Carlyle names new European MD

The Carlyle Group has appointed Norbert Reis as managing director in Carlyle’s European buyout team. Reis joins a team of nine managing directors overseeing the investment activity of Carlyle Europe Partners.

He will primarily be focused on conducting investments in Germany and Austria alongside managing director Gregor Böhm.

He joins from Credit Suisse where he was vice chairman of investment banking and was previously co-head of Credit Suisse’s European M&A department as well as the firm’s German investment banking business. Reis brings with him a CV which includes financing and structuring a number of high-profile European buyouts, such as BASF’s disposal of Basell and the buyout, follow-on acquisition and sale of Sulo for Apax and Blackstone.

Reis said of his new role: “Joining Carlyle is an exciting opportunity: the new €5.35bn European fund together with Carlyle’s commitment to growing its European presence come at a time when private equity as an asset class enjoys strong acceptability and conditions for future acquisitions are unusually attractive throughout Europe.”

David Rubenstein, co-founder and managing director of Carlyle, said, “Carlyle was one of the first global firms to recognise the importance of Germany and we have established a track record of excellent deals since opening in Munich in 1997. With Norbert’s appointment alongside Gregor Bohm we have an extremely deep pool of local expertise and his appointment supports our commitment to the region.”

Jean-Pierre Millet, managing director and head of Carlyle Europe Partners, said: “Our first two dedicated European funds have been top quartile and top decile performers and this track record has been built on the exceptional abilities of our investment professionals. Norbert’s appointment adds further strength to that team as we invest our record fund, Carlyle Europe Partners III.”