Mergermarket M&A & Private Equity Forum - Germany 2022
Mergermarket’s flagship event for key players in German and cross-border M&A market
Frankfurt Marriott Hotel, Hamburger Allee 2, Frankfurt, 60486 Germany
-
09:15
Registration and coffee
-
10:00
-
10:05
Keynote Presentation: The State of the German economy
This Keynote will explore as a leader of the European economy, how the state of the German market impacts the wider global economy and what we can expect from interest rates going forward. The expert will also examine the ongoing geopolitical tensions and trade issues that will affect M&A in the DACH region.
-
10:35
Panel: Positive thinking around ESG
2022 – The world has dramatically changed, ESG is on everyone’s agenda and now is becoming a money-making strategy instead of another checkbox.
- How has the outbreak of the war in the Ukraine affected ESG considerations?
- How will the Supply Chain Due Diligence Act affect investors?
- What are the business risks associated with neglecting an ESG strategy?
- How can firms mitigate business and reputational risks?
- Are net-zero emissions on the agenda finally?
- Will the new EU regulations prompt the German government to adjust their own regulations?
- How have changing consumer priorities and motivations created market opportunities?
- How are sustainability strategies affecting decisions?
- What is best practice for sustainability considerations versus growth strategies are two becoming one?
- How is LP regulation towards ESG affecting GPs and fundraising commitments?
-
11:25
Networking break
-
11:55
Panel: The Future of Private Equity in Germany
This session will examine the challenges private equity investors are facing in Germany. How are dealmakers sourcing and allocating funds looking at expected returns, risk profiles, sector merits and how Germany sits in a broader European global context. This panel will discuss:
- How can GPs create a strategy in an overcrowded market targeting a limited pool of LPs?
- What level of diversity are LPs looking towards in terms of portfolio makeup?
- How is LP regulation towards ESG affecting GPs and fundraising commitments?
-
12:45
-
13:15
Networking lunch
-
14:15
Panel: Cross-border M&A deal drivers
DACH M&A activity – how is the market shaping up post-pandemic and has the inability to travel for meetings hindered cross-border deal making. This panel will discuss:
- What is the current pipeline for deals and private equity appetite? What is the pipeline for M&A in the Mittelstand?
- What has encouraged inbound activity from Asian investors and in particular Japanese companies?
- What is the pipeline for divestments as corporates seek to consolidate in the face of a downturn?
-
15:00
Talking from experience: Red flags in M&A
The way investors (corporate and private equity) approach due diligence has changed – red-flags have gone from deal-breaker to “deal-consideration”. Companies are more risk averse and want to understand the risks that have been identified and options for mitigating these – whether this requires an SPA clause, separate insurance or other mitigant.
We’ll provide some examples of our experience in performing due diligence and placing transactional risk insurance, these include:
- Identified red flags in due diligence and how wording in the SPA was used to mitigate the risk ensuring the deal could proceed
- How transactional risk insurance has helped getting a deal across the finishing line
- Innovative and bespoke insurance for terms previously considered deal-breakers
-
15:30
On-stage interview: Incorporating innovation and new technologies into the deal process
Big data, analytics and AI have the potential to transform the effectiveness of corporate development teams, but are yet to reach their full potential. This session will examine where experts think the biggest innovations in the industry are and what new technologies are available to aid the deal process more smoothly.
- How are companies using new technologies to shape their deals – is it just used in the due diligence phase?
- What are the best ways to determine the value added and how do you monetise these technologies?
- Bloc-chain in action
- Understanding the changing roles of the workforce because of new technology and what do you need to plan for?
- Identify cyber-risks in business and the new developments for resilience
- How can firms access financing via new technology such as enabler platforms and easier connectivity?
-
16:00
-
09:30
Registration and coffee
-
10:15
-
10:20
Presentation: Mergermarket M&A & PE data
-
10:35
Panel: Deal Drivers, Origination and challenges to expect in 2022
This session will explore the German M&A landscape, cross-border M&A activity, the impact of COVID-19 on pricing and valuations as well as which sectors are likely to emerge strongest from the ongoing pandemic. What impact will further COVID-19 waves, lockdowns, trade and regulatory challenges have on deal activity.
- How do German corporates go about identifying possible M&A targets and What tools do they use?
- How much do they rely on advisers or local networks?
- What is the role of local managers in suggesting possible targets and what considerations need to be considered?
-
11:25
Networking break
-
11:55
Presentation: The long view of M&A – private equity vs. corporate acquirors
If you are a corporate acquiror in 2022 then private equity is coming to eat your lunch - or to eat you. With M&A multiples at 30-year highs find out how competition between private equity and strategic acquirors for deals is driving a valuation frenzy, how private equity is gatecrashing strategic acquirors' growth plans, and what corporate acquirors can do to respond.
-
12:25
Talking from experience: Springer Nature case study
BC Partners' Single Asset Acquisition fund for academic publisher has attracted more than €1 billion in commitments, making it one of the largest such vehicles in Europe. In this session we will delve deep into the ins and outs of the continuation fund's strategy and BC's plans for the business.
-
12:55
Lunch break
-
13:55
On-stage interview: Key drivers of growth for Private Equity in Germany
This session will examine how can the European market overcome the ever-increasing competition of private equity firms and what can we expect if the dry powder continues to grow. The panel will also delve deep into:
- Should Private equity funds specialise or continue down the generalist route?
- How are private equity funds adding value to their investments and what are the challenges they are facing?
- How is the fundraising environment changing?
- Will there be an adverse effect if public markets keep sliding?
- Should the race to go public continue?
- How can you truly balance the interests of your shareholders with those in your LP pool?
-
14:25
Panel: Shareholder activism in Europe
Germany remains attractive country for activists. Geopolitics, climate change movement, the pandemic and supply chain disruptions have put made many firms targets with growing focus on environmental, social and corporate governance causing concern.
- Can we expect these recent developments to emerge across Europe and will we see more international activists pick up targets?
- What sectors are high on an activists hit list?
- Which other European countries are ripe for an activist’s pick?
-
15:15
-
15:45
Chairs closing remarks and networking drinks
Confirm cancellation
An error occurred trying to play the stream. Please reload the page and try again.
CloseSign-up to join the ION Analytics Community to:
- Register for events
- Access market insights
- Download reports
I am the senior ECM editor at Ion Analytics working on producing equity capital markets intelligence for Dealogic and Mergermarket.
Dr. Fritzi Köhler-Geib has over 20 years of experience at the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and in the financial sector, most recently as Chief Economist for Central America at the World Bank since 2017. The regional focal points of her economic policy consulting work and economic research are in Germany, Europe, Latin America, Asia and Africa.
With a multi-jurisdictional background in law, Andrejs displayed a keen and early interest for corporate investigations. Having worked in high-profile Southern European investigations for many years, he is now spearheading efforts to expand 36Brains' presence in Germany and Central Europe.
Ralph is a Managing Director within Bridgepoint Credit and joined the Firm in 2020 from EQT Credit which was acquired by Bridgepoint in 2020. He is responsible for origination and execution of financing solutions for mid-sized companies in Germany. Ralph is also part of the Bridgepoint ESG Committee.
Prior to joining EQT in 2014, he was Head of Acquisition in Germany at GE Corporate Finance Bank and Bank of Ireland. He has a wide range of transactional experience in European Leveraged Finance across a large expanse of industries sectors.
Ralph Betz ist Managing Director bei Bridgepoint Credit und kam 2020 von EQT Credit, welches von Bridgepoint im Jahr 2020 erworben wurde. In Deutschland ist er verantwortlich für Origination und Execution von Finanzierungslösungen für mittelständische Unternehmen. Darüber hinaus ist er Teil des Bridgepoint ESG Committee.
Bevor er 2014 zu EQT kam, war er Head of Acquisition in Deutschland bei der GE Corporate Finance Bank und der Bank of Ireland. Er verfügt über ein breites Spektrum an Transaktionserfahrung im Bereich European Leveraged Finance in einer Vielzahl von Industriesektoren.
Hartwig Ostermeyer is Partner at Active Capital Company. He is leading our German operations in Munich being responsible for local deal sourcing, screening of investment opportunities and portfolio management.
Hartwig started his professional career in M&A advisory in London focusing on the energy sector. After that, he worked as a project leader at Boston Consulting Group in the Munich office and gained operational experience as a manager at Sixt. Hartwig holds a 'Diplom-Ingenieur' from Technische Universität Berlin.
Born in 1964. Spokesman of the Board of Management since March 2013; member of the Board of Management since January 2001; appointed until the end of December 2023.
Torsten Grede holds a degree in Business Administration from the University of St. Gallen. Prior to his university education, he completed a bank apprenticeship. Directly after graduating, he started his career in 1990 at Deutsche Beteiligungs AG; he now has 30 years of experience in the private equity business in Germany’s mid-market sector.
Sören Riebeling (Frankfurt) joined KKR in 2019 and is a member of the European Private Equity team. He focuses on private equity investing in Germany, Austria and Switzerland and also works with specialized teams across other investment platforms in the region. Mr. Riebeling has been involved in KKR's investments in Leonine, Axel Springer, Unzer, Mediawan, Wella, and Biosynth Carbosynth. Prior to joining KKR, he worked in the investment banking division of Goldman Sachs in London. Mr. Riebeling holds an M.Phil. in Economics from the University of Cambridge and was a scholar of the German Academic Scholarship Foundation (Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes), DAAD, and Hans Weisser Foundation, and a recipient of the Huygens Scholarship.
Steve joined PwC in the UK in 1993, and qualified as an ACA in 1996. He joined the Transaction Services team in January 1997 and has worked exclusively within the M&A field since that date.
Having primarily worked on cross border transactions during his time in the UK, he transferred to the Frankfurt office in July 2001 where he has focused upon serving the private equity market and was promoted to partner in July 2005.With a wide exposure to various industries advising on both the buy-side and sell-side, Steve has significant experience in large cross border deals for private equity and corporate clients.Since 2012 Steve leads the PwC Private Equity Practice for PwC Germany and is a member of the PwC Global Private Equity Board.
As a partner in Rivean Capital’s Frankfurt Office, Andreas Klab is involved in originating and executing transactions in Germany.
Prior to joining Rivean Capital, Andreas spent two years at a Chinese cross-border investment fund in Munich where he led and helped to set up the European investment team. Before that, Andreas worked at BC Partners in Hamburg and at Credit Suisse in Frankfurt.
Andreas obtained a master’s degree in business administration from European Business School, Oestrich-Winkel (Germany).
Marc-Oliver is an Investment Partner and Co-Founder at Castik Capital Partners.
Prior to Castik, Marc-Oliver was working for Apax Partners and the Boston Consulting Group in London and Munich.
Marc-Oliver has a doctorate degree from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, an MBA from ESSEC in Paris and a MA (Dipl.- Kfm.) in Finance and Economics from the University of Mannheim, Germany.
I am the senior ECM editor at Ion Analytics working on producing equity capital markets intelligence for Dealogic and Mergermarket.
Based in Frankfurt, Michael Mueller is the Head of Investment Banking for Germany, Austria & Switzerland of China International Capital Corporation Limited (CICC), China's oldest joint-venture investment bank.
Michael has 20 years investment banking experience with a focus on advising clients on cross border transactions between German speaking countries and Asia having been involved in some of the most complex transactions.
Prior to joining CICC, he was with the oldest German family-owned bank Metzler and prior to this heading the German speaking investment banking of Japanese Nomura. He started his career with Citigroup.
Pablo is Global Head of M&A with Swissport International, the world's leading provider of airport ground handling and cargo handling services with more than 45,000 employees and operations at approx. 300 airports in 45 countries. Swissport International is pursuing a growth plan that includes an ambitious acquisition agenda in the Americas, Europe and Asia. Prior to joining Swissport earlier this year, Pablo was Global Head of M&A with global logistics company Kuehne+Nagel where he managed M&A transactions with a combined deal value of around $2.5 billion. Prior to Kuehne+Nagel, Pablo was an M&A advisor with PricewaterhouseCoopers in Switzerland and Australia. Pablo holds a Master of Arts in Business Administration and a Bachelor of Arts in Banking & Finance from the University of Zurich and has passed all CFA exams.
Megha Kapoor is a Managing Director with Serafin Group in London. She leads Serafin’s London Office, and is responsible for equity investments in the UK, Benelux and Scandinavia.
She started her career over 18 years ago at Andersen in their Assurance practice and then proceeded to work in various roles for Ernst &Young including Mergers and Acquisitions. She has also worked for JM Morgan Stanley in its Investment Banking and Equity Capital Markets team, before joining Serafin Group in Munich. During these years, she has originated and executed many private M&A transactions and has also assisted Corporates with IPOs.
Megha holds an MBA in Analytical Finance from the Indian School of Business and is also a qualified Chartered Accountant, which she completed in 2004.
Catherine Ford is a consultant editor for the events division at Mergermarket. She is a consultant editor to event programmes, and engaged in the development of timely editorial content for global corporate finance, M&A and capital markets related conferences and events. She routinely moderates discussion panels at conferences across the region. She has worked for Mergermarket since early 2002, holding a number of senior editorial roles in the company’s European, US and Asia-Pacific head offices.
Robert heads WTW’s M&A team in DACH, which includes the insurance due diligence as well as M&A insurance broking practice. He has been in the insurance industry for more than 24 years, of which around 20 years in the M&A advisory space, focusing on private equity and corporate M&A transactions in all industries, including infrastructure and renewable energy. The remainder of years in the industry, Robert has gained experience in managing and servicing international insurance programmes of some major global corporations. Prior to joining WTW in 2019, Robert lead the M&A advisory teams at two global insurance brokers in the DACH region.
As Leader for M&A consulting, Gabe is a member of WTW's Global M&A Practice. His recent client engagements have included:
Supporting French and German multinationals in their HR due diligence, integration planning and integration execution of divested segments of North American multinationals Serving as EMEA and Rest of the World lead for top 10 biopharmaceutical companies acquiring a global division of another large competitor. Assisting an American multinational media company in the due diligence, harmonization, communication and integration of benefits packages on acquiring a global division of a competitor. Coordinating and consolidating the pension accounting before and during the merger of two multinational FMCG companies. Performing benefits and HR due diligence for a Fortune 500 global manufacturing company acquiring a global division of another large competitor. Various small and mid-size acquisitions, high-level due diligence exercises and integration activities for EMEA locations
Relevant Experience and Specialisation
Gabe has over 15 years’ experience in international consulting and advises multinational companies on all aspects of their compensation and benefit arrangements. Gabe manages multinational projects and has experience in the areas of mergers & acquisitions, local and cross border benefit, compensation reviews/audits, expatriate provisions and international IFRS/FAS consolidations.
Dr. Robin P. G. Tech is the co-founder and Managing Director of delphai, a software company that has developed an AI-based B2B search engine. In addition, Dr. Tech is a member of the economic advisory board of the Bündnis 90 / Die Grünen party and senior researcher at the Hasso Plattner Institute and MIT, with a focus on complex systems and financial models.
I am the senior ECM editor at Ion Analytics working on producing equity capital markets intelligence for Dealogic and Mergermarket.
I am the senior ECM editor at Ion Analytics working on producing equity capital markets intelligence for Dealogic and Mergermarket.
Timo Tauber is Head of M&A at theViessmann Group. The Viessmann Group is one of the leading internationalmanufacturers of heating and cooling systems. Founded in 1917, the familybusiness maintains a staff of approximately 12,000 employees and generates EUR2.4bn in annual group revenue. With 23 production companies in 12 countries,subsidiaries and representations in 74 countries and 120 sales offices aroundthe world, Viessmann is an internationally orientated company.
Prior to joining Viessmann, Mr. Tauber workedfor 5 years in Private Equity, as Investment Manager for Brockhaus PrivateEquity and for 5 years as an M&A Consultant for Rödl & Partner Groupadvising on small and midcap transactions in the DACH region.
Sven advises international corporate clients and financial investors in cross-border M&A transactions and operations with a special focus on inbound acquisitions in Italy from the DACH area (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) and Nordics. Sven has extensive experience in mergers & acquisitions and joint ventures, as well as in corporate law, commercial contracts and the renewable energy sector. He regularly counsels clients in the real estate investment sector, with a particular regard for tourist resort development projects.
Sven is admitted to practice both in Germany and in Italy and is a member of the International Bar Association (IBA).
Joachim Ringer is Head of the Investment Banking & Capital Markets in Germany and Austria at Credit Suisse, and a member of the Executive Board of Credit Suisse (Germany) AG.
With more than 25 years of investment banking experience Joachim has a broad transaction background (more than 80 transactions closed in a variety of industries including industrials, healthcare, chemicals, consumer, logistics and others) as well as broad product experience in M&A, ECM, DCM, leveraged finance and derivatives products.
Prior to joining Credit Suisse, Joachim was a Managing Director at Deutsche Bank since 2006, covering German corporate clients. He started his career at Morgan Stanley in London in 1993 in the European M&A team.
Joachim graduated from the WHU School of Management in Koblenz, Germany with the degree of Diplom-Kaufmann.
Philip is chief strategy & marketing officer at Sterling Technology, a premium provider of virtual data room solutions for M&A, capital markets, and real estate. He has more than 30 years' experience working in strategy, M&A, corporate development, and corporate finance leadership roles in management consulting, investment banking, public companies, and private equity backed firms. Philip is a non-executive adviser to startups, investment management and private equity firms. He has served as an honorary visiting fellow in finance, and as a member of the advisory board of the M&A Research Centre, at Cass Business School. He is a co-author of over a dozen published M&A research studies and papers, as well as a co-inventor and patent holder for computerised, networked secure collaboration technology. Philip graduated from the University of London with Masters degrees in computer science and finance.
Maximillian Kastka joined BC Partners in Hamburg in 2008. Previously, Maximilian spent 5 years at Goldman Sachs, where he worked 3 years in the M&A Team followed by 2 years in the Leveraged Finance Team.
Holger Kleingarn, Managing Director and Head of Germany at H.I.G. Capital, is a German national who has been working in the Private Equity Industry since fifteen years. Throughout his private equity career, Holger has emphasized on mid-cap buyouts, growth investments and turnarounds across Europe with a focus on the German-speaking countries. Prior to joining H.I.G. Capital, he was a Partner and Member of the Management Committee at London-based Palamon Capital Partners, a private equity group focusing on mid-sized companies across Europe. Previously Holger has lead the management-buy-out of a Mittelstand software company as CEO. He started his career in strategic management consulting with Bain & Company and Roland Berger, latterly as Partner and member of its financial services management team. Holger holds a doctoral degree in business administration and graduated from the University of Hamburg.
I am the senior ECM editor at Ion Analytics working on producing equity capital markets intelligence for Dealogic and Mergermarket.
Mr. Schuchna is a Partner of Cevian Capital and is based in Zurich. Cevian is the largest and most experienced dedicated activist manager in Europe, with c. $13 billion AUM and a track record reaching back to 1996. Using offices in Stockholm, Zurich and London, Cevian focuses primarily on companies located in Northern and Western Europe. Mr. Schuchna is currently member of the Supervisory Board of Bilfinger SE. A European company specialized in civil and industrial construction, engineering and services based in Mannheim, Germany. He joined Cevian in 2011 and led due diligence on investment opportunities in various sectors (incl. chemicals, consumer goods, industrials, insurance, and pharma) in DACH, UK, and France. He played an instrumental role in several Cevian investments (incl. ABB Ltd., Alent plc, Vesuvius plc, and Platform Specialty Products) from the initial due diligence to the implementation of the value-enhancement agenda at the portfolio company (e.g. cost savings/NWC initiatives, corporate restructuring/M&A, balance sheet optimization, executive compensation) and the ultimate exit of the investment. Mr. Schuchna holds a Master of Arts in Banking & Finance and Bachelor of Arts in Banking & Finance from the University of Zurich. He is a CFA charterholder.
Frank Bretag is a Managing Director in the M&A Advisory practice of Kroll Corporate Finance in Germany and is based in the Frankfurt office. He has more than 25 years of experience in corporate finance with a focus on cross-border mergers and acquisitions.
Frank has acted as an independent advisor to boards and shareholders and advised numerous mid- and large-cap listed corporates and private businesses on a broad range of corporate finance matters. He has deep expertise in a variety of industrial sectors, including engineering, manufacturing, high-performance materials, specialty chemicals and industry 4.0 technologies and equipment.
Prior to joining Kroll, Frank was a senior member of the transaction advisory practice at Georgieff Capital Advisors. During his 15-year career at Georgieff Capital Advisors, he successfully executed many corporate finance, public and private, predominantly cross-border M&A mandates. Frank began his career at Deutsche Bank and spent several years in the corporate finance team in London, focusing on European industrial M&A.
Frank has co-authored and assisted in publishing a series of articles on corporate finance related topics at the Institute of Law and Finance of Goethe University Frankfurt, Germany. He received a master’s degree in business administration and mechanical engineering (Diplom-Wirtschaftsingenieur) from Technical University (TU) of Darmstadt, Germany.
Former CEO at Schaltbau Holding AG, Munich. 500 M. revenue, 3.000 employees.
- restructuring of the company under a S6 approach
- disinvest of 100 M. Revenue (3 sub companies)
- organic growth in the same time of 100 M.
- building up a new “fast charging business” from cero to 40 M. in 30 month
- introduction of a new profitable growing strategy in 4 business fields up to 900 M. in 2025, and a complete turnaround E/2019 from -20 % to +6 % EbIT
25 years of experience as a consultant, head of communications and agency journalist; expert for capital markets and special situations with an outstanding network. Focuses on advising CEOs, family businesses and private equity.
Marc Knothe holds the position as Managing Director for Intrum Germany and Austria since April 2021. Mr Knothe joined from Intrum Italy, where he was Country Manager for Intrum's joint venture with Intesa Sanpaolo since the beginning of 2018. Prior to his work in Italy, he was Country Manager at Lindorff in the Netherlands and before that - between 2011 and 2016 - he was a board member at GFKL. Knothe was also CIO at Bawag PSK in Austria, COO at GE Money Bank in Russia and Germany and held senior positions at Citigroup in Italy and Germany. Marc Knothe studied Business Administration at the University of Applied Sciences in Ludwigshafen, Germany.