0100 Conference CEE 2024

At EIF since 2009, Marco is heading the team responsible for equity investments in European funds focused on Sustainable Growth, including strategies oriented towards circularity, climate and energy transition, digital transformation and investments in sectors which are strategic for the European economy. Marco coordinates the investment activity for the AMUF European Private Equity compartment and for several fund-of-funds initiatives, with specific thematic or geographical scope, (e.g. Turkey, Poland, Baltics, Central Europe, Italy, Portugal). He represents EIF on the Advisory Boards of several funds. Prior to EIF, he worked in direct investments, in an Early Stage VC fund, and in management consulting. Marco holds a M.S. degree in Industrial Engineering and Management.

Petr is an Investment Director at Schroders Capital covering private equity secondary investment activities in Europe, with a focus on lower mid-market GP-led transactions. Before joining Schroders Capital in 2017, Petr spent 4 years at Montana Capital Partners where he was an Associate conducting due diligence on secondary opportunities globally. Petr holds a Master degree in Quantitative Economics and Finance from University of St. Gallen, Switzerland.

Pavel Dvorak is a Principal at the EBRD where he focuses primarily on investments in venture capital and private equity funds across the EBRD region. In his previous role of a an economist at the EBRD he developed country and sector strategies, assessed the development impact of investments in a number of sectors including TMT and healthcare and developed new approaches to supporting innovation in the region. Before joining the EBRD, he was a management consultant at Deloitte in Prague. Pavel holds a Ph.D. in Economics from CERGE-EI in Prague and is a CFA and CAIA charter holder.

Karolina Wojtas - Venture Partner at Eurazeo Ventures & Director of Strategic Development at Everix Inc. Karolina specializes in working with early stage deeptech and climate tech startups. She is responsible for strategic development at Everix, a US-based deeptech optics company. She also serves as a Venture Partner at a French climate tech VC fund - Eurazeo Ventures, where she covers the CEE region. Prior to that, she was an investment manager in a Dutch VC fund and co-founded a startup in the medtech space. She holds diplomas in engineering and finance.

Fabian joined Vitruvian in 2017, is heading the DACH office in Munich and is focused on Technology and Healthcare investments in the DACH and CEE region overall. Prior to Vitruvian Fabian has been a Partner with EQT, committed to the mid-market segment in the DACH and Nordics region. Prior to joining EQT, Fabian worked at MCap Finance investing in German mid-cap companies as well as for KPMG in the corporate finance team. In the course of his career, he has also co-founded an internet start-up. Fabian has over 17 years’ experience in mid-market private equity as well as growth investments across Europe. He has a MSc in Business Administration from the University of Cologne and a MBA from CEMS.

David Schäfer is a Founding Member and Managing Director of MPEP. He holds a board position in the AIFM and is primarily responsible for portfolio management and serving on MPEP’s investment committee. David has worked for several affiliates of MPEP’s parent company since 2008. He started his career in 2000 with the regional state bank Helaba. David studied financial management and international business and holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration (“Diplom-Kaufmann”) as well as a Private Equity Advisor certificate from the European Business School. David has been working in the private equity business for more than 15 years, holds several advisory board positions in private equity funds around the globe and is an acknowledged industry expert.

Catherine serves as Managing Director at ACA Ltd, a single family office, for the past 16 years. She manages the family’s portfolio construction. She has advised on mergers & acquisitions, allocations in venture capital, private equity and long short hedge funds. Her advisory projects include: Projects of Energy Investments Corp (Panama), Sands China, Ltd. (Macau), Frontier Resource Group (then privately held, now listed on SEHK), Starr International Co. Inc. (Asia), Dragon Capital Group (Vietnam), Vision Investment Management (Hong Kong) in strategic developments and Equinox Group (Nigeria). She has served as a member and observer on various boards of the family’s portfolio concerns, and has been seconded time to time to various organizations in special situations: She was Special Advisor to the Chairman of Equinox Group, a Nigerian based resource and real estate corporation on in bound investment projects; Special Advisor to the CEO of Sands China, Ltd., Special Advisor to the Deputy CEO of UC Rusal during their dual listing on the Securities Exchange of Hong Kong and NYSE-Euronext Paris Exchange, and Autorité des Marchés Financiers building out their compliance and institutional investor and retail programs; and Executive Advisor to the Chairman at Prudential Corporation Asia she advised on the proposed acquisition of $1.3Bn AIG Global Investments Asia Real Estate Fund portfolio. Catherine holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Berkeley, in political science with minor in biochemistry, and Juris Doctor from Georgetown University Law Center with election to The Tax Lawyer as Associate Editor. Catherine is admitted to the New York State Supreme Court’s Appellate Division, First Department, and U.S. Federal District Court for the Southern District of New York and the State Bar of California.

Rozalia Urbanek, Investment Director at PFR Ventures. She is responsible for investments in PE and VC funds. She has 8 years of experience in venture capital and private equity (before worked at PineBridge Investment and ForeVest), and 2 years of experience in transaction advisory (due diligence and M&A at EY). She completed the CEMS MIM program at the Vienna University of Economics and Business and the Warsaw School of Economics.