Jacques Berger

Defi Gestion is an active manager which invests in buyouts and venture capital companies primarily in Switzerland, France, Germany and Italy. For buyouts, the firm follows an opportunistic investment strategy, investing in equities or comparable securities through a small number of transactions with significant potential for capital gains in European-based, mature, unlisted companies with no industry or sector bias. Defi Gestion does not seek a role as lead investor, but generally holds a minority stake in domestic and transnational co-syndications. The firm is an active shareholder, partnering with investee company management to establish strategic goals and create value. Defi Gestion typically invests CHF 4 million in buy-out operations, placements of minority shareholdings and pre-IPO refinancing or other business expansion financing, seeking to invest in companies with turnover greater than EUR 10 million, a proven recent track record of profitability, sales growth, improving profitability ratios and clients loyal to the company. The firm's development capital investments concentrate primarily on the electronics, services, leisure, logistics and distribution and automobile sectors. For venture capital, Defi Gestion invests in innovative early-stage or expanding start-ups based in French-speaking Switzerland and operating primarily in the life sciences and IT sectors. The firm generally co-invests with Swiss or foreign venture capitalists and/or industrial or private investors. Defi Gestion's Investment Committee makes the firm's investment decisions.