PIERRE KLADNY

Managing Partner, Founder

Expertise

Company management
Fund raising and restructuring
Large senior executive managers network

Entrepreneurship

Founded 5 companies in technology, consumer goods.
Investor in start-ups and well established industrial companies

Serial entrepreneur, Pierre has founded and managed 5 companies. He has sold one of his businesses to a large multinational firm and has divested another one through a management buy-in scheme. He is a former chairman of the association “Le Réseau” helping entrepreneurs in Switzerland and served as Chairman of the French-speaking chapter of SECA (Swiss VC and PE association). Pierre is currently the vice-chairman of the industrial holding group Adax in Switzerland and its main financial advisor. He spent 3 years with Lombard Odier Darier Hentsch & Cie, Private Bankers in Geneva, initially working on the merger the bank conducted in 2002 and then setting up the bank’s Private Equity Advisory service.

pierre.kladny@valleyroadcapital.com

PATRICK DE HENEY

Network Partner

Expertise

Financial management and corporate finance
Strong connections within the Swiss Banking industry and Swiss banking authorities

Investor in start-ups and well established industrial companies

Worked at senior level in banking and family-controlled and listed investment holding company

Patrick started his career in London with management consultancy Strategic Planning Associates. He then moved to the Pargesa Group, where for 13 years he was directly involved in capital raising, bond portfolio management and industrial long term investments in the FMCG and watch industries. He subsequently spent 10 years with Lombard Odier Darier Hentsch & Cie, Private Bankers in Geneva, 6 of which as Group CFO.

patrick.deheney@valleyroadcapital.com

STAFFAN AHLGREN

Managing Partner

Expertise

Private Equity operations
Fund raising
International deal flow network

Entrepreneurship

Founded a consulting company.
Large experiences in cross border deals.
Sweat equity investor in several Start-Ups.

When he was 28 years old, Staffan became the CEO of a Swedish listed office furniture company and spearheaded its European expansion. He has more than 25 years of varied entrepreneurial experiences, including CEO positions as well as several board of director mandates. He established the Swiss operations of MVI (Merchant Venture Investments), an international private equity investment pool. Staffan has led a large number of private equity investments, very often with a seat on the board of investee companies. At 50, he joined Credit Suisse headquartered in Zurich as Head of Private Banking for the Nordic Countries.

staffan.ahlgren@valleyroadcapital.com

JONATHAN SCHWARTZ

Executive Vice President

Expertise

Corporate finance transactions
Company operational and financial restructuring
International Private Equity origination and investments

Jon has a thirty year career in the investment arena and corporate restructuring. He has worked throughout Europe, Asia, Australia and North America. He has led more than €3 billion in investment transactions. His restructuring clients include AT&T, Citigroup and General Motors.
Prior to joining ValleyRoad Capital Jon was Chairman of a hedge fund and before that a Partner in Compass Partners Private Equity a €1 billion private equity fund headquartered in London.
Before becoming a private equity partner, Jon was Group Development Director at AMP Limited an Australian Insurance and Investment Company with more than €200 billion in assets under management.

He joined the AMP from Deloitte where he was a Partner for 10 years focusing on M&A, corporate development and restructuring assignments.

jonathan.schwartz@valleyroadcapital.com

ALAIN GUTTMANN

Network Partner

Expertise

Private Equity operations
Fusion & Acquisition
Corporate Strategy
Restructuring and Turn Around Management

Alain started his career as marketing brand manager for Jacobs Suchard (1983-1986), he has held executive positions as partner for ICME management consulting Lausanne and Paris (1986-1996) then Ernst & Young Consulting (1996-2000) where he became Executive Vice President Central Europe and CEO for Switzerland. He then founded SFF financial services and served as managing partner for a private equity fund owned by the Sandoz Family Foundation in the early 2000’s. He currently runs CapDconsulting, a consulting firm in M&A and company turnaround founded in 2005. He is also Chairman of the Board of Bobst Group SA and sits on the board of a dozen other companies. He conducted of participated in over 40 M&A deals in the last 15 years and has very strong competencies in industrial, watchmaking, distribution and many other business areas.

alain.guttmann@valleyroadcapital.com

GABRIEL CHAMPRENAUD

Senior Private Equity Advisor

Expertise

Cross border Private Equity exposure
Hands-on deal involvement
International deal flow network.

He started in Venture Capital at Merchant Venture Investments in 2001. He then joined Leman Capital, a mid-market buyout Private Equity fund. As Associate Director, he managed three investment platforms and co-led several acquisitions. Sent to Hong Kong in 2005, he ran the add-on acquisition of a Chinese company in the watch sector. Two years later, he relocated to Beijing to learn Mandarin and, in 2008, joined Taishan Capital Corporation, a Beijing-based boutique investment bank. There, he brought and led several companies looking for China Mainland investors and target companies. With ValleyRoad Capital since January 2011.

gabriel.champrenaud@valleyroadcapital.com

ANDREY CHERNYAEV

Managing Partner, Uzbekistan

Expertise

Company management
Travel industry
Central Asian business network

Entrepreneurship

Founded companies in technology, consumer goods.
Investor in start-ups and well established industrial companies

Being an active entrepreneur with experience in developing international high-tech projects, Andrey has become an expert in M&A in technology. He is a seasoned entrepreneur and co-founder with over 20 years of experience in the travel and aviation industry with low cost model operations. Author and co-owner of Global Air American Express, a leading player in the corporate travel industry. Vital Business Development Specialist. Inventor of the Sweetcase platform – direct distribution. Andrey has 12 years of deep tech R&D experience.

andrey.chernyaev@valleyroadcapital.com

PAUL DE SALIS

CEO – Aviation advisory

Expertise

Senior aviation expert and executive with extensive hands-on experience

Entrepreneur in aviation industry

Top manager in the airline industry

As an experienced aviation expert, Paul has the following critical professional skills:
• Originated, wrote, and the board presented and delivered business plans and all individual projects. (PrivatAir turnaround, British Mediterranean start-up and development, Fly New Air business plan and financing.)
• Cost control, operational excellence, strategic direction, revenue generation and retention. (PrivatAir flat central overhead whilst growing revenue, globally highest active utilization and highest engine on-wing time, only non-owned partner airline allowed to fly from Lufthansa Group hubs.
• Cost control, operational excellence, strategic direction, revenue creation and retention. (PrivatAir flat central overhead whilst growing revenue, globally highest operational utilization and engine on-wing time, only non-owned partner airline allowed to fly from Lufthansa Group hubs.) Driving and creating business value.
• Communication, direction, and coaching. (Structured, led, and coached transversal teams of up to 40 people with diverse skills.) Understanding internal, external, and governmental relationships are required to deliver results. (Structured transversal ‘Core Team’ coordinating joint partner operations, obtained US Foreign Air Carrier permits from Federal Aviation Authority, received traffic rights and Governmental designation on five new routes).

paul.desalis@valleyroadcapital.com