HIG continues European adventure

HIG Capital, the US buyout firm that closed its maiden European fund and opened its first European office over the summer, has officially unveiled its new offices in France and Germany by opening two new offices.

HIG European Partners raised €600m for the lower-end of the mid-market and is headed up by Sami Mnaymneh, co-founder and managing partner of HIG, who has relocated to London to lead the firm’s European expansion. More than 30 investment professionals are expected to be hired by the firm before the end of the year.

The French office, based in the capital Paris, is led by Patrick Caron, managing director. He is joined by Thibaud Caulier, principal. Caron said: “We are particularly interested in transactions with a Pan-European profile, where we can utilise our cross-border experience, both within Europe, as well as between Europe and the US. As in London, the teams in both France and Germany will continue HIG’s practice of having a flexible investment approach, providing attractive solutions to company owners and management teams regardless of their companies’ circumstances.”

Across the border in Germany, the Hamburg team is headed by Wolfgang Biedermann, managing director, who will work alongside Lars Hirche, managing director, and Dr. Matthias Allgaier, managing director. They are assisted by Dr. Zoltan Bognar, principal, and Jorn-Marc Vogler, also principal. Biedermann said: “One of the interesting things about H.I.G. Capital is that we are comfortable making control investments or taking minority stakes, and can be valuable partners whether a company is highly profitable or underperforming. With a dedicated European fund, H.I.G. is an ideal fit for companies looking for an experienced partner to tackle the challenges they face, be they operational or financial, or to capitalise on the many opportunities available to them.”