Sherpa EntrepreneursSherpa EntrepreneursWe are discerning in our investments, making calculated assessments and decisions prior to commitment. Focusing on a limited number of investments at any one time enables us to dedicate the necessary time, connections and support to entrepreneurs whether through direct or indirect investments. We aim to be a supportive sparring business partner throughout the entrepreneurial journey.
We invest our own capital. As entrepreneurs in our own right, we bring first-hand experience in leading, scaling and transforming businesses to achieve their next development stages. We primarily seek out and partner with like-minded entrepreneurs who have a strong and differentiated vision.
Sherpa Entrepreneurs is a family business which builds direct, collaborative and transparent relationships. Unrestricted by time limitations in our relationships and investments, we partner with entrepreneurs for the long haul, navigating the path through each level of growth.
“At Sherpa, we want to partner with entrepreneurs, whether investment managers, business owners or management teams who want to take their businesses to new heights and levels of sustainable growth”
Gilles Plaquet started his career in CCB, the company founded by his grandfather and developed throughout three generations of family ownership. After the sale of the company, Gilles was appointed to CEO and General Manager of the CCB-Italcementi Group, generating an annual turnover of USD $200m with a workforce of 750. Following his tenure at CCB, he launched Sherpa Asset Management AG., a Zurich-based, regulated portfolio management company that backs independent entrepreneurial ventures and serves as an advisor to wealthy families.
Leveraging Sherpa’s current proprietary investment strategy, Gilles’ investments have generated c. 2x on the indirect side and c. 4x MOIC on the direct side. He is a member of several investment committees and supervisory boards in Europe, including TriSpan Holding Ltd, ImmofinRe and Wellington Partners. Gilles holds a Bachelor of Economics and Finance from ICHEC, Belgium and an MBA from MIT Sloan.
“From our own experience, we understand that reaching the next level requires patience and a flexible approach. Characteristically opposite to the linear progress and short timelines of securing conventional sources of capital.”
Olivier Morali is a serial transformative investor with a 20-year successful track record at Apax Partners and Bregal Capital where he was able to generate levels of capital, pooled and matched by the Plaquet family into the dedicated fund advised by Sherpa Entrepreneurs. He was a first-round investor in Galapagos NV (GLPG) and a co-lead investor in Corevalve (sold to Medtronic). Later Olivier co-founded and acted as chairman of Studialis, establishing the European leader in Higher Education and has also played an integral role in the initial consolidation of private hospitals by Vedici, which led the formation of the French leader Elsan. Olivier was also closely involved in the carve-out of Morrison Utility Services from Anglian Water.
Overall, Olivier’s investments have generated c. 3x MOIC with no loss.
He is a member of the advisory committees of TR Capital IV and V, KLAR Partners I, Impilo II, DC Capital Partners III and Bregal Milestone II.
Olivier holds a PhD in Oncology and is a former associate professor of biochemistry at Paris University and a graduate of ENS Paris-Saclay.
“We are focused on situations requiring ownership stability over an extended period, in which we will be able to generate superior returns by backing business plans with longer-term but higher growth.”
Thomas Plaquet has 7 years of experience in direct investments. Prior to joining Sherpa Entrepreneurs, he was a vice president at TriSpan, a lower middle market private equity firm, where he spent 5 years as part of the investment team in London working on buy-and-build deals in the UK and in Continental Europe. Prior to TriSpan, he was an analyst for SIP Agriculture focusing on direct investments in Latin America. He started his career in asset management at Gavekal Capital where he first worked for a value fund in Hong Kong and then for a CTA in Luxembourg.
Thomas holds a BSc and MSc in Business Engineering from the Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management.
Investment principles and criteria:
Investment principles and criteria:
“While at Apax Partners, Olivier backed my partner and myself as the first institutional investor in our endeavour to build the leading chain of private hospitals in France. His approach was both strategic, analytical, and remarkably entrepreneurial. My partner and I had just acquired three clinics out of bankruptcy and Olivier adhered to our vision despite its early stage of realisation. What was paramount to us was that Olivier struck the right balance between his strategic monitoring, his contribution to the execution of add-on transactions and our freedom to operate, which was paramount to us. Over time, he has remained a business sparring partner to me.”
“I first met Olivier when his Bregal Capital portfolio company Studialis acquired my business. His straightforward negotiation style combined with his clear vision of what to build convinced me to partner with him. During the time of our partnership, he delivered on every promise he had made as part of our initial deal. I particularly enjoyed his dedication to Studialis as we were building the French leader in higher education. He understood the business thoroughly, was available at any time to discuss any business matter with us in detail and would challenge us constructively. He knew that consolidation plays were not straightforward journeys and he proved pragmatic and supportive when we faced issues. He was more than an investor; he was a business partner who delivered consistently over the seven years of our partnership.”
“The collaboration with Gilles at Sherpa spans over 17 years. Unlike conventional investment projects for institutional investors, the pistachio and almond farm project I partnered on with Sherpa was extraordinarily complex, requiring the total transformation of an underinvested farm into a modern agricultural exploitation, several changes of product through time and a switch to organic. The required investments were heavy, and one had to be patient before trees reached maturity and investments delivered significant returns. Gilles was extremely supportive through strategic changes and crises, taking a pragmatic approach and making educated but rapid decisions. Thanks to their lack of investment duration constraints, Sherpa were able to seize the optimal exit timing, combining tree maturity with peak pistachio and almond prices.”
Olivier Morali ,CEO
Sherpa Entrepreneurs Advisor 