Investindustrial to open NYC office

Southern Europe-focused firm Investindustrial intends to open a New York office in coming months, sister site PEI has learned.

The New York office will act as a base for the firm’s business development group. The group consists of 15 professionals responsible for assisting the firm’s existing Spanish and Italian portfolio companies into overseas markets via organic growth and M&A-driven expansion.

Last April the firm planted its first flag outside of Europe with the opening of a Shanghai office. Italian motorcycle manufacturer and brand Ducati, in which Investindustrial has owned a majority stake since 2008, later opened its first store in mainland China in Shanghai In October 2009.

NYC: a bright market to enter

Investindustrial chairman Andrea Bonomi, whose firm earned top honours for its activity in both Italy and Iberia in the 2010 PEI awards, has in part attributed the firm’s successes to being able to grow its European small- and medium-sized portfolio companies into foreign markets.

“Today success in Italy comes from transforming a quality domestic company into an international competitor,” Bonomi told PEI during a recent visit to Milan.

“Investindustrial’s portfolio companies generated approximately €500 million of sales in North and South America last year, and almost double that in Asia-Pacific”, said a spokesperson for the firm, who confirmed the creation of a New York office in coming months. 

The mid-market firm, founded in 1990, also has offices in Luxembourg, Switzerland, Milan and Barcelona.

For more on Investindustrial’s recent activity, see the February edition of Private Equity International.