First Floor, Dorey Court
Admiral Park
St. Peter Port, Guernsey GY1 4AF
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
13 September 2007
Contact
Robert von Finckenstein, Managing Director, European Capital Services + 49 69 7171 297-0
Kornelia Spodzieja/Irina Kobboldt, Charles Barker +49 69 79 40 90-43
EUROPEAN CAPITAL STRENGTHENS FRANKFURT TEAM
St. Peter Port, Guernsey – September 13, 2007 – European Capital Financial Services Limited (“European Capital”), the sub-investment manager of European Capital Limited (LSE: ECAS), is pleased to announce, as part of the company’s further expansion in the German market, the appointment of Bernd Schaessburger as an Investment Director. The appointment is effective September 1. Bernd joins the Frankfurt based team headed by Managing Director Robert von Finckenstein, which was successfully ramped up during the past months and now numbers four professionals. A fifth member has been hired and will join the team shortly. This completes the initial team of European Capital in Frankfurt.
“We believe that a strong local team will enable European Capital to expand its pan-European mezzanine activities significantly,” said Nathalie Faure Beaulieu, Managing Director and Head of Pan European Mezzanine at European Capital.
European Capital is an affiliate of American Capital Strategies Ltd. (Nasdaq: ACAS), a U.S.-based publicly traded alternative asset manager with approximately $171 billion in assets under management. April 2007 saw the opening of the Frankfurt office, which works together closely with the European mezzanine team headed by Nathalie Faure Beaulieu in London.
With the opening of the Frankfurt office, and the assembling of an experienced local team, European Capital is poised to tap the attractive opportunities available in the German market. Since inception, European Capital has, through its offices, already made significant commitments providing mezzanine capital to seven German transactions. European Capital has thus positioned itself as a leading independent mezzanine investor in Germany.
German team with wide-ranging experience
Bernd Schaessburger boasts a broad range of mezzanine experience. Prior to joining European Capital, Bernd worked in the mezzanine finance industry at DAM Capital in London and, before that, at Dresdner Kleinwort, Frankfurt, spending two years at each. His responsibilities included origination and the structuring and execution of new investments. Previously, he spent about five years as an investment manager at a German private equity firm, where he was involved in transactions across a variety of industries as well as exit management. During this time, Bernd also served as a supervisory board member at portfolio companies. Bernd holds a Diploma in Business Administration from the University of Siegen.
Hans Twietmeyer joined European Capital in June 2007 as an Investment Director in the company’s Frankfurt office. Prior to joining European Capital, he worked in the Leveraged Finance Division at Société Générale for three years and, prior to that, in the Leveraged Finance Division at Royal Bank of Scotland for about four years. Hans was involved in structuring and arranging numerous transactions, including LBOs, real-estate and project finance-related projects. Hans began his career at Deutsche Bank. He holds a Diploma in Economics from the University of Göttingen.
Robert von Finckenstein has been Managing Director and head of the Frankfurt office of European Capital since 2007. Prior to that, he was Managing Director and Co-Head at Dresdner Anschutz Mezzinvest (“DAM”) in London. At DAM Advisors, he originated mezzanine and subordinated debt transactions with an aggregate value of some €300 million for German Mittelstand companies.
Further members of the European Capital team in Frankfurt currently include
Tuomas Erik Ekholm, Associate, and
Miriam Schroeder, Office Manager.
ABOUT EUROPEAN CAPITAL
European Capital is a closed-end investment company for pan-European equity, mezzanine and senior debt investments with capital resources of approximately €2.3 billion ($3.2 billion). European Capital invests in and sponsors management and employee buyouts, invests in private equity buyouts and provides capital directly to private and public companies headquartered predominantly in Europe. European Capital generally invests between €5 million and €500 million per transaction in equity, mezzanine debt and senior debt to fund growth, acquisitions and recapitalizations.
Companies interested in learning more about European Capital's flexible financing should contact Robert von Finckenstein at +49 (0) 69 71 71 297-0 in Frankfurt, Nathalie Faure Beaulieu or Simon Henderson at + 44 (0)20 7539 7000 in London, Jean Eichenlaub at + 33 (0)1 40 68 06 66 in Paris, or Luis Felipe Castellanos at +(34) 91 745 99 63 in Madrid, or visit the website at www.EuropeanCapital.com.
ABOUT AMERICAN CAPITAL
American Capital Strategies Ltd. (Nasdaq: ACAS), is an affiliate of European Capital and the only alternative asset management company that is a member of the S&P 500. With $171 billion in assets under management, American Capital is the largest U.S. publicly traded private equity firm and one of the largest publicly traded alternative asset managers. American Capital, both directly and through its global asset management business, is an investor in management and employee buyouts, private equity buyouts, and early stage and mature private and public companies. American Capital provides senior debt, mezzanine debt and equity to fund growth, acquisitions, recapitalizations and securitizations. American Capital and its affiliates invest from $5 million to $800 million per company in North America and €5 million to €500 million per company in Europe.
1Assets under management is an estimate of internally and externally managed assets as of July 31, 2007 and does not include any fair value adjustments subsequent to June 30, 2007.
This press release contains forward-looking statements. The statements regarding expected results of European Capital and/or American Capital are subject to various factors and uncertainties, including the uncertainties associated with the timing of transaction closings, changes in interest rates, availability of transactions, changes in regional, national or international economic conditions, or changes in the conditions of the industries in which European Capital and/or American Capital has made investments.
EUROPEAN CAPITAL FINANCIAL SERVICES, LTD.
London
25 Bedford Street
London WC2E 9ES
United Kingdom
+44 (0)207 539 7000
+44 (0)207 539 7041 fax
Frankfurt Branch
Taunusanlage 18
60325 Frankfurt am Main
Germany
++ 49 69 7171 297-0
++ 49 69 7171 297-30 fax
Madrid Branch
C/Lopez de Hoyos, 35, 1°
28002 Madrid
Spain
+(34) 91 745 99 63
Paris Branch
55, Avenue Hoche
75008 Paris
France
+33 (0)1 40 68 06 66
+33 (0)1 40 68 06 88 fax