Private Equity Investing in Poland Since 2002

THE OPPORTUNITY

We generate alpha for investors by buying and building Polish SMEs

GREAT ECONOMY

Best performing large economy in Europe for 25 years, expected to continue growing apace due to strong domestic demand and further convergence with the EU

GREAT POTENTIAL

46% productivity gap with the EU, strategic location and highly skilled relatively low-cost workforce, present ample opportunities to create value

GREAT OPPORTUNITY

Over 3K family-owned medium-sized businesses are expected to be sold in the next 5 years as Poland’s first generation of founders retires

POLAND 2030 REPORT

A chance to join the economic big league.

McKinsey & Company Report

Polish SMEs face numerous problems which present opportunities for us to create value

Poland’s ORIGINAL founders are retiring

Over 3K family-owned medium-sized businesses are expected to be sold in the next 5 years as Poland’s first generation of founders retires

Lack of preparation for sale

Many SMEs lack orderly books, financial controls, data-driven systems, manuals, right-sized HR....

Under investment in R&D & PP&E

Poland’s low business investment rate (7% below the EU-15’s as a % of GDP) has resulted in low rates of innovation and productivity

Insufficient sales & marketing expertise

SMEs often lack expertise innovating for and selling to more competitive and complex export markets

Limited exit OPTIONS

Strategic and PE investors typically prefer larger investments

Lack of sufficient growth financing

We are ideally positioned to capitalize on these opportunities for investors

Success is where preparation and opportunity meet.

– Bobby Unser

WHY PENTON PARTNERS?

Our team has been successfully investing and building companies in Poland since it “opened” in the 1990s

Built icon

BUILT

companies from the ground up as entrepreneurs and from a running start as investors

Entrusted icon

Entrusted

to form and manage a multi-family office for some of Poland’s wealthiest families

Lead icon

Lead

as supervisory board members, executives and investment committee members for dozens of private and public companies and funds

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Exited

portfolio companies to multinational strategic investors and through listing on the Warsaw Stock Exchange

0 Years
investing as a team,
including 18 years as
Penton Partners
€ 0 M
invested in over 40 privatization and private equity transactions in Poland
> 0 %
weighted avg. gross IRR across all Penton Partners private equity transactions

OUR INVESTMENT TEAM

Each of our partners has over 25 years of investment experience

Bartosz Janikowski

Bartek Janikowski

PARTNER

Marek Chłopek

PARTNER

Robert Niziol

Robert Niziol

PARTNER

Thomas Park

Thomas Park

PARTNER

Kasia Wyrwa

Kasia Wyrwa

ANALYST

Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.

– Michael Jordan

OUR INVESTMENT APPROACH

Our mission is to generate alpha for investors and a higher standard of living in Poland by leveraging our expertise, relationships and resources to acquire, strengthen and grow SMEs

Case Study
Case Study

CONTACT

New York

Penton Partners
1350 Avenue of the Americas, Fl. 2
New York, NY 10019
USA

+1 (212) 763 4687
office@pentonpartners.com

© Penton Partners 2022

Bartosz Janikowski

BARTEK JANIKOWSKI - PARTNER

Prior to founding Penton Partners in 2002: WARTA Insurance and Reinsurance Company (part of the KBC Group), Deputy Director of the Strategy and Capital Investment Department and IC member, responsible for all venture capital transactions, including valuation, negotiation, fundraising and exits. WARTA Investment, Management Board President. WARTA Asset Management, Supervisory Board Member.

Trinity Management, Investment Director responsible for venture capital and private equity transactions incl. analysis of target companies, negotiations, capital raising, monitoring, exits and development of fund's investment strategy.

Served on boards of numerous private and public companies including WARTA Navigator, Polish Ocean Lines, WARTA Cultus, WARTA Tourism, Protector, Mega Plus and Vice-Chairman of the Board, Druk-Pak.

Warsaw School of Economics – MA, Banking & Finance.

MAREK CHŁOPEK – PARTNER

Prior to founding Penton Partners in 2002: Copernicus Asset Management (manager of NIF Fund Holdings), Senior Investment Officer and Executive Director responsible for all business and investment decisions. Trinity Management (Joint venture with Barclay’s managing NIFs 3 and 13), Deputy Director.

Served on boards of numerous private and public companies including National Investment Fund PIAST (Chairman of the Board), Druk-Pak (Chairman of the Board and CFO) and ERGIS (listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange).

Warsaw University of Technology – MA. Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA). Polish licensed stockbroker.

Robert Niziol

ROBERT NIZIOL – PARTNER

Prior to joining Penton Partners in 2005: JPMorgan Chase, Credit Derivatives and Structured Credit Products Group, Ernst & Young, and First Investors.

Co-founded Pin4, Inc. (Fintech), Innox Corporation (Life Sciences), and provided advisory services to many businesses and government agencies on Poland/USA cross border transactions, restructuring, fundraising and business development.

Ramapo College Anisfield School of Business – BS, International Business and Finance. Harvard Business School and London Business School of Economics Management and Leadership Executive Education programs.

Thomas Park

THOMAS PARK – PARTNER

Prior to joining Penton Partners, Tom has spent 20+ years in corporate finance. He has held executive leadership positions within global banks, including UBS, MUFG Bank of Tokyo, and most recently, Brown Brother Harriman. He was instrumental in the M&A of Amoco by British Petroleum. In addition, he has been Managing Partner for a Private Equity based in New York City focused on global deals. Tom is also involved in blockchain/cryptocurrencies; currently Managing Principal in a Cryptocurrency Managed Firm.

 

He has an MBA in Finance and a BA in Economics/English from the University of Virginia. In addition, he is a Level III Candidate in the CFA Program.

Kasia Wyrwa

KASIA WYRWA – ANALYST

Since 2016 with Penton Partners, responsible for the analysis of target companies and portfolio company monitoring.

University of Silesia in Katowice (Chemistry, BSc), Warsaw University of Life Sciences (Management Accounting and Controlling) and Lazarski University in Warsaw (Economics, MA).

Case Study: Druk Pak S.A.