Wim de Pundert is a managing partner of the private equity firm HTP Investments in Amsterdam. He is also a member of the supervisory board of Knaus Tabbert AG, the Frankfurt listed European leisure vehicle producer.
Since early 1990’s, De Pundert has been actively investing in and managing businesses with a strong transformation and restructuring potential. In doing so, he also leveraged his ability to recognize further value creation potential, including by employing buy and build and market consolidation strategies. This translated into multiple successful investments, among which NEM and NEM Energy Services, a supplier of industrial steam generators (sold to Siemens AG), the Ovako Group`s wire division, a result of the merger of the long steel businesses of Rautaruukki, SKF and Wartsila (sold to a German industrial entrepreneur) and Henri van de Bilt, a producer of various meat products.
In 2008, De Pundert partnered with Klaas Meertens in HTP Investments to exclusively invest their capital into private companies. Together they acquired majority stakes in businesses including Knaus Tabbert, Michael Thierry Group, Geiger, Reum, Halberg Guss, Morelo, Formtec and UBC. Knaus Tabbert became a public company in September 2020. HTP Investments acquired the company in 2009 for EUR 12.6 million and its market capitalization at IPO reached EUR 602 million.
Beyond HTP Investments, De Pundert and Meertens have together made early significant investments in technological companies, including US based Zillow Group and UK FinTech player Curve.
Outside of his private equity investments, De Pundert is also active in the real estate sector. His investments include residential properties in The Netherlands and Southern Europe, and he is also active in the Dutch commercial property market.
De Pundert is also a keen motorsports enthusiast. From 2013 to 2019 he owned HTP Motorsport, a GT3 racing team competing in Europe, winning a long list of championships including the 24 Hours of Spa and the FIA GT3 European Championship.
“Klaas Meertens is a managing partner of the private equity firm HTP Investments in Amsterdam and a founding partner of the multi-family office Novum Capital Partners in Geneva. He is a member of the supervisory board of Knaus Tabbert AG, the Frankfurt listed European leisure vehicle producer, and acts as a non-executive Board member of Azerion Holding B.V., an Amsterdam listed leading European digital entertainment and media platform.
In 2008, Meertens partnered with Wim de Pundert in HTP Investments to exclusively invest their proprietary funds into private companies. Together they acquired majority stakes in businesses including Knaus Tabbert, Michael Thierry Group, Geiger, Reum, Halberg Guss, Morelo, Oyster, Formtec and UBC. Knaus Tabbert was IPO-ed in September 2020.
Beyond HTP Investments, Meertens and De Pundert have made significant early investments in technological companies, including US based Zillow Group and UK FinTech player Curve.
In 2018, Meertens partnered with Gabriele Gallotti to set up Novum Capital Partners in Geneva. Novum is a multi-family office catering to UHNW families, with over CHF 2 billion in assets under supervision.
Early in 2021, Meertens co-launched EFIC1, a SPAC aiming to merge with a fast-growing European private company. Through HTP Investments, Meertens and De Pundert invested a total of more than EUR 45 million in EFIC1 as sponsors and sole cornerstone investors. In 2022, EFIC1 combined with Azerion Holding B.V.
Before Meertens partnered with De Pundert in 2008, he worked for J.P. Morgan in New York, Amsterdam and as of 1997 in London, where he first headed and built their TMT EMEA team and later became head of investment banking for the Benelux and Switzerland. He was also part of the EMEA Investment Banking Coverage management team. While at J.P. Morgan, Meertens initiated many high-profile multi-billion transactions across M&A, ECM and DCM for blue-chip clients.
From 1986 until 1996, Meertens worked for McKinsey & Company in Amsterdam, New York, Brussels, London and Milan, the last 4 years as a partner focusing on transportation and financial institutions.
Meertens studied Physics at the University of Utrecht (BSc) and Management at the Interfaculteit in Delft (MSc).”