21 Partners is branching out into Poland with an additional local team and mid-market private equity fund, 21 Concordia.
This extension of existing private equity hubs in Italy, France, and Switzerland marks a new chapter in the development of 21 Partners in association with four Polish partners benefiting from investment expertise, knowledge and experience of the local market.
21 Concordia has completed its first closing, with aggregate commitments of EUR60m. The 21 Concordia fund has garnered the support of international institutions European Investment Fund (EIF), European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), in addition to the Polish Growth Fund of Funds (PGFF) – an initiative supported by Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego (BGK) of Poland and by EIF – and historical investors of 21 Partners.
Poland stands out as a high potential private equity market, supported by a resilient and competitive economy, representing a regional driving force in Central and Eastern Europe. Poland also provides compelling investment opportunities as Polish mid-market entrepreneurs increasingly seek local financial and strategic partners to support growth and international development.
Alessandro Benetton and Gerard Pluvinet, founding managing partners of 21 Partners, say: “At 21, we believe in the best of both worlds, the combination of a local approach and international standards. 21 Concordia is a new step in the development of our group, opening doors to a new market and bringing expansion of the 21 business network to the benefit of all local teams and portfolio companies.”
Andrzej Mierzwa, Dariusz Górka, Marek Modecki, and Dawid Sukacz, managing partners of 21 Concordia, say: “We are proud to be joining 21 Partners. Their institutional backing, the quality private equity best practices, and the international network they bring provide 21 Concordia with a competitive edge to create value in the Polish mid-market. We also look forward to further supporting our Italian and French partners with the expansion of their portfolio companies into Poland and Central and Eastern Europe.”
Richard Pelly, EIF’s chief executive, says: “21 Concordia’s closing marks the debut of a new private equity player in the Polish lower mid-market. As such, 21 Concordia represents a perfect example of the corner-stoning role that EIF can play in Poland by leveraging different resources. These include the recently-established Polish Growth Fund of Funds, the first initiative of its kind fully dedicated to supporting SMEs in the country.”
