German trade body chief to lead EVCA

Dörte Höppner, currently the head of the German private equity association BVK, will become the secretary general of the European Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (EVCA), when Javier Echarri steps down as planned at the end of the year.

Höppner has been the managing director of Berlin-based BVK – Bundesverband Deutscher Kapitalbeteiligungsgesellschaften – for four years and has been an active member of EVCA’s 12-strong public affairs executive. Before joining the BVK, Höppner was head of communications at Germany’s largest and most influential think tank, the German Institute of Economic Research (DIW Berlin).

Dörte Höppner

The changes at EVCA followed the industry group’s extensive lobbying efforts to combat the more punitive measures put forward as part of incoming European regulation: the Alternative Investment Fund Managers directive.

The AIFM directive passed the EU Parliament on a vote of 513 to 92 in November, having gone through 17 compromise proposals. At a conference in October, Echarri told delegates the compromise text was “something we can work with”, noting that many of the most draconian measures had been either softened or removed.

EVCA, said Höppner in a statement on Wednesday, must now build on “the respected position [it] holds among policymakers to ensure that [it] is seen as a trusted partner in issues ranging from finance for innovation and corporate governance to responsible investment.”

The group must also communicate the “vital contribution” that private equity and venture capital makes to the European economy, Höppner added.

EVCA chairwoman, Uli Fricke praised Höppner’s communication and relationship-building skills and thanked Echarri for his 11 years of work with the organisation.