Clara Ko is a Vice President at Forward.

Prior to joining Forward, Clara was a Vice President at The Carlyle Group, where she spent four years focused on growth equity and buyout investments across the Consumer, Retail & Media and Financial Services teams. At Carlyle, she was actively involved in sector thesis development, evaluating investment opportunities, and supporting portfolio companies on the ground. Clara began her career as an Investment Banking Analyst in the Consumer & Retail group at J.P. Morgan.

Clara graduated magna cum laude and beta gamma sigma from Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business.

Clara’s love for consumer brands grew from her family’s entrepreneurial journey building grocery and restaurant businesses in South Korea. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with family, exploring Korean dining, and attending ballets and classical music concerts.