youmex takes over LUNIS wealth management - strengthening in private banking creates added value and synergies
11.01.2019
Press release
youmex AG, based in Frankfurt, has signed a purchase agreement to acquire a majority stake in LUNIS Vermögensmanagement AG, Frankfurt. youmex is thus significantly strengthening its Asset and Wealth Management division. The partnership-based combination of the expertise and networks of both companies is intended to benefit their customers synergetically. Founding investor J.C. Flowers will remain in partnership for the next few years.
youmex AG and the shareholders of LUNIS Vermögensmanagement AG, led by majority shareholder J.C. Flowers, have concluded the binding purchase agreement for the acquisition of approximately 87.7 % of the shares of LUNIS Vermögensmanagement AG as of the acquisition date 1 January 2019. The acquisition is still subject to the approval of the supervisory authorities. The remaining 12.3 % of the share capital will remain with the management, which has unanimously approved the takeover and the partnership with youmex. Operations will continue unchanged with the same employees under the LUNIS brand. "This will ensure continuity for employees and customers. Andreas Brandt, CEO of LUNIS, justifies the decision "With youmex we can further expand our synergies and grow together", says Ulrike Gratsch, responsible for back office and compliance as CEO of LUNIS. Both members of the Management Board have agreed to an early extension of their current contracts and thus underlined the long-term continuity of their cooperation with youmex.
LUNIS was founded in early 2017 with the help and financing of financial investor J.C. Flowers. Many of the 36 employees have worked together successfully in private banking for 20 years. "Approximately 450 clients with currently approx. one billion euros in assets under management have entrusted their assets to LUNIS and we are delighted about the extraordinary success that LUNIS has been able to establish itself as one of the largest asset managers in Germany within a very short period of time," explains Michael Christner, Managing Director of J.C. Flowers & Co. LLC. "Nevertheless, it was clear to us that LUNIS and its employees and clients needed a long-term, strategic partner who could support the business model even better than we could. In youmex, we have found a partner with whom we would like to jointly inspire the further growth of LUNIS in addition to other cooperation potentials".
youmex AG is the operational holding company of an independent financial group with the three business divisions Financing, Investment and Asset Management, which increasingly acts like a multi-family office. "We see the acquisition of LUNIS as a significant strengthening of our newest business area, wealth management and asset management, through a well-rehearsed and experienced team with long-standing client relationships," said Kai Hartmann, Supervisory Board member and founder of youmex. "In the future, KWG-licensed LUNIS will also serve as a regulatory platform for asset management.
Through youmex, LUNIS customers interested in exclusive access receive investment products from the financing, investments and capital market business areas, which are usually private placements and thus off-market. Board member Brandt is looking forward to the cooperation, because "LUNIS' customers will have the chance to find attractive investment alternatives or investment supplements, which LUNIS prefers due to the connection to youmex, which will further strengthen customer loyalty, support the expansion of existing customer mandates and help in the acquisition of new customers".
With LUNIS as its asset manager, youmex intends to continue consolidating the asset management industry in the future and aims for strong organic and inorganic growth.
About youmex group
youmex AG, based in Frankfurt am Main, was founded in 1998 and is the operative holding company of an independent financial group for financing, investment and asset management. The specialist for mezzanine capital and structured investments also organises the complex process chain of IPOs and bond issues as a Deutsche Börse Capital Market Partner. In total, the youmex group has accompanied a transaction volume of around 4 billion euros over the last two decades. In the last 7 years alone, the youmex group has arranged more than 1.3 billion euros for companies and projects, making it one of the leading providers of banking-alternative SME financing in Germany. https://www.youmex.de
About LUNIS Wealth Management
LUNIS Vermögensmanagement AG was founded in May 2017 by Andreas Brandt and partners in strategic cooperation with J.C. Flowers & Co. LLC was founded in May 2017. The bank-independent asset manager offers private and corporate clients holistic asset management and aims to play a leading role in Germany with its individual services. LUNIS currently has approximately 1 billion euros in assets under management and is represented at its headquarters in Frankfurt am Main and with branches in Berlin, Hamburg, Hanover, Munich and Stuttgart. https://www.lunis.de
About J. C. Flowers
J.C. Flowers & Co. LLC is a leading private investment firm that invests globally in the financial services industry. Founded in 1998, the company has invested more than $15 billion in 53 portfolio companies in 18 countries. The company operates in a number of industry sectors, including banking, insurance and reinsurance, securities, specialty finance, services and asset management. With more than $6 billion in assets under management, J. C. Flowers has offices in New York and London. https://www.jcfco.com
PRESS CONTACT
Anika Perlewitz
Head of Corp. Communications & Marketing
Phone: +49 69 6677 3835 12
Mobile: +49 174 142 6243
E-mail: anika.perlewitz@lunis.de
