The team was launched in November 2023 in response to growing demand from private equity general partners (GPs) for advice around alternative exit options.

The new hires to Investec’s GP Advisory team are Oliver Altendorf, who joins as Director, Christoph Schwarz as Associate Director, and Emilia Korobowicz as Associate. They will be led by Stefano Manna, who joined Investec in November as Head of GP Advisory.

Oliver Altendorf brings more than eight years of experience in the financial services industry, working with private equity firms and specialising in executing and advising on GP-led secondary transactions. Oliver joins from the advisory and private markets placement firm Asante Capital Group, where he was Vice President, and has previously worked in the investment banking division of Houlihan Lokey.

Christoph Schwarz brings more than five years of experience in corporate finance, working across both buy-side and sell-side in private equity. He has significant experience in GP-led transactions within secondaries from his time at HarbourVest Partners. Prior to that, Christoph spent three years at financial services firm Raymond James.

Emilia Korobowicz joins Investec from Credit Suisse’s Private Fund Group, where she specialised in GP-led transactions, including continuation vehicles, preferred equity, and strip sales.

Investec’s latest annual Private Equity Trends report highlighted the challenging environment GPs are currently facing for traditional exits – with two-thirds (66%) reporting an increase in failed auctions in the past year.

Stefano Manna, Head of GP Advisory at Investec, said: “The private equity industry is going through a transformational moment – and GPs are having to think more and more creatively to get deals done. At Investec, we have always worked in this way, coming up with innovative solutions to meet our clients’ needs. We believe we are uniquely placed to capitalise on the rapid growth in sponsor-led secondary transactions given the breadth of our offering for mid-market private equity. We are delighted to welcome Oliver, Christoph, and Emilia to our team as we continue to deepen and enhance that breadth of offering.”

Investec’s GP Advisory team provides specialised services to mid-market financial sponsors in Europe, focusing on GP-led secondary solutions for assets, funds, and management companies. It advises on single and multi-asset continuation vehicles and liquidity options such as preferred equity, as well as GP commitment financing and stake sales for management companies.

About Investec

This press release is issued on behalf of Investec Bank plc. Registered address: 30 Gresham Street, London, EC2V 7QP. (Reg No. 489604). Investec Bank plc (Reg. no. 489604) is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.

Investec Bank Plc (‘Investec Bank’ or ‘IBP’) is the UK banking subsidiary of Investec, the international financial services group. Investec Bank partners with private, institutional and corporate clients, offering banking and investment services in the UK, Europe and certain other countries.

Investec Bank also offers wealth management services through its strategic partnership with Rathbones Group, the UK’s largest discretionary wealth manager. Investec Bank has operated in the UK since 1992.

As part of the Investec Group, Investec Bank is a purpose-driven organisation, dedicated to its core purpose of creating enduring worth. This means we will always strive to create long-term value for all stakeholders and contribute meaningfully to people, communities, and the planet.

It is the principal operating business of Investec Bank plc, a FTSE-250 listed company which holds the Investec Group’s non-Southern African businesses under a dual listed company structure.