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.

What we do
Extraordinary situations call for unconventional solutions. Andersch offers customized advice and support to companies in critical situations. Off-the-shelf concepts fail to deliver on our rigid quality standards.  
We are committed to quality, especially in times of transition and crisis. Our teams are drafted together to cover the specific needs of each individual case. These Andersch teams collaborate closely with the client’s management team to design robust concepts based on fundamental analyses and smart solutions.  
Project findings consist of carefully tailored custom solutions designed to fit our client’s exact needs. After all, ready-made solutions can only deliver average results. Long-standing experience, specialist insight and our commitment deliver positive results that are impossible to achieve with off-the-shelf approaches.  

What sets us apart
We understand figures. Why? Because we are committed to providing our clients with reliable information based on sound figures. And that includes our planning methodology as well as our tried-and-tested system of analysing plans to verify their long-term chances of success.  
We are a team. Why? Because even when we are facing major tasks, complex challenges and emotionally exceptional circumstances for our clients, we treat each other with mutual respect. Our working atmosphere is professional and high-performance focussed but never lacks a human touch.  
We are a fair employer. Why? Not because we promise the moon, but because we give applicants a realistic insight into our fascinating day-to-day work. And that is made up of exciting projects spanning a wide variety of industries and includes providing all-encompassing advice at senior executive level.  

Interested?
Get in touch with us. We look forward to getting to know you. We’re looking for people who enjoy working with people. Because behind every number, there are people who are a part of creating value. Do you understand figures? Are you a team player?

Get in touch:

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.

AUCTUS is the leading private equity firm for the German “Mittelstand”. The investment focus is based on majority ownership positions in profitable companies with an annual turnover between 10m and EUR 150m and strong growth potential. With over 100 investments in the last ten years, AUCTUS is the most active fund in the German speaking market. In addition, the investment success is regularly rewarded with prestigious awards and international top rankings - most recently by the Private Equity Exchange Awards as the Best German, Austrian & Swiss LBO Fund 2015.

One of AUCTUS’ key drivers to build medium-sized enterprise groups is sustainable growth. This is based on organic growth and growth through value enhancing add-on acquisitions. The strategic growth plan is executed on the basis of a trustful and entrepreneurial collaboration of the AUCTUs investment team and the management team of the portfolio companies.

AUCTUS is also diverse: within the last 15 years, a set of different deal types has been executed along a broad range of industries, from healthcare services to education, consumer goods and technology, including standalone deals with a multitude of add-on acquisitions, consolidation of buy&build platforms or growing new platforms. The most recent success story is YES Pharma Services - a successful pharmaceutical services company. Since its acquisition in 2014, YES has grown by over 100%. The highlight so far, was the merger in 2015 with its competitor PharmaLex.  

This success is the result of continuous effort by the AUCTUS team, consisting of currently 14 investment professionals and a dynamic organization. Additionally to the growth of the portfolio companies - AUCTUS itself is growing. So, if you are interested in our career opportunities or internship to experience the unique AUCTUS world, then apply now!

Bain & Company is one of the world's leading management consulting firms.

For more than 40 years, we have helped the world's top business leaders to deliver the sustainable results they desire — results that go beyond financial and are uniquely tailored, pragmatic, holistic and enduring.

We partner with clients in sectors representing 90% of the global economy. Bain has deep expertise in financial services. We help financial institutions, from banking and insurance to wealth management and securities distribution, manage risks and serve customers.

With 57 offices in 36 countries around the world, we work seamlessly together as one firm and make our collective knowledge, experience and global network available to our clients.

We are looking for all-rounders with an entrepreneurial mindset, passion for results and fun to work in diverse teams around the globe. The learning curve is steep, but exhilarating. At Bain, people make a clear impact from day 1 and build their own results story. They not only grow as an individual, but also build lasting relationships with their colleagues and clients.

For more detailed information on your career opportunities, please visit

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.

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.

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.

The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) is a global management consulting firm and the world’s leading advisor on business strategy. We partner with clients from the private, public, and not-for-profit sectors in all regions to identify their highest-value opportunities, address their most critical challenges, and transform their enterprises. Our customized approach combines deep insight into the dynamics of companies and markets with close collaboration at all levels of the client organization. This ensures that our clients achieve sustainable competitive advantage, build more capable organizations, and secure lasting results. Founded in 1963, BCG is a private company with offices in more than 90 cities in 50 countries.

Corporate Value Associates (CVA) is a boutique strategy consulting firm with global reach, operating out of 17 offices in Europe, the US and the Asia-Pacific region. For more than three decades, our mission is to help CEOs, Boards and senior managers across the globe increase the value they create for customers and thus the value of their own businesses. We use innovative, creative and ground breaking thinking to provide practical solutions to complex, high stakes challenges in business strategy, revenue growth and cost control. We specialize in bespoke consulting services, rather than recycling “off-the- shelf” materials across our clients. Even though CVA is a boutique, we have a strong track record in a number of industry verticals: retail financial services; payments; telco; energy; automotive; public sector; metals, mining and materials.

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. 

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”).

GP Bullhound is a leading technology advisory and investment firm. Founded in 1999, the firm today has offices in London, San Francisco, Stock-holm, Berlin, Manchester, Paris, Hong Kong, Madrid and New York.

MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS
We act as a trusted adviser to many of the leading technology companies in competitive international sale and acquisition processes. The firm has completed 396 successful M&A transactions to date, worldwide, with a total value of over USD 17.5 bn.

CAPITAL TRANSACTIONS
We advise companies and their owners on capital related transactions including venture capital, growth capital, acquisition funding, secondary block trades and Initial Public Offerings. The firm has completed 116 rounds of financing for technology companies to date, with a total value of USD 1.5 bn.

INVESTMENTS
Through our investment team, we pro-vide investors with access to the most ambitious privately-held technology and media companies. We currently manage four closed-end funds for a total value of more than USD100m and our Limited Partners include institutions, family offices and entrepreneurs.

EVENTS & RESEARCH
Our events and speaking activities bring together thousands of leading digital entrepreneurs and technology investors throughout the year.Our thought-leading research is read by thousands of decision-makers globally and is regularly cited in leading newspapers and publications.

JOINING GP BULLHOUND
Our objective when founding GP Bullhound was to create an environment where individuals could flourish through having unrivalled access to clients and being heavily involved in deals early on in their careers.

We look for entrepreneurial flair and a love of technology in all of our people. We also strive to ensure that everyone triumphs and shares in our success.

We are a team of individuals that are attentive, proactive, entrepreneurial and inclusive. Above all, we are passionate about our work and our culture.

HSBC Germany is part of the HSBC Group, one of the world’s largest banking and financial services organisations. Its network covers 67 countries and territories worldwide which account for more than 90 per cent of global GDP, trade and capital flows. HSBC Germany’s clients are companies, institutional clients, the public sector and high net worth private clients.

The Bank, which operates as HSBC Trinkaus & Burkhardt AG, stands for internationality, comprehensive advisory expertise, major placement power, first-class infrastructure and capital strength. With its "AA- (stable)" rating, it has the highest Fitch rating of all private commercial banks in Germany. HSBC Germany was founded in 1785 and has more than 2,800 employees in Düsseldorf and at a further eleven locations.

ING Wholesale Banking Germany comprises the business with corporate customers of ING Germany and is part of the ING Group’s worldwide Wholesale Banking network with offices in more than 40 countries. We offer banking services for large, internationally operating corporate clients. In addition to traditional banking products such as Corporate Lending and Transaction Services, ING Wholesale Banking is a world leading name in structured & project financing concepts complemented by capital market solutions.

ING Wholesale Banking has more than 300 employees based in the headquarter Frankfurt am Main. They were in charge of a credit volume of more than EUR 15.5 billion by the end of 2015.

Visit our website to learn more about your career opportunities at ING Wholesale Banking Germany: 

Klöckner & Co is one of the largest producer-independent distributors of steel and metal products and one of the leading steel service center companies worldwide. Based on its distribution and service network of around 170 locations in 12 countries, the Group supplies around 130,000 customers. In addition to companies in the construction industry as well as machinery and mechanical engineering, Klöckner & Co serves customers in the automotive and chemical industry, in shipbuilding and in fields of household appliances, consumer goods and energy. Currently Klöckner & Co has around 8,800 employees. The Group had sales of around €5.7 billion in fiscal 2016. As a pioneer of the digital transformation in the steel industry, Klöckner & Co’s target is to fully digitalize its supply and service chain and to support the launch of an independent open industry platform, which shall become the dominant vertical platform of the steel and metals industry. In order to have all targeted projects under one roof, Klöckner & Co has established kloeckner.i, a Group Center of Competence for digitalization. kloeckner.i controls the development and international implementation of all digital solutions.

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.

As one of the world's largest independent financial advisory groups, we know that it takes a distinct perspective to make a meaningful difference to our clients’ business and wealth.

Rothschild & Co is a global and family-controlled group. We provide M&A, strategy and financing advice, as well as investment and wealth management solutions to large institutions, families, individuals and governments, worldwide.

Having been at the centre of the world's financial markets for over 200 years, we can rely on an unrivalled global network of trusted professionals and decision makers. This means that we have in-depth market intelligence, bringing us closer to current issues than any other global financial institution.

Our 3,500 talented employees in over 50 offices around the world have a strong track record of outstanding execution in three business lines: Global Advisory, Wealth and Asset Management, and Merchant Banking.

It is this combination of scale, local knowledge and intellectual capital that allows us to provide a distinct perspective and effective long-term solutions for our partners.

At Rothschild & Co we take pride in attracting the industry's brightest minds to form our distinct perspectives. It is their diverse set of skills, personalities and experiences that makes us one of the world's leading independent financial advisory groups.

As a trusted adviser to many companies, governments, families and individuals around the globe, we invest significant resources in attracting and developing a world-class team. We pride ourselves in treating people as individuals. Our aim is to help each of our employees to reach their potential. We are committed to providing bespoke training and advancement opportunities to help our people meet their goals and objectives.

As a business controlled by certain members of the English and French Rothschild families, we have always been driven by the Rothschild family motto ‘Concordia, Integritas, Industria’.

‍Our guiding principles

Thoughtful
‍Clients trust that our perspectives are rooted in depth of experience. But this doesn't stop our talented teams in over 40 countries around the globe from objectively researching and tailoring every solution to serve our clients' needs. The advice we give and the solutions we develop are considered, strategic, and focused on the long-term.

‍Principled
‍We treat our clients' challenges with the same care and responsibility that we apply to our own business and money. We see integrity and empathy as the basis of long-term trusted relationships and a progressive business. This is reflected in an extraordinary personal commitment to our clients' challenges and consistently high execution standards in everything we do.

‍Creative
200 years of legacy in entrepreneurship and the promotion of imaginative solutions for our clients means we have always been open to new ideas. Our depth of insight and track record give us the confidence to embrace innovative new solutions for our clients to jointly solve their individual challenges every day.

More information

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).

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.