Waterland appoints new German MD

Rahlfs will work closely with managing director and DACH managing principal Jörg Dreisow, who heads up the firm's newly opened Munich branch.

Rahlfs' new role, which he took up at the start of the month, sees him managing Waterland's Düsseldorf office to aid the firm in its further expansion into the DACH region. He will be responsible for several of Waterland's German portfolio companies, as well as seeking and executing new investments in the DACH market.

Prior to joining Waterland in 2009, Rahlfs was a managing director at French consumer goods manufacturer Staub Group. He joined Staub following a stint at kitchenware manufacturer Zwilling JA Henckels as head of corporate development, where he was responsible for the acquisitions of Staub and Belgium-based Demeyre.

He has also previously worked at Tchibo, a German coffee retailer and café chain, and started his career at the Hamburg office of advisory firm McKinsey & Company, working predominantly in the retail and consumer goods sector.

Rahlfs holds a masters in business administration and a PhD in finance theory and strategic management, both from the University of Lüneburg.

According to unquote" data, Waterland's most recent transaction in the DACH region was its acquisition of Seniocare, a Swiss provider of long-term care for the elderly, from Akina in November 2012. The firm also acquired Switzerland-based ship management company Fleetpro in the same month.

Waterland operates from offices located in Bussum (the Netherlands), Antwerp, Düsseldorf, Munich and Warsaw. The firm typically invests in the Benelux and DACH regions, as well as Poland, and backs mid-cap companies that generate revenues of €10-200m.

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