and the New York Ophthalmological Society. Dr. Nissen received his BA from Middlebury college then attended the premedical program at Columbia University and then The Albany Medical College. He served his ophthalmology residency at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City and fellowships in Ophthalmic Pathology at the New York Eye And Ear Infirmary, Medical Retina at New York University Medical Center, and Surgical Retina at Vitreous-Retina Consultants in New York.
Dr. Firas M. Rahhal, Partner
Dr. Rahhal is a partner at ExSight, a senior partner and a member of the Executive Committee at Retina-Vitreous Associates Medical Group in Los Angeles, and is Associate Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at the UCLA Geffen School of Medicine. He has previously served at Cornell University Weill School of Medicine as Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology and Retina Clinic Director. Dr. Rahhal has published extensively in recognized peer-reviewed ophthalmology journals and has been an investigator in over 100 ophthalmology clinical trials. He completed an Ophthalmology Residency at Cornell University Medical Center, followed by a Fellowship in Vitreoretinal Surgery and Uveitis at UCSD Medical Center.
James is a co-founder and partner at ExSight Ventures where he has helped lead the firm’s investments in nine transformative ophthalmic companies. In addition to serving on the ExSight investment committee he helms the firm’s operations. His duties include sourcing and evaluating early-stage companies, assisting current and prospective portfolio companies, and is responsible for the firm’s operational functions. He serves on the board of Re-Vana Therapeutics, Ltd, a Northern Ireland ocular pharmaceuticals and drug delivery company, Usher III Initiative, a nonprofit dedicated to finding treatments for individuals with Usher III, and Nectar Services, an unaffiliated New York UCaaS company. James is a board observer at 2C Tech, a California company pioneering nanoparticle technology to treat blinding ophthalmic disease. Prior to co-founding ExSight Ventures, James held various positions at a New York City asset management company, eventually serving as General Counsel and Head of Strategic Initiatives. James is admitted to practice law in the State of New York. He is a member of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York where he serves as Chair of the Emerging Companies and Venture Capital Committee. James received his B.A. from Canisius College and his J.D. from Brooklyn Law School.
Dr. Michael Nissen, Partner
Dr. Nissen is a partner at ExSight. He is an experienced clinician with a particular interest in the surgical instruction of retina fellows in the US and abroad as well as a faculty member at Weill-Cornell University Medical Center since 1998. Dr. Nissen is the founder and director of the Insight Foundation. He is a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Society of Retinal Specialists, and the New York Ophthalmological Society. Dr. Nissen received his BA from Middlebury college then attended the premedical program at Columbia University and then The Albany Medical College. He served his ophthalmology residency at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City and fellowships in Ophthalmic Pathology at the New York Eye And Ear Infirmary, Medical Retina at New York University Medical Center, and Surgical Retina at Vitreous-Retina Consultants in New York.
Dr. Firas M. Rahhal, Partner
Dr. Rahhal is a partner at ExSight, a senior partner and a member of the Executive Committee at Retina-Vitreous Associates Medical Group in Los Angeles, and is Associate Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at the UCLA Geffen School of Medicine. He has previously served at Cornell University Weill School of Medicine as Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology and Retina Clinic Director. Dr. Rahhal has published extensively in recognized peer-reviewed ophthalmology journals and has been an investigator in over 100 ophthalmology clinical trials. He completed an Ophthalmology Residency at Cornell University Medical Center, followed by a Fellowship in Vitreoretinal Surgery and Uveitis at UCSD Medical Center.
Senior Advisors
Adam Benowitz, Partner
Adam is a partner at ExSight. He began his career as a trader and would spend over a decade in various senior trading and portfolio management roles. Adam and his childhood friend, Randolph Cohen co-founded Vision Capital Advisors, an investment adviser to private funds. In that role Adam oversaw investments in 150+ portfolio companies spanning many industries and across several continents. Having suffered from multiple eye conditions he and Dr. Cohen chose to name their firm "Vision“. Adam is a lifelong entrepreneur with experience and success spread across a variety of industries and platforms. Adam also works with several philanthropies, including the Foundation for Fighting Blindness. Adam received his B.A. from the University of California at Berkeley.
Randolph B. Cohen, Ph.D., Partner
Dr. Cohen is a partner at ExSight, the MBA Class of 1975 Senior Lecturer of Entrepreneurial Management at Harvard Business School. Previously, Dr. Cohen taught at the Harvard Business School as Associate Professor of Finance and co-founded Vision Capital Advisors, LLC. Before joining Harvard, he worked as an actuarial management consultant specializing in pension plan asset/liability analysis. Dr. Cohen lectures worldwide on investment management and valuation of “hard to value” assets, has published working papers on the subjects of Alternative Investment Management, Asset Pricing, and Finance, and is a member of the American Finance Association and the European Finance Association. Dr. Cohen has Retinitis Pigmentosa. Dr. Cohen received his A.B. in Mathematics from Harvard College, and completed a Ph.D. in Finance at the University of Chicago.
Maneesha Ghiya, Partner
Maneesha is a partner at ExSight. Maneesha previously was focused on healthcare investments at Highline Capital as a consulting analyst. Prior to Highline, she was a senior analyst covering healthcare at Kingdon Capital Management. Maneesha worked in Venture Capital and Private Equity for JPMorgan Partners. She earned an MBA from Harvard Business School. Maneesha graduated summa cum laude with dual Bachelors from the University of Pennsylvania; she earned a Bachelor of Applied Science at the School of Engineering and Applied Science and a Bachelor of Science in Economics from The Wharton School.
Alan M. Spiro, J.D., Ph.D., Partner
Dr. Spiro is a partner at ExSight. Prior to ExSight Alan was a Senior Partner of Edwards Wildman Palmer LLP. He was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa in 1993 and became active with the Foundation Fighting Blindness. Registered as legally blind in April 2012, in June, he chaired the Foundation’s inaugural Boston Visionary Awards Dinner. In September, he was elected a National Trustee of the Foundation. Alan received his B.A. from Kenyon College, summa cum laude, in 1972. After a year as a Fulbright Scholar at the Université Catholique de Louvain, Belgium, he earned a Ph.D. from Princeton University and taught, then obtained a J.D. from Harvard Law School, cum laude, in 1982, and became a business and IP litigator.
Adam is a partner at ExSight. He began his career as a trader and would spend over a decade in various senior trading and portfolio management roles. Adam and his childhood friend, Randolph Cohen co-founded Vision Capital Advisors, an investment adviser to private funds. In that role Adam oversaw investments in 150+ portfolio companies spanning many industries and across several continents. Having suffered from multiple eye conditions he and Dr. Cohen chose to name their firm "Vision“. Adam is a lifelong entrepreneur with experience and success spread across a variety of industries and platforms. Adam also works with several philanthropies, including the Foundation for Fighting Blindness. Adam received his B.A. from the University of California at Berkeley.
Randolph B. Cohen, Ph.D., Partner
Dr. Cohen is a partner at ExSight, the MBA Class of 1975 Senior Lecturer of Entrepreneurial Management at Harvard Business School. Previously, Dr. Cohen taught at the Harvard Business School as Associate Professor of Finance and co-founded Vision Capital Advisors, LLC. Before joining Harvard, he worked as an actuarial management consultant specializing in pension plan asset/liability analysis. Dr. Cohen lectures worldwide on investment management and valuation of “hard to value” assets, has published working papers on the subjects of Alternative Investment Management, Asset Pricing, and Finance, and is a member of the American Finance Association and the European Finance Association. Dr. Cohen has Retinitis Pigmentosa. Dr. Cohen received his A.B. in Mathematics from Harvard College, and completed a Ph.D. in Finance at the University of Chicago.
Maneesha Ghiya, Partner
Maneesha is a partner at ExSight. Maneesha previously was focused on healthcare investments at Highline Capital as a consulting analyst. Prior to Highline, she was a senior analyst covering healthcare at Kingdon Capital Management. Maneesha worked in Venture Capital and Private Equity for JPMorgan Partners. She earned an MBA from Harvard Business School. Maneesha graduated summa cum laude with dual Bachelors from the University of Pennsylvania; she earned a Bachelor of Applied Science at the School of Engineering and Applied Science and a Bachelor of Science in Economics from The Wharton School.
Alan M. Spiro, J.D., Ph.D., Partner
Dr. Spiro is a partner at ExSight. Prior to ExSight Alan was a Senior Partner of Edwards Wildman Palmer LLP. He was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa in 1993 and became active with the Foundation Fighting Blindness. Registered as legally blind in April 2012, in June, he chaired the Foundation’s inaugural Boston Visionary Awards Dinner. In September, he was elected a National Trustee of the Foundation. Alan received his B.A. from Kenyon College, summa cum laude, in 1972. After a year as a Fulbright Scholar at the Université Catholique de Louvain, Belgium, he earned a Ph.D. from Princeton University and taught, then obtained a J.D. from Harvard Law School, cum laude, in 1982, and became a business and IP litigator.