This Year’s Sponsors

ACXIT Capital Partners is an independent, privately owned corporate finance firm. With almost 60 professionals and offices in Frankfurt, Berlin, Munich, Zurich, Vienna, Hong Kong as well as alliances in China and India, we are one of the leading corporate finance advisory firms for mid-market clients in Europe. Since 1998, we offer our clients comprehensive corporate finance advisory services including mergers & acquisitions, capital markets as well as restructuring and strategic advisory. Our advisory expertise is founded on an in-depth understanding of the key industries served by our company, covering both the industrial and technology sectors. We have successfully advised clients in Internet & Media, Software & IT, Mobile & Telecom, Healthcare & Pharma, Retail & Consumer Goods, and General Industries.

Our clients are listed corporations, family-owned businesses and entrepreneurs, financial sponsors and family offices. While our home market is the German-speaking region, most clients are international and transactions cross border. We assist clients by starting earlier in investment decisions and corporate transactions (e.g. feasibility, de-risking, restructuring) and staying on longer (e.g. post-merger integration, transitional services).

Our senior partners have each over 20 years international investment banking experience having worked for investment banking firms in Frankfurt, London and New York as well as on transactions in most geographies. In addition, they have also held corporate leadership positions in the industry. They combine cross over skills in advisory, capital markets and investment activities.

At AlixPartners, we work on matters of high importance. Matters that materially affect the future of organizations, often in situations of extreme pressure and high stakes. We partner with management of both healthy and challenged companies, across more than 20 industries and in more than 60 countries around the world. We field small teams who, because of their deep sector and operational experience, move with speed. We combine knowledge of the market place with a pragmatic understanding of people and processes to help companies resolve urgent situations to preserve value. On many occasions, AlixPartners’ experienced managers have taken interim leadership roles in challenging company reorganizations. In addition to restructuring work, a significant focus lies on advising in relation to performance optimization, support in connection with legal disputes and investigations as well as IT transformation processes and data analysis.

Based in Munich, Armira is an industrial holding company focusing on direct equity investments in privately-held, medium-sized “Mittelstand” businesses in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

We invest in established, profitable companies typically generating up to EUR 500m in sales with the aim to build a diversified group of companies. With capital from entrepreneurs and family offices sharing our long-term investment horizon, we have the flexibility to take both majority as well as minority ownership stakes. In addition to the experienced investment and portfolio management team, Armira builds on a vast network of entrepreneurs and managers, who possess expansive industry knowledge in their respective industries. We see ourselves as responsible partners for a strong and continuous development of the acquired businesses.

The Armira portfolio-companies currently generate annual sales of approx. EUR 1 billion with over 7.000 employees.

Bank of America is one of the world's leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small- and middle-market businesses, large corporations and governments with a full range of financial and risk management products and services. Our purpose is to make financial lives better.

Bank of America Merrill Lynch is the marketing name for the Global Banking and Markets businesses. Combining our local knowledge and global expertise, we offer products and services across Global Corporate and Investment Banking, Global Markets and Consumer Card. In Europe, the Middle East and Africa we have offices in 21 countries serving the needs of individual, corporate, institutional and government clients.

Being a responsible business is integral to the success of our employees, clients and stakeholders, which is why we’re committed to making a difference in the communities in which we live and work. Our efforts focus on youth employment, environmental sustainability, arts and cultural investments and responsible business practices.

Our goal is for each employee to have the best possible experience with us throughout their career. This is why we offer everyone the highest level of training and mentoring support. Furthermore, our commitment to diversity, our communities and the wellbeing of our employees, brings numerous opportunities for all employees to participate in initiatives that help make Bank of America Merrill Lynch a great place to work.

With over 325 years of expertise in banking, Barclays operates in over 40 countries, employing around 80,000 people to help move, lend, invest and protect money for customers and clients worldwide. These are just a few of the things that make us a major global financial services provider. But it’s our future ambitions and the actions we’re taking to achieve them that truly sets us apart. We’re setting out to shape the future of our business. Driven by strong values and a clear direction, we’re focusing on one core purpose: Helping people achieve their ambitions – in the right way. This includes our graduates and interns. 

Career opportunities 
Where better to advance your career than in an organization that’s advancing itself? We’re a leading international bank with a strong platform for growth – bringing dynamic progress, change and a strong sense of purpose to every area of our business. For you, that brings the chance to pioneer new services, shape new markets and set new standards. All while pushing your career to new heights.

Berenberg is one of Europe’s leading privately owned banks, focusing on four business divisions: Wealth Management, Asset Management, Investment Banking and Corporate Banking. The Hamburg-based bank has a strong presence in the international finance centres of Frankfurt, London, New York and Zurich. More than 1,500 employees carry the Bank’s long tradition of success into the future.

Berenberg has a strong and stable heritage that stretches back over 425 years. Since we were founded in 1590, we have been run by managing partners who are personally liable for the success of our firm – and there have been just 38 of them during this time.

The desire to grow and develop without forgetting our roots has made us what we are today: More than just a bank. As an advisor and trusted partner, we address client needs with responsibility, insight, vision, and expertise. Or, in brief, accountability is our guiding principle.

Blackstone is one of the world’s leading investment firms. We seek to create positive economic impact and long-term value for our investors, the companies we invest in, and the communities in which we work. We do this by using extraordinary people and flexible capital to help companies solve problems. Our asset management businesses, with over $330 billion in assets under management, include investment vehicles focused on private equity, real estate, public debt and equity, non-investment grade credit, real assets and secondary funds, all on a global basis. Further information is available at www.blackstone.com. Follow Blackstone on Twitter @Blackstone.

Founded by Michael Bloomberg over three decades ago as a visionary response to market challenges, Bloomberg has been at the leading edge of the information revolution. We don’t merely deliver data – we add value to it, with analytics, tools and insights that change the way business gets done. Our pragmatic problem-solving approach applies to everything we turn our attention to, from markets to media, business to governance, policy to philanthropic endeavors. We’d like you to join us.

BNP Paribas is a leading bank in Europe with an international reach. It has a presence in 74 countries, with more than 192,000 employees, including more than 146,000 in Europe. The BNP Paribas Group has been active in Germany since 1947 and has successfully positioned itself on the market with thirteen companies. Private customers, companies and institutions are looked after by roughly 5,000 employees in all relevant economic regions all over the country. The wide-ranging products and services offered by BNP Paribas are almost identical to that of an universal bank.Germany is a core market for the BNP Paribas Group as the targeted growth here is geared towards continuity and one of the cornerstones of BNP Paribas' strategy for Europe. Its two main business activities, Retail Banking & Services and Corporate & Institutional Banking, ensure a balanced comprehensive income and together form a stable business model. BNP Paribas is a market leader in many areas or occupies key positions on the market and is one of the best capitalised banks in the world.

Cevian Capital is the largest and most experienced activist fund manager in Europe. Pursuing an industrial value-creation approach, Cevian focuses on enhancing the long-term competitiveness and value of its portfolio companies through constructive engagement with boards and management teams.

As part of this strategy, Cevian regularly becomes a reference or anchor shareholder, and its professionals often join the boards of portfolio companies. Cevian does not short, hedge or use leverage as part of its investment strategy. With c. 25 investment professionals, Cevian manages more than c. €13 billion for c. 450 pension funds, endowments, foundations, sovereign wealth funds and other investors.

Cevian invests only in European listed companies. It typically makes 1-3 new investments per year, owns only 10-12 companies at a time, and has an average holding period of c. 5 years (ranging up to 10+ years). Current investments include ThyssenKrupp, ABB, Ericsson and Volvo. Its largest offices are in Stockholm, Zurich and London.

Build your career on brilliant ideas
At Deutsche Bank, we give bright thinkers the space and training they need to shine. If you’re excited by invention and eager to learn, we’ll deliver the tools you need to unleash your potential. Here, we look for more than an excellent academic record: we’re searching for original, collaborative minds that can adapt to and drive change, across the global finance industry. If you’re an innovator by nature, you can help us to keep building a better Deutsche Bank.

Do something thought-provoking
We are Germany’s leading bank with international reach. With a strong position in Europe and a significant presence in Asia and the Americas, we merge local knowledge with global vision. To put it simply, we see things differently – and we’re proud of our fresh perspective. Today, we’re driving growth through our strong client franchise, investing heavily in digital technologies, prioritising long-term success over short-term gains, and serving society with ambition and integrity. We’re committed to serving our clients’ real economic needs in commercial and investment banking, retail banking and transaction banking, and we provide ground-breaking products and services in asset and wealth management. That means a career packed with opportunities to grow, to make a difference to our business, and to shape the future of our clients.

A career for every ambition
The financial world is changing: now, we’re being challenged to reach further and evolve faster than ever before. Whether your interests lie in investment banking, trading, technology, human resources, risk management or another of our many business areas, our programmes will give you everything you need to plan a successful career. Wherever you join us, you'll be part of a structured, ongoing training programme tailored to your specific needs and interests. Working alongside senior leaders (on real-life projects, with increasing levels of responsibility), and enjoying client and global exposure from day one, we’ll empower you to shape your future. Show us brilliant thinking and we’ll put it into action.

Thrive in an inspirational atmosphere
We're proud of our friendly, compassionate culture. Of course, we’re all different, but we share the same values: openness, communication and collaboration. Diversity is at the core of our culture, and we support an inclusive and respectful work environment. Whether you're driving change or championing a market-leading solution, we’ll encourage you to think for yourself, ask questions and share your ideas. Wherever you are in our world, your voice will be heard.

Understand the kind of minds we’re looking for
We know that intelligence covers every discipline: that’s why, at Deutsche Bank, your degree subject isn't the most important factor. We welcome high-achieving, knowledgeable graduates and interns from any background – but we do ask for something special; that you’re full of imagination, enjoy solving problems and respond positively to complex challenges. That means being able to see the big picture, without losing sight of the detail, and having the confidence to challenge the status quo. And, of course, you should be passionate about building a career in global financial services.
Grow your potential. Make an impact. Discover a career to look forward to. 

Deutsche Börse Group is one of the largest market infrastructure providers worldwide. The Group’s integrated business model enhances the stability, efficiency and integrity of capital markets. It ensures the functioning of these markets and a level playing field for all participants.

The Group offers its customers a broadly diversified range of products and services. These cover the entire value chain of a financial market transaction, comprising the areas pre-IPO and listing, trading, clearing, settlement and securities custody.
The financial market transactions process is varied and complex, requiring a wide range of knowledge and skills. At Deutsche Börse Group, customers benefit from the combined long-standing expertise of all Group companies to get the best solution for every step along the value chain. Additional services such as liquidity and collateral management, indices, market data and regulatory services, proprietary electronic systems as well as superior risk management services round off the Group’s offerings.

As the central point of contact between capital market participants and regulators, Deutsche Börse Group is committed to promoting market transparency. Its management approach aims to sustainably strengthen and preserve the value added to economy and society.

Deutsche Börse’s head office is located in the financial centre Frankfurt/Rhine-Main. But the Group also has a global presence: in Luxembourg, Prague, London and Zurich, in New York and Chicago, in Hong Kong, Singapore, Beijing and Tokyo – and beyond.

Committed employees are the key factor for innovation and further growth. More than 5,000 employees work for the Group – a dynamic, motivated and international team. Without them, the company would not have developed into one of the most modern exchange organisations in the world.

Depending on their specific tasks, the employees of Deutsche Börse Group have specialist expertise, for instance as economists, lawyers, humanities scholars, mathematicians, computer scientists or physicists. Their main objective is not to preserve the status quo, but rather to challenge it in actively shaping the future. They possess extensive analytical abilities, work in a result-oriented manner and also have the social skills that enable them to assume responsibility early on. Deutsche Börse Group offers them attractive remuneration and above average fringe benefits. It promotes its employees by means
of special training schemes and direct “on-the-job” and “off-the-job” induction.

What about you? If you are a team player ready to take on responsibility, you will find plenty of appealing assignments with us.

Deutsche Telekom is one of the world's leading integrated telecommunications companies, with some 165 million mobile customers, 28,5 million fixed-network lines, and 18,5 million broadband lines.

We provide fixed-network/broadband, mobile communications, Internet, and IPTV products and services for consumers, and information and communication technology (ICT) solutions for business and corporate customers.

Deutsche Telekom is present in more than 50 countries. With a staff of some 218,300 employees throughout the world, we generated revenue of 73,1 billion Euros in the 2016 financial year, about 66 percent of it outside Germany. 

So that we can continue to be successful, we are already evolving from a traditional telephone company into an entirely new kind of service company. Our core business, i.e., the operation and sale of networks and connections, remains the basis. But at the same time we are proactively committing to business areas that open up new growth opportunities for us.

STRATEGY, M&A, TRANSFORMATION
goetzpartners, founded in 1991, is an independent advisory firm for all key issues of entrepreneurial activity: strategy, M&A and transformation. As a trusted partner with a valuable track record and a far-reaching network, we are ideally positioned to help companies worldwide to navigate through their digital transformation challenges. With more than 350 professionals operating out of 14 offices in 11 countries, we advise decision-makers and top executives in all key industries.

goetzpartners, headquartered in Germany, ranks among the 10 best-performing German advisory firms (Lünendonk®). Boasting a vast wealth of expertise in both cross-border mergers and acquisitions and management consulting, we are trusted by clients to provide excellent insights, transaction advisory services and value creation. For five years running, goetzpartners has received awards as part of the renowned “Best of Consulting” contest (“WirtschaftsWoche”).

We are looking for you if you have a strong financial background and if the challenge of unknown situations drives you to find the best solution - free of any blinkered mindset. We offer the platform to develop your skills and personality. All you have to do is seize the opportunity.

“We”, that is Helbling Business Advisors, an internationally active , leading consulting company offering solutions to our clients from all business sectors in the areas Restructuring & Turnaround Management, Mergers & Acquisitions , Strategy, and Operational Excellence – starting from a concept phase up to implementation.

We offer advisory services for our clients’ managerial challenges, aiming at strengthening their innovation capacity and competitiveness, such as exploiting growth opportunities in national and international markets, reacting to increasing cost pressure in a global competitive environment, continuous optimization of the value chain and portfolio structure, and ensuring adequate project and business financing.

Latham & Watkins LLP is a leading global law firm and one of the largest in the world. With more than 2,200 attorneys in over 31 offices around the world, Latham practices in all the major jurisdictions in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. The firm is a global leader in corporate transactions, litigation, industrial law, environmental law and finance matters. Latham opened its first office in Germany in 2001 and currently employs more than 170 lawyers across offices in Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg and Munich. Latham’s clients include international, German and other European corporations, Private Equity companies and Commercial, as well as Investment Banks.

MNB Nick Beteiligungen GmbH (MNB) is an independent financial service and advisory company for alternative assets and is regulated by the German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin).

MNB was founded in 1999 and is located in Wiesbaden, Germany.

Our clients face diverse challenges, strive to put new ideas into practice and seek expert advice. They turn to us for comprehensive support and practical solutions that deliver maximum value. Whether for a global player, a family business or a public institution, we leverage all of our assets: experience, industry knowledge, high standards of quality, commitment to innovation and the resources of our expert network in 167 countries.

Building a trusting and cooperative relationship with our clients is particularly important to us – the better we know and understand our clients’ needs, the more effectively we can support them.

PwC Germany is part of the international PwC network, which unites firms from 157 countries. In this network 223,000 people with a high variety of professional backgrounds share their expertise, their experiences and their ideas, in order to develop pioneering, value-adding solutions for clients around the world in the areas of auditing, consulting, tax and legal services.

As a market-leading and forward-thinking auditing and consulting company in Germany, we are committed to both our economic and social responsibility, and we take this very seriously. We support the sustainable development of society – as a result we focus our activities on the following areas: market, people, environment and society. As an auditing and consulting company with a wide portfolio of services, we assume responsibility for our clients, wider business partners and the economic environment. Our consulting services support our customers to ensure an efficient use of resources, to create sustainable values and to develop innovative solutions to problems directly relevant for responsible corporate management.

Our highly diverse employees shape our image and are the basis for our long-term success. With their skills and expertise they enhance our services. They are the people who develop solutions for the market and are the point of contact for our clients worldwide. They represent our quality, reliability and our innovative strength. Our company culture is therefore defined by responsible interaction and providing the best possible support.

RBC Capital Markets is a premier global investment bank providing expertise in banking, finance and capital markets to corporations, institutional investors, asset managers, governments and central banks around the world.
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Our professionals ensure that our 14,000+ clients receive the advice, products, and services their businesses need from 70 offices in 15 countries. Our presence extends across North America, the U.K. and Europe, and Australia, Asia & other regions.
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RBC Capital Markets is part of The Royal Bank of Canada (“RBC”) a leading provider of financial services. Operating since 1869, RBC is one of the top 10 banks in the world and the fifth largest in North America, as measured by market capitalization. With a strong capital base and consistent financial performance, RBC is among an elite group of highly rated global banks.

With more than 7,200 employees globally, RBC Capital Markets has successfully expanded in Europe over the last 5 years and has recently expanded its investment banking operations in Frankfurt

In 2009 thyssenkrupp Management Consulting GmbH (TKMC) was established: Starting with just 5 employees and a focus on benchmarking projects in the Ruhr region, the company now has around 70 employees and has completed well over 300 projects worldwide.
We now focus on consulting in the areas ofperformance,strategy & markets,transformation & executionanddigitization. With this project portfolio we are targeting the executives of the individual business units, Group function managers and regional CEOs of the entire thyssenkrupp Group. And not just in Essen and the Ruhr region, but in Europe and around the world.

Especially for the next strategical steps of thyssenkrupp we play an important role as internal consultants and create sustainable solutions to prepare the whole corporation for the challenges of the future. This gives the TKMC team the opportunity to experience and shape one of the biggest changes within a DAX30 company at first hand. Our solutions to strategic and operational issues in all divisions and all over the world ranges from the shop floor level to the corporate level. This is the perfect chance to get to know thyssenkrupp from different views.

Career at TKMC
We are always looking for talents who stand out from the crowd by their performance as well as convincing personality. In addition to excellent school and university performance (master's degree in economics, engineering or natural sciences), various internships, international experience and communication skills are indispensable. TKMC consultants also have strong drive and the willingness to chance things, strong analytical skills, a high motivation to perform and, of course, an interest in the challenges of constantly changing, global industries. If you keep a cool head and a sense of humor even in stressful situations, you are right at TKMC!

thyssenkrupp
thyssenkrupp is a diversified industrial group with a growing share of capital goods and service businesses and traditional strengths in materials. Over 160,000 employees in 78 countries work with passion and technological know-how to develop high-quality products and intelligent industrial processes and services for sustainable progress. Their skills and commitment are the basis of our success. In fiscal year 2017/2018 thyssenkrupp generated sales of €42.7 billion.
From facade panels to steering systems, from aluminum composites to high-tech elevators: thyssenkrupp knows what the world of tomorrow and its customers will need. As an integrated Group it addresses the rising demand for consumer and industrial goods, infrastructure, energy and commodities against a background of increasingly scarce resources: for this thyssenkrupp has been developing products and solutions in automotive, logistics, plant engineering, steel production, and elevator construction with passion for 200 years.

Waterland Private Equity Investments is a leading mid-cap private equity fund supporting entrepreneurs in realizing their growth ambitions. Waterland is an active investor in the financial, strategic and operational sense. For more than 15 years Waterland has executed its unique buy & build strategy with continuous success. In 2017 Waterland raised its 7th fund – total committed capital now being c. € 6 bn. By now Waterland has made around 400 acquisitions in Europe including more than 50 platform investments. Waterland is looking for intelligent people with entrepreneurial spirit. Candidates should be intrinsically motivated, empathic, creative and have outstanding analytical and communication skills in order to fit well in our team. For us excellent academic achievement is important as an indication for a candidate‘s potential. Waterland Private Equity Investments has offices in Hamburg and Munich (Germany), Bussum (Netherlands), Antwerp (Belgium), Copenhagen (Denmark), Manchester (United Kingdom) and Warsaw (Poland).

A well-established team of entrepreneurs
We are an investment firm with strong roots in private equity. Triton has raised €8.2 billion from 100+ investors across seven funds in three asset classes.
 
For over 20 years, we have been investing in and supporting the positive development of medium-sized businesses headquartered in Europe, focusing on businesses in the Industrial, Business Services and Consumer/Health sectors. We focus on companies with the potential to create sustainable, long-term value through changing economic cycles and we work closely with management to achieve that. 
 
Currently, our private equity funds are invested in 31 companies with combined sales of around €14.7 billion and more than 91,000 employees.
 
We have significant experience in investing in debt situations, and now invest though our dedicated debt investment vehicle, the Triton Debt Opportunities Fund. Triton has also established a team to invest in minority positions in publicly listed companies as well as a public equity fund. In addition, our recently established Triton Smaller Mid-Cap Fund seeks to invest in mid-cap
companies through a typical equity investment of €20m to €50m.

zeb is the number one strategy and management consultancy for financial services in Europe. With more than 1.000 employees, we develop sustainable strategies and implement them together with our clients—banks, savings banks, insurance companies and other financial institutions—along the entire value chain. Be it in Münster, Milan or Moscow—we, the management consultancy zeb, use the same language all over the world: straight talk. An honest working environment, reliable statements and open communication are part of our corporate culture and form the basis that enables us to achieve long-term success—for us and our clients.

Collaborative
What you can expect at one of the most successful management consultancies in the demanding financial services market? Respect, trust, team spirit and a down-to-earth attitude. Because at zeb, we firmly believe that only a culture of collaborating as partners can ensure our success and the success of our clients in the long run. Therefore, flat hierarchies and communication at eye level are very important to us—amongst colleagues, but also in the interaction with our clients.

Diversity
For us, all employees are equal—in terms of opportunities and career development. When it comes to national origin, gender, skin color or sexual orientation, however, we welcome diversity, because at zeb, we care for an open culture where employees are treated solely according to their professional skills. Therefore, zeb promotes international and intercultural cooperation: client projects are deliberately staffed with employees who have different geographic, cultural and linguistic backgrounds, in order to encourage them to learn from each other and grow together as a team.