Joachim Sperbel, Chairman
The financial expert Joachim Sperbel is consultant and held positions in boards of directors and administration in several companies in the past. The former executive management member of Postbank started his career at Fried. Krupp Hüttenwerke AG and nine years later changed to Klöckner-Humboldt-Deutz AG, where he held several leading positions in the central department Finance. In 1991 Mr. Sperbel joined Postbank, where he later as member of the executive management took responsibility for treasury, controlling and credit.
Michael Sauer, Vice Chairman
The owner of the Cologne-based company Musicstore, Michael Sauer is among the most successful European retailers and mail order specialists for musical instruments. After receiving his Abitur (school-leaving certificate granting entry into university studies), he completed a commercial vocational traineeship and began working in the music wholesale company owned by his father Artur Sauer (Scandalli-Sauer), where he remained until he was 29. In 1974, Michael Sauer became the new CEO of FARFISA GmbH, a wholesaler that has since been acquired by Lear Siegler. At the same time, he started out on his own by taking over a small music retailer in Cologne, which very quickly became the city's largest music store. It later evolved into one of Europe's largest musical instrument mail order companies.
Benedikt Wahler
Benedikt Wahler is a senior investment professional, advising international institutional investors on large private and public market transactions in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. A professionally-trained banker, Mr Wahler studied Economics, Banking and Finance at the Stanford University, Universidad de Buenos Aires and the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management. He also holds a MA in International Relations from Johns Hopkins University, where he worked as research assistant to Prof. Horst Siebert.Benedikt Wahler has a successful track record of more than eight years in the financial industry, having worked for HVB Group (now Unicredit) on corporate projects and M&A advisory in Frankfurt, Munich, Vienna, Kraków and Milan. Since 2005, he has co-led and advised investment projects worth several billion Euros.