Olivier Kobel joined SMC Corporate Finance in 2015. For more than 20 years he has been active in Mergers & Acquisitions and Corporate Finance. Since 2009, the focus of his activities has been on supporting companies in the field of sustainable business, in particular for “buy-and-build” strategies, as well as raising growth capital in the form of equity or debt capital (including project financing).

Previous positions include 3i Plc (Zurich and Frankfurt) in private equity (buy-outs), ZETRA International (Zurich), a boutique for Mergers & Acquisitions as well as restructuring, and Monitor Deloitte (London, São Paulo and Zurich) for strategic consulting as project manager. The international project experience (in particular France, Germany, UK and Brazil) enables an efficient realization of projects with an international component, be it acquisition projects abroad, project financing or capital raising with international investors.

Olivier is also active as a member of the Board of Directors of Pôle Bio Energies SA, a project company for the realisation of a biogas plant for the treatment of biomass waste in the agglomeration of Geneva, and as a member of the advisory investment commission of EWZ (Stadtwerk Zurich) for major investments in renewable energy.

Olivier is an alumnus of the University of St. Gallen (International Relations) and the London School of Economics (MSc Econ).

Selected transaction experience

• Buy-out of minority shareholder Group – Hoval Group (Heating & Ventilation HVAC)
• Issue of a Green Bond (CHF 75 million) for Helvetia Environment (waste management and recycling)
• Acquisition of SRS Swiss Recycling Services by Helvetia Environnement, incl. acquisition financing (waste management and recycling)
• Acquisition of Enventus AB by Hoval AG (energy efficiency)
• Financing of equity and debt capital (CHF 100 million) for a new greenfield for Pavatex AG (energy efficiency)
• Sale of MIBAG to Bouygues (facility management)
• Acquisition of a photovoltaic power plant (3 MW) by a family office (photovoltaics)