Interview with Dr. Cornelius Maas
Senior Investment Manager Dr. Cornelius Maas has joined SHS as a partner with effect from 1 October 2021. With a doctorate in business administration and a former professional handball player, his responsibilities at SHS include deal flow. We are pleased about the promotion of Dr. Cornelius Maas and asked him a few questions about his work.
How would you describe your work as a deal flow manager?
Dr. Cornelius Maas: The success of a sector specialist like SHS depends on regularly making successful investments, developing the portfolio companies and then, after a certain period of time, selling them on in good hands. I am responsible for ensuring that our team can always draw from a pool of interesting healthcare companies. Of the approximately 600 companies from the healthcare sector that we examine on average each year, we end up making three or four investments, in which SHS usually participates with a volume of between 10 and 15 million euros.
What sources do you draw on in your work?
Dr. Cornelius Maas: Our pool, from which we draw, is fed by various sources. On the one hand, we draw on our strong networks, which have been built up over 25 years: Medical professionals, industry experts, auditors and tax advisors, private equity colleagues, banks and so on. In addition, SHS is now so well known that many medium-sized companies looking for an investor with industry experience approach us directly. We also meet interesting companies again and again at the trade congresses we regularly attend.
Do they also sometimes make joint investments with other investors?
Dr. Cornelius Maas: Yes, we regularly examine investments in the healthcare sector with friendly, agnostic private equity funds, where we as SHS can contribute sector expertise and our networks in addition to the capital. Our former portfolio company evitria, which we recently sold, has shown how successful such a partnership between private equity funds can be.
In which regions is SHS looking for investments?
Dr. Cornelius Maas: Currently, the focus is on investments in the DACH region, Benelux and the Scandinavian countries. We also refer to these as beer-drinking countries. I like this term because it is very catchy.
And which companies are of particular interest to SHS?
Dr. Cornelius Maas: We prefer to invest in innovative healthcare companies with a clear growth perspective, i.e. growth companies, and in established medtech SMEs with a special range of products or services. We then support these companies with capital and know-how, for example in the implementation of the MDR, in digitalisation or in strategic entry into new markets. A good example is Blazejewski MEDI-TECH GmbH from Freiburg – an innovation-driven medium-sized company that produces 2D and 3D endoscopes for the global market – or the already mentioned evitria AG from Switzerland, a life science company that produces antibodies for research.
How is 2021 going so far in terms of deal flow?
Dr. Cornelius Maas: We are satisfied with 2021 so far. This applies to the pure deal flow as well as the successful exits. In my opinion, the Corona pandemic has once again highlighted the outstanding importance of the healthcare sector.
Thank you very much for the interview, Dr. Maas!