Bridgepoint targets Baltic opportunities

  • 2007-10-24
  • By Mike Collier

WARSAW -- Pan-European private equity fund Bridgepoint has launched its investment activity in Central and Eastern Europe including the Baltic states, from a regional office in Warsaw.

"In Poland alone there is a universe of about 1,000 companies from which we will seek to invest selectively," says Khai Tan, Bridgepoint partner responsible for the firm's activities in the region.

"We want to invest in growing businesses with strong market positions and annual revenues exceeding €50 million. In addition to Poland, the Warsaw office will be responsible for Bridgepoint's investment activity in Central and Eastern Europe," he added.

Bridgepoint believes that the most attractive markets for the firm lie within healthcare, media, financial services, B2B, transport and logistics, retail and industrials.

In the last 10 years, Bridgepoint has completed 150 transactions in Europe with a total value of €18 billion. These include public companies, as well as those acquired from private owners and via stock exchange de-listings. Its current portfolio of investments employs over 48,000 people with a combined turnover of €6 billion.

The Warsaw office is the eighth in Bridgepoint's European office network which includes Frankfurt, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, Milan, Paris and Stockholm.

No-one from Bridgepoint was available to comment on the firm's Baltic plans in more detail.