New Delhi, Oct. 23 -- Sumaiya Balbale, Sequoia Capital's chief operating officer, resigned in August after raising concerns over a series of social media posts by top executive Shaun Maguire, which she perceived as "Islamophobic", according to the Financial Times.

The row centred around Shaun Maguire's comments about New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani. Sumaiya Balbale flagged them to senior partners but eventually stepped down, saying her position had become untenable.

Sumaiya Balbale, a practising Muslim, often speaks about identity in the workplace. She spent five years at the American venture capital firm Sequoia Capital, where she served as COO and Operating Partner, leading the firm's go-to-market platform team. In her role,...