Gerhard Nenning

Out-of-the-box strategy advisor and facilitator of organizational change

Gerhard focuses for 20 years on M&A and strategy development, typically followed by organizational transformation. His creative and rigorously independent thinking has impacted strategic decisions in growing as well as contracting businesses.

Often going against the grain, Gerhard has advised large international corporates and mid-sized companies in ambitious growth strategies outside of the client’s initial comfort zone. Conversely, he has helped prevent multi-billion investments which in hindsight would have been crippling. Gerhard is a non-executive director of an entrepreneurial and growing Canadian tech-service company.

Gerhard has co-founded The Stern Stewart Institute and shapes the Institute’s yearly agenda of dialogue with leaders in business, politics, and science.

Stefan Heppelmann

Creative disruptor and re-thinker of organizations in challenging times

Stefan is an independent thinker and senior advisor mainly in transformation/ turnaround situations. Combining deep corporate finance know-how as a CFA charterholder with two decades of consulting experience, he often has the one inspirational idea.

Discussing key themes of the executive agenda, he shows his entrepreneurial spirit with great personal involvement. Stefan’s track record includes big transformations of multinationals as well as sensitive restructurings of multi-billion private held companies.

Stefan is a true entrepreneur outside the office as well, managing his own vineyard in the South of France with heartblood. Moreover he is the chairman of Wend Puiré, the Stern Stewart Institute’s apiculture non-profit organization in Burkina Faso.

Felix Hess

Driver of transformation and strategic navigator

Felix’ 15-years experience encompasses the entire repertoire for fundamental and large-scale transformations. From securing short-term liquidity via overhead reduction through reshaping, digitalization and bundling up to strategic repositioning through product portfolio optimization and diligent capital allocation. Combining a very high cultural sensitivity with extremely goal-oriented working methods, Felix also had significant impact in managing successful carve-outs.

With his hands-on mentality and persistence to increase financial performance he made a real difference for numerous medium-sized and large multinational corporations.

As a passionate sailor, he has learned what it means to take the right measures in stormy times without losing sight of strategic goals.

Carlo Paoloni

Facilitator of M&A transactions and portfolio strategist

When it comes to deals, Carlo much benefits from his M&A track record across Europe and US. Born and raised in investment banking he is a vivid personality and experienced advisor for transactions and portfolio strategy.

Being a true global citizen of Italian origin, he thrives with excitement in the momentous times when a transaction needs to be closed. Moreover, he is also the senior advisor, when it comes to making the deal work: he is a master in managing large scale PMIs to integrate businesses and realize synergies.

Carlo proves also to be a true entrepreneur in his private life, running a mid-sized winery in his home country.

Olaf Paltian

Enthusiast and driver of strategic transformation

Olaf is a passionate strategy and turnaround advisor. Primarily this means to intensively challenge his clients for more than 10 years now when it comes to the core questions of management.

Olaf has thorough experience in M&A transactions including business plan, due diligence and carve-out support. But he is also an expert in organizational transformations and performance optimization programs with sustainable cost reduction over a billion Euro savings. Amongst others, he spent over two years turning around a mid-sized manufacturer, reorganizing the company inside out - finally resulting in the first positive results in ten years’ company history.

And it is not only during his international project work (USA, China and Middle East), that he always finds or makes the time to get to know new countries and cultures –he is a passionate traveller, spending his holidays exploring the world.

Dr. Wulf Rendtorff

Legitimate Transformation Ace

Wulf is a real asset in all transaction and transformation challenges. Holding a PhD in Law, he combines sharp business sense with thourough legal expertise.

With 15+ years of managing key growth initiatives, developing portfolio management solutions and optimizing business models, Wulf is the one to talk to before jumping shortsighted into big transformations. He has advised on complex corporate finance solutions and deals including their organizational integration throughout all industries, making him an in-depth expert in M&A transactions and negotiation support worldwide.

As a passionate golfer, Wulf definitely knows that it is all about strategy, mindset and picking the right spot – skills that come in handy in his project work, too.

Johannes Tüxen

Hands-on mentality meets strategic visionary

Johannes main focus is on advising clients in pre-/post-transaction situation to support profitable growth and liquidity build-up. His pragmatic and hands-on attitude accelerated the turnaround and financial return for numerous clients. His experience ranges from DAX30 1bn€ cash initiatives to developing profitable business models of digital platforms or preparing the sale of a PE-based company.

Damian Reichwald

Passionate value creator

For more than 10 years, Damian has focused on advising companies in specific situations such as transactions and turnarounds.

Creating value in operations and supply chains lies at the core of his expertise. At the interface of technology, people, and business, he drives transformations end to end, identifying the optimal footprint and translating it into an attractive business case and organizational setup. An ability to negotiate for best results with suppliers and social partners underpins his success.

By applying this approach, he has created tangible value at a number of multinational corporations of various industries and sizes, ranging from medium-sized to listed companies.

Damian not only finds beauty in creating value but also values the beauty of art as a collector and art history enthusiast.