Where does Barbara Dirks work?

Barbara Dirks is General Partner at Framework Venture Partners.

What check size does Barbara Dirks write?

Barbara Dirks typically writes checks of $100K – $5M.

Where did Barbara Dirks go to school?

Barbara Dirks studied at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Designing and Building AI Products and Services Certificate); Institute of Corporate Directors (Private Capital Board Governance Certificate); University of Toronto - Rotman School of Management (Director's Education Program).

Barbara Dirks

Investor

General Partner at Framework Venture Partners

Toronto, Ontario

Writes $100K – $5M checks · typically $1.5M

About

Barbara Dirks is co-founder of FRANK INC, a growth strategy firm she started with Jane Francisco. With experience as an operator, banker, investor, and CEO across organizations ranging from startups to major North American financial institutions, Dirks focuses on organizational structure, team capacity, and operational efficiency as drivers of business growth. She works with business owners to align their organizations' capabilities with their strategic ambitions.

Experience

FRANK INCCo-Foundercurrent2025 — present
ResiliaPresident & CEO2023 — 2025
Framework Venture PartnersGeneral Partner2021 — 2025
PACE Credit UnionPresident & Chief Executive Officer2020
Silicon Valley BankHead, Silicon Valley Bank Canada2017 — 2020
RBCSVP, Network & Advisor Strategy, Personal & Commercial Banking2015 — 2017
BMO Financial GroupCOO, North American Commercial Banking Group2015
BMO Financial GroupSVP, Corporate Finance Division2014 — 2015Greater Toronto Area, Canada
BMO Financial GroupSVP & Chief Learning Officer2011 — 2014Greater Toronto Area, Canada
BMO Financial GroupGroup Executive and SVP, Distribution, Sales & Micro Business Banking, BMO Harris2009 — 2011Greater Chicago Area
BMO Financial GroupSVP, eChannel Services, BMO Harris2007 — 2009Greater Chicago Area
BMO Financial GroupSVP, Marketing and Customer Strategies, BMO Harris2005 — 2007Greater Chicago Area
BMO Financial GroupVP, Deposit Product Management, BMO Harris2003 — 2005Greater Chicago Area
BMO Financial GroupDirector | Senior Manager | Various Roles | Private Client Group2000 — 2003

Skills & more

Business TransformationChange ManagementCall CentersBankingCommercial BankingCustomer ExperienceFinancial ServicesInvestmentsMarketingMarketing StrategyMobile DevicesPortfolio Management

+11 more

Product DevelopmentProduct ManagementRetailRisk ManagementSalesRelationship ManagementStrategyLeadershipStrategic PlanningManagementEnterprise Software

Designing and Building AI Products and Services — Massachusetts Institute of Technology

From Barbara's professional profile.

Colleagues at Framework Venture Partners

Abdullah Khalid

Analyst at Framework Venture Partners

Ajay Gopal

Partner at Framework Venture Partners

Alex Read

Analyst at Framework Venture Partners

Boyang Li

Associate at Framework Venture Partners

Jasmeen Raghubans

Analyst at Framework Venture Partners

Jim Texier

Partner at Framework Venture Partners

Jonathan Jennings

Associate at Framework Venture Partners

Michel Lozeau

Venture Partner at Framework Venture Partners

Network5

Abdullah Khalid

Analyst at Framework Venture Partners

Ajay Gopal

Partner at Framework Venture Partners

Alex Read

Analyst at Framework Venture Partners

Boyang Li

Associate at Framework Venture Partners

Hark Ahluwalia

Associate at Revolution

Investors connected to Barbara in public investor directories — a warm-intro map.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Barbara Dirks?: Barbara Dirks is co-founder of FRANK INC, a growth strategy firm she started with Jane Francisco. With experience as an operator, banker, investor, and CEO across organizations ranging from startups to major North American financial institutions, Dirks focuses on organizational structure, team capacity, and operational efficiency as drivers of business growth. She works with business owners to align their organizations' capabilities with their strategic ambitions.
Where does Barbara Dirks work?: Barbara Dirks is General Partner at Framework Venture Partners.
What check size does Barbara Dirks write?: Barbara Dirks typically writes checks of $100K – $5M.
Where did Barbara Dirks go to school?: Barbara Dirks studied at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Designing and Building AI Products and Services Certificate); Institute of Corporate Directors (Private Capital Board Governance Certificate); University of Toronto - Rotman School of Management (Director's Education Program).

Founder mafias

Massachusetts Institute of Technology mafia546

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Elad GilPhDFounded Brain Co.Nat FriedmanBachelor of ScienceFounded Xamarin Matt HuangB.S.Founded Hotspots Delian AsparouhovDropoutFounded Nightingale +1 Drew HoustonBSFounded Dropbox +1 Arash FerdowsiComputer ScienceFounded Dropbox

+ 539 more

University of Toronto mafia101

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Ilya SutskeverPhDFounded Safe Superintelligence +1 Nick FrosstBachelor's of ScienceFounded Cohere Jeffrey KarpPhDFounded Tissium +3 Shvet JainMAScFounded Panther +1 Kiran GolluM.Sc.Founded Oodle +1 Alex LevyFounded Atmo +1

+ 94 more

Ivey Business School at Western University mafia34

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Trevor KoverkoHBAFounded Partner +2 Candice FaktorHBAFounded Gamechanger +1 Omar DhallaMBAFounded Recursion Judy FairburnMBAFounded the51 Amin LalaniBachelor of Arts (BA)Founded Avanti Thamba TharmalingamMBAFounded MapsPeople

+ 27 more

University of Toronto - Rotman School of Management mafia17

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Serge MesserlianMaster of Business Administration - MBAFounded Creyon +1 Sahar SaidiMaster of Business Administration (MBA)Founded LUS Brands +1 Ivan YuenMBAFounded Wattpad Mark SteeleMasters in Business AdministrationFounded Level Access Ray MuzykaICD.DFounded Bioware Calvin BenchimolBachelor of CommerceFounded Crewscope

+ 10 more

Institute of Corporate Directors mafia3

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Martin VetterHR & Compensation Committee EffectivenessFounded Carrotventures Melanie McCreathDirectors Education Program (DEP) & ICD.DFounded Manitoba Métis Federation

Same school

Also attended Massachusetts Institute of Technology1,387

Fred WilsonCo-founder & Partner at Union Square Ventures Elad GilSolo general partner investing through Gil Capital Aileen LeeFounder & Managing Partner of Cowboy Ventures Hemant TanejaCEO & Managing Director of General Catalyst Nat FriedmanCo-lead of Meta Superintelligence Labs; co-founder of NFDG Brad FeldCo-founder of Foundry and Techstars

+ 1,381 more

Also attended Institute of Corporate Directors26

David NaultGeneral Partner at Luge Capital Lori EllAdvisor at Tall Grass Ventures Geoff J. CatherwoodPartner at BDC Venture Capital Martin VetterSenior Vice President at Verdex Capital Dale TingleyCo-Managing Partner at Canadian Business Growth Fund John AdamsPresident and CEO at NGIF Capital

+ 20 more

Also attended Ivey Business School at Western University229

ØysteinInvestor at Investinor Vivek RamaswamiPartner at Madrona Venture Group Ray SharmaFounding Partner, CEO at Extreme Venture Partners Ha DuongVP Finance & Operations at Luge Capital Jasmine YangVice President at Sapphire Ventures Jaye LandowHead of Investor Relations at FJ Labs

+ 223 more

Also attended Western University194

Jasmine YangVice President at Sapphire Ventures Kevin GaburaInvestor at Craft Ventures Tanuj DuttaGeneral Partner at Congruent Ventures Lindsay HamiltonInvestment Manager - Finance at Emerald Technology Ventures Ag Michelle KwokPrincipal at Draper Associates Jenny HeFounder & General Partner at Position Ventures

+ 188 more

Shared employers

Also worked at Resilia1

Ajay GopalPartner at Framework Venture Partners

Also worked at Framework Venture Partners18

Hark AhluwaliaAssociate at Revolution Sabreen SidhuSenior Analyst at Vistara Growth Peter MisekManaging Partner and Co-Founder at Framework Venture Partners Adrienne CoulsonInvestor at Premji Invest Régis DesmeulesVenture Partner / Associated Partner at AQC Capital Tej SharmaAnalyst, Investments at Diagram

+ 12 more

Also worked at Silicon Valley Bank110

Katie RiesterPartner, Head of Investor Relations at Felicis Ventures Mattias LjungmanInvestor at Moonfire Ventures Alex MarshallPartner & General Counsel at Generation Investment Management David HahnCISO Operating Partner at Ballistic Ventures Jason DorenGeneral Counsel at ARCH Venture Partners Eric BenhamouVenture Advisor at Think+ Ventures Management, Llc

+ 104 more

Also worked at RBC77

Karim GillaniGeneral Partner at Luge Capital David BorcsokPartner at Mucker Capital Andrew McGuirkVenture Fellow at Moneta Ventures Andy HarrisonGeneral Partner, CEO at S32 Sara TateExecutive Assistant at Questa Capital Yaseen AbdulridhaVice President at PeakSpan Capital Partners

+ 71 more