The Czech private equity market again made headlines in 2018, with one of Europe’s largest tech IPOs when internet security firm Avast dual-listed on the London and Prague Stock Exchange in May. The deal was a welcome reminder to investors that Czech businesses can become world-beating companies.
Source of charts: CVCA Private Equity Report, A paper re deal activity in 2018, July 2019
Last year's exits highlight investors’ ability to make attractive returns in the Czech Republic, and the exit type – largely sales to trade buyers – enhances the attractiveness of the market. This was proved by the Genesis Capital last year's exit of POS Media to Thailand’s DemoPower when Asian firms had been hunting in CEE for strong businesses.
Source of charts: CVCA Private Equity Report, A paper re deal activity in 2018, July 2019
To get an overall glimpse of the Czech exits, check the CVCA 2018 Private Equity Report, which was jointly prepared by Deloitte and the Czech Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (CVCA). Or you can personally discuss exits with Radan Hanzl, Partner @ Genesis Capital and Vjaceslav Lypko, Investment Director @ Enterprise Investors at 0100 Conferences Prague this October.
Radan Hanzl, Partner @ Genesis Capital
Radan has been with Genesis Capital since 2004. During the time, he lead or co-lead many investments across various industries and completed over 10 exits. Radan also co-founded the GPEF II (2008) and GPEF III (2015) funds. Prior to joining Genesis Capital, he worked for GE Capital in various positions in corporate finance and risk management in Prague and in London. Radan is a graduate of University of Economics in Prague and holds an MBA degree from London Business School.
Genesis Capital, founded in 1999, is a leading private equity firm focused on the lower mid-market in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Central Europe, investing into growth capital and buyouts situations. In the course of last two decades, Genesis private equity funds had over € 170 million capital under management, invested in more than 50 companies and completed over 30 exits.
Vjačeslav Lypko, Investment Director @ Enterprise Investors
Vjačeslav is a country director for the Czech Republic at Enterprise Investors. Prior to joining Enterprise Investors, Vjačeslav was a manager at EY Czech Republic, where he was responsible for corporate finance, transaction advisory and financial restructuring projects across Central and Eastern Europe. He also spent one year at EY in London in a department specialising in transaction advisory for financial institutions.
Enterprise Investors is the oldest and one of the largest private equity firms in Central and Eastern Europe, specialising in mid-market succession-driven buyout transactions and provision of expansion financing to high-growth enterprises across a range of sectors. Active since 1990, have raised nine funds with total capital exceeding EUR 2.5 billion. These funds have invested EUR 1.9 billion in 143 companies.
