Interview Todd Ofenloch

“We’re working to firmly establish our own unique niche and to attract owners who appreciate the differentiated aspects of our model. I’m confident we will be successful with this strategy.”

Todd, you are our partner in the US. How has it been so far?

It’s been a great adventure and a whirlwind over the past year. We’ve worked to put the team on the field and prepared to actively evaluate investment opportunities. On the private equity side, we’ve grown from an army of 1 (me) to a team of 5 today (including a colleague that will start in January). We have folks with experience both within Egeria as well as other leading private equity firms. At this moment, I am very excited to move beyond the setup phase and into the deal execution phase.

What did you do before this? And why did you say yes to becoming our new partner in the US?

I’ve worked in institutional private equity (PE) firms for the past 20+ years. I love the business and the industry, and I was attracted to Egeria because of its mission and unique structure. The evergreen model we are initially using to make investments is highly compelling and differentiated. The ability to hold investments for extended periods of time – beyond the 3-7 years of a typical institutional private equity firm – gives us the opportunity to both create enterprise value and reap the cash flow benefits from building exceptional niche market leading companies.

What are the ambitions and dreams for the US team? And for Egeria in the US?

Our ambition is to be an investment firm of the highest quality—with a capital Q. We’re committed to delivering this quality, and the proof will be in the returns we generate and in the reputation we establish with business owners and management teams. I am really looking forward to this.
We have tangible goals for how much capital we aim to invest over the next 3–5 years, but those goals are really an output of the efforts we’re putting into establishing the firm and building a presence in the US market.

What are you looking forward to in the coming period, and what opportunities do you see?

I am looking forward to demonstrating our ability to execute our strategy and starting to realize the results. The US is the largest market in the world for the types of businesses in which Egeria has proven success in investing and creating value. So, the opportunities for investment are effectively unlimited—and that is exciting.
 
Yes, the market is also the most competitive in the world, but we have the structure, capital, local team, and broader organization to win our fair share of business. We’re working to firmly establish our own unique niche and to attract owners who resonate with our model. I’m confident we will be successful with this strategy.

How have you experienced Egeria’s culture?

It’s been a great experience so far! The culture around how we work— speed, growth, results— aligns perfectly with my own approach and individual brand in the North American market, so assimilating has been quite easy. What I really appreciate is that the team truly embodies this culture and is very inclusive. Overall, it’s been a real pleasure getting to know the people within the firm and acclimating to the organization.

And what is it like to work together with Dutch people?

Over my career, I’ve come to believe that, in general, people are people. As both individuals and professionals, we share common beliefs and goals. My view is that the world tends to divide more on socio-economic bases rather than nationalistic ones. So, since we’re talking business and how we work together, there hasn’t been a big difference. I suppose there’s a reputation for the Dutch being quite direct. Based on my experience, I would agree, but having worked in PE and investment banking, being around people who are brutally direct is nothing new.

Which values are important to you in your work, and what do you invest in your work?

Important values for me include empathy, work ethic, love of the craft, daily improvement, relentless pursuit of quality, and attention to detail. For me, these values form the recipe for success in executing our strategy and driving results.
 
What do I invest? Quite simply, everything I have. I believe the only way to increase capacity is to continue to evolve and find ways to better prioritize what’s important – in other words, to find ways for me and the team to work smarter.