Christoph Hartmann

WLB-PEI is a private equity investment manager providing direct equity and mezzanine financing to middle-market companies in Europe, with a strong focus on Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The firm follows a buy-and-build investment approach and specializes in structuring tailored private equity deals. They seek to invest in profitable companies with 10 to 200 million Euros in turnover. They favor companies operating within niches of traditional industries and sectors related to consumer goods. They prefer companies which are internationally active and have organic and external growth potential. The target company should commercialize well-known products or technologies with high brand potential, and have positive long-term prospects. WLB-PEI acquires majority or substantial minority stakes and seeks to develop cooperative relationships with the management team in place. They influence the strategic positioning of their investee companies, and implement cost structure improvements. The firm enters larger deals in syndication. WLB-PEI also invests in financial services companies worldwide, acquiring majority stakes in small-cap financial services companies, and minority interests in medium- to large-size deals and syndicated buyouts. WLB-PEI's funds are invested in third-party private equity funds both in Europe and in the US. They invest across strategies and market caps, including in LBO and sector funds.