Team

Michael O´Shea

Founder

Michael O'Shea is a highly successful entrepreneur and has established a number of businesses. In addition, in the mid-1990s, Michael began to invest in real estate and currently owns a significant real estate portfolio. Through his family office, Michael invests in the financial markets where he has very strong links with some major banks. Michael has a strong interest in sport and in assisting charity in a meaningful low-profile manner.

Gabriella Kindert

Managing Partner

Ms Kindert has over 17 years' experience in private equity and acquisition finance transactions in Western Europe, CEE, Turkey and USA.

Prior to her current position at Kerten PE, between 2007 and 2011 she was Global Head of Loans at BNP Paribas Asset Management, where she was in charge of managing senior and mezzanine debt portfolios for top tier institutional investors.

Previously, Ms Kindert worked for Fortis Bank as Head of Leveraged Loan Portfolio Management and was ultimately responsible for a EUR 3.5 bn performing and distressed global loan portfolios; Mees Pierson Corporate Bank (leveraged finance, project finance, asset-based finance, shipping finance); European Investment Bank (loan officer for CEE) and as a founding partner of the DBH Group focusing on consultancy and private equity transactions in CEE region.

Ms Kindert represents Kerten on the board of a number of investee companies (The House Hotel, Bucuruk, Elit and Kisan). She holds MA degrees in History and Economics and an MBA in Finance. She has Hungarian and Dutch nationalities.

Werner Claes

Non-Executive Director

Werner has extensive experience in private equity and mezzanine transactions in Western Europe and CEE, from origination up to due diligence and board representation. He is currently a consultant predominantly working for the World Bank Group in Central and Eastern Europe in the financial industry. Mr. Claes has a very solid background in banking (credit risk management, global risk management, corporate strategy and M&A in CEE). As a former First VP of Fortis Bank Polska's Board of Directors, President of the ALCO and Credit Committee of a tier 1 bank in Ukraine and former member of the investment committee, he possesses an intimate knowledge of regional markets. Mr. Claes holds MA degrees in French/Russian, Business Economics and post-universitary degrees in Corporate Finance and Accounting. He is fluent in 14 languages."

Aurelian Trifa

Partner - Bucharest

Aurelian is a Partner in Kerten. Previously he was CFO of RTC Group Romania, a conglomerate with interests in retail, distribution, production, transport and logistics. Before that Aurelian spent nine years in Bucharest with Global Finance, a leading private equity investor in Romania with over € 700 million under management. He was also a Senior Advisor to the Romanian State Ownership Fund. Aurelian holds a Master of Science degree in Avionics from Politechnica University in Bucharest and an Executive MBA from the University of Washington, Seattle.