Gilde Buy Out Partners, an Utrecht, the Netherlands-based private equity firm, closed its latest buy-out fund at €1.1 billion.
Investors included public pension funds, insurance companies, sovereign wealth funds, foundations, family offices and other institutional investors.
Gilde Buy-Out Fund V will invest in mid-market companies with strong market positions, growth potential and a core focus on the Benelux (The Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg) and DACH (Germany, Austria and Switzerland).
Led by Ralph Wyss, Chairman, Gilde Buy Out Partners has completed over 70 transactions.
FinSMEs
23/11/2015
Press Release
GILDE BUY-OUT FUND V CLOSES AT ITS HARD CAP OF EUR 1.1 BILLION
November 23, 2015
Strong support for Gilde Buy Out Partners’ proven mid-market strategy
Investor demand significantly exceeded the hard cap
Utrecht – Gilde Buy Out Partners announces a single closing of Gilde Buy-Out Fund V (“the Fund”) at the hard cap of EUR 1.1 billion. The Fund will build on the proven strategy executed by Gilde Buy Out Partners’ prior four funds, investing in mid-market companies with strong market positions, clear growth potential and a core focus on the Benelux (The Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg) and DACH (Germany, Austria and Switzerland).
Gilde Buy Out Partners set the hard cap at EUR 1.1 billion consistent with its strategy, diversification targets and capacity to invest and manage its portfolio to deliver superior value to investors.
Continued strong support from existing investors combined with significant interest from new investors from all over the world made for a swift and successful fundraising. Investors in the new Fund are a well-balanced cross-section of public pension funds, insurance companies, sovereign wealth funds, foundations, family offices and other institutional investors which are also well diversified by geography and commitment size.
Ralph Wyss, Chairman of Gilde Buy Out Partners said: “We are excited by the positive response that the Fund has received and are very grateful for the support and trust from both existing as well as new investors. Clearly, investors identify the European mid-market – Benelux and DACH in particular – as an attractive investment space with excellent investment opportunities. With our new Fund V and a team that has a proven track record, seasoned through multiple business cycles, we are in a great position to play a leading role in our core markets.”
MVision Private Equity Advisers acted as global fundraising adviser and Proskauer Rose and Loyens & Loeff as legal counsels.
Background
Founded in 1982, Gilde is an established private equity group in Continental Europe; its active investment experience spans more than three decades across sectors and cycles. With offices in Utrecht, Zurich and Brussels and its multinational investment team, Gilde Buy Out Partners is a mid-market leveraged buy-out firm with a clearly defined focus on businesses headquartered in the Benelux (The Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg) and DACH (Germany, Austria and Switzerland), providing its global investor base with a trusted gateway to the economic heartland of Europe. Having completed over 70 transactions since inception, Gilde Buy Out Partners will continue to pursue the same mid-market strategy. It will actively drive and enable transformational change and create sustainable value, in close partnership with strong and aligned management teams. Over the past 30 years, Gilde Buy Out Partners has executed a disciplined approach to private equity, investing in the target region. The superior track record achieved over this time demonstrates its strong reputation and network in the market with local managers, owners, intermediaries and banks.