ENTREPRENEUR, INVESTOR & COACH

I was born in Lower Austria in 1966 and have been a manager and entrepreneur for almost all of my professional life.

During my time as a manager and over the past 15 years as an entrepreneur, I have been involved with more than 100 companies of every size – through acquisitions and sales, equity and debt financing. Some of these companies were taken over in connection with bankruptcies, while start-ups have also received my increasing attention in recent years.

I have independently managed, restructured and developed many of these companies.

Soon after my career start with a leading Austrian bank as a financial analyst and key customer credit specialist, I reorganised the M&A Department. I spent ten years there as the department head and, additionally, served as the managing director of a leading Austrian private equity group.

My transition to the industrial sector took place nearly 20 years ago when I was appointed CFO of a private Austrian industrial and trading company which operated across Europe. The company, which was then considered medium-sized, is now one of the largest in Austria. During this time, I served as a managing director and supervisory member for companies in Germany, France, England, the USA and Italy.

Since 2004, I have been an entrepreneur and investor. My corporate group today comprises roughly one dozen medium-sized companies in various branches. The operational management of these companies, all of which demonstrate sustainable growth and above-average returns, lies in the hands of former employees who I personally trained and who have now become partners and co-owners.

The focal point of my activities in recent years has shifted to the further development of my corporate group and coaching on issues related to innovation, strategy & management for entrepreneurs in medium-sized companies and top managers.

For interesting assignments like restructuring or reorganisation, I also take over management functions on a temporary basis.

I continue to advise and support other entrepreneurs on the structuring of larger financing rounds and complex M&A transactions.

The Vienna University of Economic and Business marked the start of my management and financial training. After finishing my studies, I completed several post-graduate training programmes, among others for state licensing as an accountant and certification as a financial analyst.

For more than 20 years, I have also published on a variety technical subjects and lectured at various technical colleges and institutions in Austria on subjects that include leadership, M&A, corporate financing and accounting and controlling.