Claudia-Zeisberger-14363_4.jpg

Claudia Zeisberger

Senior Affiliate Professor of Entrepreneurship and Family Enterprise

In May 2012, private equity firm KKR is considering the buyout of WMF group (WMF), a diversified kitchenware and professional coffee machine manufacturer headquartered in Geislingen, Germany. The deal seems a potentially compelling investment opportunity, with various options for value creation – expanding WMF’s well-established brand to other geographies as well as reducing costs.

Published 28 Aug 2017

Reference 6310

Topic Entrepreneurship

Industry Private Equity

Region Europe

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In 2011, Partners Group is nearing the end of a year-long quest for a new mandate from a European pension fund, Future Plan. The fund has struggled with its 6-year old PE programme, consistently falling short of its target allocation to the asset class and generating poor returns, seemingly always one step behind the opportunity in the market.

Published 29 May 2017

Reference 6256

Topic Entrepreneurship

Industry Private Equity

Region Europe

View

In 2011, Ingersoll-Rand (IR) decided to divest its refrigeration equipment subsidiary, Hussmann International. However, the routine auction process for the non-core asset went awry when both Hussmann’s performance and external finance markets weakened significantly during the due diligence period.

Published 30 Jan 2017

Reference 6251

Topic Economics & Finance

Industry Private Equity Security and Investigations

Region North America

View

The case describes how the Pro-invest Group – a boutique investment firm specialising in private equity real estate and real estate asset management – built its business and raised a first-time private equity fund.

Published 26 Aug 2016

Reference 6221

Topic Entrepreneurship

Industry Private Equity

Region Asia

View

This two-party case is designed to teach negotiation within the context of turnaround management, stakeholder management, change management or public sector negotiation.

Published 22 Jul 2016

Reference 6211

Topic Leadership & Organisations

Industry Railroad Manufacture

Region Asia

View

This two-party case is designed to teach negotiation within the context of turnaround management, stakeholder management, change management or public sector negotiation.

Published 22 Jul 2016

Reference 6211

Topic Leadership & Organisations

Industry Railroad Manufacture

Region Asia

View

Mekong Capital, a private equity firm based in Vietnam, is considering exiting its stake in restaurant chain operator Golden Gate. Despite robust growth, Golden Gate’s profitability is lagging. Students are asked to evaluate the best means of exit and whether operational improvements are required to attract buyers or create the foundation for a successful IPO.

Published 06 Apr 2016

Reference 6162

Topic Strategy

Industry Restaurants Private Equity

Region Asia

View

Emerging markets are challenging and require special expertise. India in particular is known to be a tricky business environment. The case follows two senior executives from Alvarez & Marsal’s India practice as they deal with an urgent request from one of their US private equity clients, Sapphire Capital.

Published 24 Apr 2015

Reference 6069

Topic Entrepreneurship

Industry Textiles

Region Asia

View

Duxton Asset Management, a specialist agro-business investor, is evaluating an investment in rice farming in Tanzania, Africa. Duxton has a business strategy of investing in operating farmland assets, many of which are in developing or even frontier markets. The case discusses the complexities of investing in an atypical multidimensional asset.

Published 24 Mar 2014

Reference 6007

Topic Entrepreneurship

Industry Private Equity

Region Other Regions

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In the spring of 2011, JPMorgan Chase realised that their synthetic credit portfolio (SCP), which represented less than 1% of the bank’s total assets, had grown to become more than half of the bank’s total risk. An article in the WSJ would soon make it public knowledge that the bank was in a difficult situation.

Published 24 Mar 2014

Reference 6003

Topic Economics & Finance

Industry Financial Services Banking

Region Global

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When staff as well as investors participate in a profitable exit by a global private equity firm, the industry pays attention. KKR’s sale of CHI, a garage door manufacturer, for a 9.8X multiple of invested capital (MOIC) made headlines in early 2022 as one of KKR’s highest returns since the 1980s and for CHI’s hourly workers and truck drivers for whom the pay-out would be life changing.

Published 08 Mar 2023

Reference 6802

Topic Responsibility

Industry Private Equity

Region North America

View

This case describes the events leading up to the collapse of Greensill Capital in early 2021, examining the history and roles of the various stakeholders involved with a clear focus on risk management.

Published 03 Dec 2021

Reference 6699

Topic Responsibility

Industry Financial Services

Region Europe

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This experiential case simulates an investment committee (IC) meeting at the private equity (PE) firm Bridgepoint, a leading European mid-market private equity firm.

Published 31 Aug 2021

Reference 6659

Topic Entrepreneurship

Industry Private Equity

Region Europe

View

Private equity firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice (CD&R) is preparing a bid for leading US car rental agency Hertz. By replacing Hertz’s top managers, improving capital management and driving down operating costs, CD&R sees an opportunity to nearly double EBITDA. However, the turnaround involves significant risks, which CD&R must weigh in preparing its bidding strategy.

Published 23 Apr 2018

Reference 6355

Topic Economics & Finance

Industry Private Equity

Region North America

View

In 2010, ACTIS embarked on an ambitious project to build a pan-Middle East and Africa (MEA) payments platform. It had purchased Mediterranean Smart Cards Company (MSCC), a bankcard issuer with operations across Africa, and had identified a follow-on target, Visa Jordan Card Services (VJCS) as part of its buy-and-build strategy, and another potential acquisition in South Africa.

Published 29 Jan 2018

Reference 6363

Topic Strategy

Industry Private Equity

Region Middle-East

View

In 2011, Ingersoll-Rand (IR) decided to divest its refrigeration equipment subsidiary, Hussmann International. However, the routine auction process for the non-core asset went awry when both Hussmann’s performance and external finance markets weakened significantly during the due diligence period.

Published 30 Jan 2017

Reference 6251

Topic Economics & Finance

Industry Private Equity Security and Investigations

Region North America

View

The case describes how the Pro-invest Group – a boutique investment firm specialising in private equity real estate and real estate asset management – built its business and raised a first-time private equity fund.

Published 26 Aug 2016

Reference 6221

Topic Entrepreneurship

Industry Private Equity

Region Asia

View

This two-party case is designed to teach negotiation within the context of turnaround management, stakeholder management, change management or public sector negotiation.

Published 22 Jul 2016

Reference 6211

Topic Leadership & Organisations

Industry Railroad Manufacture

Region Asia

View

Mekong Capital, a private equity firm based in Vietnam, is considering exiting its stake in restaurant chain operator Golden Gate. Despite robust growth, Golden Gate’s profitability is lagging. Students are asked to evaluate the best means of exit and whether operational improvements are required to attract buyers or create the foundation for a successful IPO.

Published 06 Apr 2016

Reference 6162

Topic Strategy

Industry Restaurants Private Equity

Region Asia

View

Emerging markets are challenging and require special expertise. India in particular is known to be a tricky business environment. The case follows two senior executives from Alvarez & Marsal’s India practice as they deal with an urgent request from one of their US private equity clients, Sapphire Capital.

Published 24 Apr 2015

Reference 6069

Topic Entrepreneurship

Industry Textiles

Region Asia

View

The case traces the evolution of the private equity investment platform of the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (Teachers’). Unlike the typical traditional pension fund, Teachers’ has forged a bold, pioneering approach to investing by making a concerted push towards direct investing. The case discusses the trade-offs involved in developing a direct investing platform.

Published 24 Jun 2013

Reference 5993

Topic Entrepreneurship

Industry Public Policy

Region Other Regions

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In 2011, Carlyle is considering an exit from its investment in the European fashion brand Moncler, in which it holds a minority stake. The case focuses on the complexities of preparing and executing an exit under rapidly changing market conditions taking varied interests and potential outcomes into consideration.

Published 24 Jun 2013

Reference 5969

Topic Entrepreneurship

Industry Capital Markets

Region Europe

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A consortium of private equity firms (KKR and Silver Lake Partners) is in the process of acquiring the semi-conductor division of Agilent. To prepare for the signing of the acquisition agreement and the subsequent transfer of ownership, the deal team is revisiting their investment thesis with respect to upsides and risks.

Published 31 Jan 2012

Reference 5832

Topic Entrepreneurship

Industry Private Equity

Region North America

View

Private Equity & Venture Capital; especially minority stakes in emerging markets & the impact of private equity on the economy at large, Corporate Venturing (CVC; Venture Building), Institutional Investment portfolios and challenges of maintaining exposure to PE & VC, Corporate Turnaround & Restructuring situations, Risk Management, especially in institutional investment portfolios