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Justin Von Simson, a managing partner at Hg, joined Moonfare’s CEO and founder Steffen Pauls for the October edition of the Deal Talk series. Deal Talk events are regular fireside chats with leading global private equity dealmakers. For past episodes, visit our dedicated page.
Hg is a leading software and services private equity investor, managing more than $55bn assets under management. Von Simson joined the firm in 2002 and has led or co-led more than 25 investments.
Some of the key points of the conversation included:
How does Hg invest in tech? “You go into business functions which you automate - like payroll. [...] These types of products are vertical, they are mission-critical and the market [for them] already exists. What our portfolio companies do is automate what exits, we are making things better.”
On fund selection. “You should focus on firms without problems in their portfolio. Problems absorb a lot of time from senior people. And senior people should be on the pitch, scoring goals, meaning investing new money you gave them.”
On successful leadership. “I am most impressed by people who run extremely successful businesses but manage their organizations like they’re in crisis mode. [...] They make sure that everybody understands that you have to defend your competitive advantage every day, no matter how successful you are.”
Among other topics, Von Simson also shared his views on the current macro environment, why he is both an optimist and pessimist when it comes to Germany’s future and if he ever considered starting his own fund. We invite you to watch the entire recording of the Deal Talk in the video below.
Important notice: This content is for informational purposes only. The opinions expressed by the interviewee are their own. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of Moonfare. Moonfare does not provide investment advice. You should not construe any information or other material provided as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice. If you are unsure about anything, you should seek financial advice from an authorised advisor. Past performance is not a reliable guide to future returns. Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest. Private equity is a high-risk investment and you are unlikely to be protected if something goes wrong. Subject to eligibility. Please see https://www.moonfare.com/disclaimers.
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¹ Minimum investment may vary by country and local regulation.
² Source: McKinsey "Private Markets Annual Review 2022"
³ Past performance is no guarantee of future returns.
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