The company was established in 2005 under the brand name Euro Private Equity (“Flexstone Partners ”) in Geneva by Eric Deram and a business angel, both seasoned private equity professionals, to provide Institutional investors superior tailor-made advisory and management services in private assets.
Our range of products and services extends from tailor-made solutions and advisory services to comingled-funds. We focus on the selection and access to the best performing primary fund managers in Private Assets. We have developed a platform combining the following strategies:
- Private Equity – Primary, secondary and co-investments (via mandates and comingled funds);
- Private Debt – Primary and secondary investments; and,
- Infrastructure – Primary and secondary investments.
Flexstone Partners’s specific culture
Flexstone was founded by seasoned private equity investment professionals to provide institutional investors with tailored-made advisory and management services for private assets. The firm has always remained true to its founding principles. Whilst part of a world leading asset management firm, Flexstone has retained its entrepreneurial spirit and a total independence in its investment activities.
The priority of each employee at Flexstone is to serve clients in a timely manner following rigorous processes with the help of best in class tools. We view ourselves as members of our client’s investment team. As such, we believe in close collaboration with high standards of ethics, transparency and fairness.
In 2013, we completed a strategic partnership with Natixis Investment Managers (“Natixis IM”), one of the largest asset managers in the world with $ 1.0 tr of assets under management[1], to provide our clients with the support of a global asset management firm in terms of global reach as well as middle office, risk, legal and compliance resources and processes.
In 2018, Natixis Investment Managers reorganized its private equity division as part of a firm-wide “2020 strategic plan”. Such strategic plan anticipates strong growth in all alternative assets in general and in private equity in particular. According to the plan, all three private equity affiliates owned by Natixis IM active in advisory, fund of funds, secondary and co-investment (Euro-PE in Geneva and Paris, Caspian Private Equity in New York and Eagle Asia in Singapore) have been operationally merged into one single entity which have offices in Geneva, Paris, New York and Singapore; employ more than 40 professionals and manages more than $ 7.0bn of assets.
The new entity, renamed Flexstone Partners, is able to provide its clients with a global service while retaining its very strong local footing.
Flexstone Partners is being overseen by the six Managing Partners, led by Eric Deram, Founder and Managing Partner of Flexstone Partners .
While part of a world leading asset management firm, Flexstone Partners has retained its entrepreneurial spirit and independence of thinking. In particular, it is important to note that no employee of Natixis Group is a member of Flexstone’s investment committee.
As part of the strategic partnership with Natixis Investment Managers described above, all shareholders of Flexstone Partners sold 100% of their equity over a period of five years. There was no significant other ownership change as Flexstone Partners had always been controlled and owned by its partners, in particular its founder Eric Deram, and a business angel who had a small minority position.
As of January 1st 2019, 16% of Flexstone Partners is owners by seven key employees of the firm. It is not anticipated that there would be any significant ownership change in the foreseeable future.
[1] Net asset value as at September 30 2018, Assets under management (“AUM”), as reported, may include notional assets, assets serviced, gross assets and other types of non-regulatory AUM