Iris Winkel joined Deutsche Beteiligungs AG in 2022 and heads the Investment Monitoring department.
Before joining DBAG, she worked as an auditor at KPMG.
Iris Winkel earned a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the University of Mannheim and a master's degree in Accounting & Taxation from Mannheim Business School, and also studied at the National Taiwan University.
Youssef Zauaghi joined Deutsche Beteiligungs AG since 2023. In his role, he is responsible for corporate communications.
Prior to this, he gained international experience in media and analyst communications at Accenture and Jaguar Land Rover. He began his professional career at the PR agency SMART PR in Düsseldorf.
He studied business administration at the European Distance Learning University, Hamburg.
Nikolas Schmitte joined Deutsche Beteiligungs AG in 2020.
He has four years of experience in private equity.
Nikolas Schmitte holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management and a Master of Science in Management from ESCP Business School (Madrid, Paris and Berlin). He also studied at Bocconi University, Milan.
Our core objective:
Sustainable increase in the company’s value
Investments in well-positioned mid-sized companies with development potential
We assume responsibility for the impact our decisions have on others – now and in the future. We align our actions and behaviour accordingly in the way we manage our Company, and especially in the way we carry out the investment process in (as well as the development and later disposal of) our portfolio companies.
Thomas Weber joined DBAG in 2014 and is Head of Business Development.
Previously, Thomas Weber served at PwC, Commerzbank and Concept Consulting, a mid-market consultancy firm. In addition to business development, he focused on human resources.
Thomas Weber holds a degree in Law from the Goethe University, Frankfurt.
Our shareholders and the investors in DBAG funds have entrusted capital to us. They expect us to invest it in promising companies. For that reason, it is important that we have, qualitatively and quantitatively, a well-filled pipeline of attractive investment opportunities at all times. That requires an entire range of marketing activities: out of some 300 investment opportunities, transaction ideas or offers, we result four to six corporate investments each year.
Directing this process is one of my key responsibilities. My colleagues on the investment team are frequently working to full capacity on their primary assignment, the accomplishment of transactions. I therefore organise the collaboration with investment banks and M&A consultants and look for platforms for interacting with capital-seeking companies.
Beyond that, I attend to our network of industrial experts, which mostly consists of former board members and CEOs experienced in the sectors we invest in. They support our team by contributing their knowledge. This network needs to change constantly to maintain its effectiveness and I am responsible for steering that transition.
Furthermore, even a private equity company must engage in marketing. The Business Development Manager represents Deutsche Beteiligungs AG at events or fairs and communicates its investment strategy to the market. This allows me to further support DBAG’s market communication and presence.
To us, an industrial expert is someone who, thanks to his or her in-depth knowledge of the industry, backs us in preparing investment decisions and supporting portfolio companies. Industrial experts advise the investment team as it analyses potential investments and they provide support as a strategy is developed for each of the companies. In addition, seats on supervisory boards or advisory councils are often filled by industrial experts.
If you have a proven track record successfully managing a large internationally operating company in one of our relevant sectors and if working entrepreneurially remains appealing to you, then feel free to contact me.
We are known for successful investments in Mittelstand enterprises. In addition to our longstanding market presence from which we have gained extensive experience, we have a focused investment strategy and a high level of transparency. Beyond that, what sets us apart is our proven expertise in Germany’s Mittelstand across various sectors. With individual equity capital solutions ranging from 10 to 200 million euros, we offer a broad spectrum of solutions for mid-sized companies.
We consider ourselves to be strategic partners to our portfolio companies, and it is important for us that we have trusting, reliable relationships with all of a company’s stakeholders.
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