Enterprise Investors opens an office in Prague
Prague, September 1, 2009 — Enterprise Investors (EI), the oldest and one of the largest private equity companies in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), announced the opening of its office in Prague, the Czech Republic. This decision supports the strategy of Enterprise Investors to provide services tailored to the individual markets of Central and Eastern Europe from in-region local offices.
Enterprise Investors, which was established in 1990 in Poland and operates in the neighboring markets including the Czech Republic, already has its offices in Warsaw (Poland), Jersey City (USA), Bucharest (Romania) and Bratislava (Slovakia).
The role of the new office is to focus more closely on the Czech market, in particular to identify and execute new investment opportunities. The office will also help manage existing investments, including EI’s ownership position in AVG Technologies, the global IT provider of anti-virus software, and Kofola, one of the most significant producers of non-alcoholic beverages in Central and Eastern Europe.
The Prague office is headed by Ivan Jakubek, an EI investment director who has more than seven years’ experience in private equity, corporate finance, consulting and restructuring. He has worked for Enterprise Investors since 2005 and is responsible for the firm’s business development in the Czech and Slovak republics.
Commenting on the office opening, Ivan Jakubek said: “In the Czech Republic we have two of the largest companies in our portfolio – AVG Technologies and Kofola. The Czech market is key for us also from the perspective of further potential investments. By opening the office in Prague we want to be closer to our Czech partners and entrepreneurs,” adding that EI is in negotiations regarding capital investments in several Czech companies. Dariusz Prończuk, a managing partner at Enterprise Investors who oversees the firm’s investment activities in the Czech Republic, summed up the strategic decision: “EI’s current investments in the Czech Republic made it our second most important market. The new Prague office allows us to focus even more closely on the attractive Czech market and to continue building strong relationships with local entrepreneurs.”
Enterprise Investors has been investing in the Czech Republic since 2005 and actively seeks mid-sized investment projects (financed by the buyout fund) as well as smaller ones (financed by the venture capital fund). The firm’s focus in the Czech market is on projects in the consumer goods and retail, financial services, manufacturing and IT sectors.
Enterprise Investors manages one of the largest groups of private equity and venture capital funds in CEE, which invests capital from respected financial institutions from Western Europe and the USA. The total amount of capital in the funds exceeds €1.7 billion. During the course of its operations EI has invested in more than 100 companies in the CEE region. The firm’s record of 91 exits, including 25 IPOs, makes Enterprise Investors the most successful private equity company in Central and Eastern Europe.
Contact details for EI’s new Prague office are as follows:
Enterprise Investors
Václavské naměstí 19
110 00 Praha, the Czech Republic
Phone: (+420) 234 656 125
Fax: (+420) 234 656 138
Please visit our Czech web page at www.ei.com.pl