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In Memoriam: Aris Wateler

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Aris Wateler, most recently Senior Advisor to Apheon. Aris died on March 6th at the age of 79, surrounded by his family.

Aris was a true friend to Apheon from the early days of the firm and he leaves behind a legacy marked by excellence at every stage of his illustrious career.

Aris's relationship with Apheon stretches back to the firm’s very origins. As Chairman of Parcom, he was an initial sponsor of Apheon — formerly Ergon Capital Partners — from its earliest days in 2005, playing a pivotal role in laying the foundations upon which the firm was built.

He was appointed as a Board Member of Ergon Capital Partners I from its incorporation in February 2005, and subsequently became a Senior Advisor to the firm, also serving in the capacity of Chairman of the Advisory Board. Throughout this period, he was an Investment Committee member across AMB I, AMB II, and AMB III, contributing his expertise and judgment to some of the firm's most significant investment decisions.

He also served as a board member across several portfolio companies during his tenure, bringing the same rigor and care to those responsibilities as he did to everything else.

Aris was one of the architects of what Apheon is today. As a Senior Advisor to Apheon following a distinguished executive career, Aris continued to make an invaluable impact providing strategic guidance on investments and serving as a trusted sounding board for Apheon's leadership. His retirement in 2023 marked the end of a remarkable tenure, though his influence on the firm's culture endures.

Aris lived life to the fullest. On a personal level, Aris was known throughout the firm for his humour and sharp wit, his integrity and his rigorous thinking. He was a keen golfer and a family man. We will miss his energy, enthusiasm and friendship, both in the boardroom and beyond.

The partners and the entire Apheon team extend their deepest condolences to Aris's family and loved ones. We are profoundly grateful for the role he played in building this firm and for the lasting mark he has left on all of us.

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Our manifesto: contributing to the development of sustainable finance

Sustainability generates long-term and higher value

Apheon’s ambition is to contribute to the development of sustainable finance by placing sustainability at the core of its strategy and demonstrating by example that it delivers higher and better value for portfolio companies and investors.
 
We are convinced that businesses that respect the planet, that look after their employees and that support their communities will in turn attract the best talent, differentiate themselves from their competition and ultimately emerge as the strongest in the future.

A holistic and collective approach

To succeed with this strategy, Apheon believes a holistic and collective approach is fundamental.

Holistic: it is essential that all aspects of ESG are equally and continuously supported. This is why we are active at every stage of the investment cycle by applying proprietarily developed methodologies and initiatives which are built on 5 priorities covering the broad ESG spectrum:

  • Sustainable revenues (strategy): increasing, when applicable, the share of revenues which directly benefit the environment and/or society

  • Carbon (environment): reducing emissions

  • Talent (social): creating a positive working environment which will attract, develop and retain the best talent

  • Youth, diversity and inclusion (societal): fostering a more inclusive society

  • Transparency (governance): reporting on metrics transparently, and being transparent on potential obstacles
Collective: we believe that it is only through collective action that we can create significant impact. This is why it is our intention to pull together Apheon’s entire ecosystem to undertake our ESG initiatives. This includes mobilizing our employees, portfolio companies, investors, external experts, charitable organizations, public institutions and peers. At this time of global transition, we believe that sustainable finance plays a key role in advancing towards a sustainable planet and society. Financial players, in particular private equity firms such as Apheon, are in a position to drive forward action by leveraging their business model of transforming companies. Apheon is keen to play such role and to move forward every day with humility but also conviction.