European Capital Financial Services Limited has opened a Frankfurt office which will concentrate on mezzanine investments.
European Capital Financial Services Limited has opened a Frankfurt office which will concentrate on mezzanine investments. European Capital is an affiliate of American Capital Strategies Ltd, a US-based publicly traded alternative asset manager with approximately USD 10.9 billion in assets and capital commitments under management as at 31 December 2006.
Leading European Capital in Frankfurt is Robert von Finckenstein, Managing Director, reporting to Nathalie Faure Beaulieu, Managing Director and Head of Pan European Mezzanine, based in London. The Frankfurt office is the third European Capital office, in addition to London and Paris.
"We are delighted to welcome Robert von Finckenstein to European Capital and continue building European Capital by expanding into Germany," said Ira Wagner, President of European Capital and Chief Operating Officer of American Capital Strategies Ltd. "We believe that Robert’s considerable knowledge of the German market will enable European Capital to expand its Pan European Mezzanine activities significantly as we build relationships with both German private equity firms and directly with German companies."
As at 15 April 2007 the European Capital group had invested an aggregate of EUR1.6 billion in 45 companies since its establishment in August 2005, of which EUR1.2 billion was invested in 30 companies during 2006. European Capital investments in Germany total EUR42 million (based on portfolio company headquarter locations), including investments in Deutsche Connectors, a designer and manufacturer of customised environmentally sealed connectors for harsh environments; Moeller, a supplier of low voltage electrical distribution and automation components for industrial, commercial and residential use; Flint Inks, an inks producer; Iglo Birds Eye, a manufacturer of frozen foods; and Metall Technologie Holding, a manufacturer and marketer of furnaces for heat treatment applications.
European Capital has investments in the UK, Germany, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Spain, Switzerland and Italy. Mezzanine investments have been in consumer and leisure, healthcare, business and financial services and the industrials sector.
Prior to joining European Capital, Mr. von Finckenstein was Managing Director and Co-Head of DAM Advisors Ltd. in London. At DAM Advisors he originated mezzanine and subordinated debt transactions for German Mittelstand companies. Prior to DAM Advisors, he was a Director of Global Loan Products at Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein’s Acquisition Finance Group in Frankfurt where he structured and arranged complex transactions, particularly in the telecommunications, media and technology sector.
European Capital is a closed-ended investment company incorporated
in Guernsey in August 2005 for pan-European equity, mezzanine and senior debt investment. It is managed by European Capital Financial Services (Guernsey) Limited (the "Investment Manager"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of American Capital Strategies, Ltd. ("American Capital"). American Capital is a leading US based investor in equity, mezzanine and senior debt securities and is also the majority owner of European Capital.
The European Capital group targets companies that generally meet a combination of the following criteria: a robust track record, strong cash flows, significant growth prospects, strong competitive positioning, an experienced management team with a significant ownership interest and potential for the European Capital group to gain liquidity and/or realise appreciation in its investments.
The European Capital group expects to make investments which are typically between EUR5 million and EUR125 million. European Capital sponsored buyouts would typically be of companies with an enterprise value of between EUR50 million and EUR500 million. The European Capital group may however participate in co-investments with the American Capital group in transactions involving companies with a larger enterprise value.
