Ardian has announced a number of executive appointments and established a general management team, as part of an effort to strengthen the governance and overall management of the group for its next stage of growth.
The general management team includes Mark Benedetti, who was appointed executive president, and Mathias Burghardt, Vladimir Colas and Jan Philipp Schmitz, who were all appointed as executive vice presidents.
Benedetti is chairman of the executive committee of Ardian, co-head secondaries and primaries, co-head of Ardian U.S. and a member of the ASF management committee. Before joining Ardian in 2006, he worked at KPMG Corporate Finance, where he focused on mergers, acquisitions and capital raising in the firm’s adviser group.
Burghardt is vice chairman of the executive committee of Ardian and head of infrastructure and IT. He joined Ardian in 2007 and has more than 25 years of experience in the infrastructure and energy sectors globally. Burghardt has developed extensive relationships with international infrastructure industrials and financial sponsors, public authorities and regulators.
Colas is vice chairman of the executive committee of Ardian, co-head secondaries and primaries, co-head of Ardian U.S. and a member of the ASF management committee. He joined Ardian in 2003 and moved to New York in 2006.
Schmitz is member of the executive committee of Ardian, head of Ardian Germany and Asia, head of investor relations, deputy co-head of secondaries and primaries. He joined Ardian in 2005 within the secondaries and primaries team in Frankfurt. Previously he worked at Ernst & Young and Arthur Andersen, working for private equity clients in transaction advisory services.
In addition, Nicolò Saidelli was appointed as adviser to Ardian’s CEO and founder, Dominique Senequier, on strategy and acquisitions. Saidelli is member of the executive committee of Ardian, head of Italy and co-head buyout. He joined Ardian in 2008 as a director within the buyout team, based in Milan, with the responsibility of the Italian Investments.
The executives’ appointments will be effective after the next shareholders’ general meeting.
Ardian said it will pursue its development strategy by strengthening its geographical footprint, consolidating its position in the secondary market and in direct investment activities, expanding its distribution capabilities in private wealth and customized solutions and continuing to develop its infrastructure activities in Europe and the United States. The firm also will continue its steady expansion of its product range including debt, real estate and buyout in North America.
“This strengthening of Ardian's governance and management marks an important step in our history,” said Senequier. “The general management team is made up of market-recognized executives who have directly contributed to building our culture and our success. This will enable us to continue to support our clients in a world where it is more important than ever to be agile, attentive and innovative.”