Sascha Günther to Join General Atlantic as Managing Director and Head of DACH

November 06, 2023 at 06:00 AM EST

Jörn Nikolay to transition to Advisory Director

General Atlantic, a leading global investor, today announced strategic leadership changes in the German-speaking DACH region. The firm has appointed Sascha Günther as Managing Director and Head of DACH, effective January 1, 2024. Mr. Günther will be based out of the firm’s Munich office. Jörn Nikolay, who joined General Atlantic in 2008 and has served as Head of DACH since 2012, will transition into an Advisory Director role at the end of the year.

Mr. Günther joins General Atlantic after more than five years at Oakley Capital. He played a pivotal role in the firm’s Munich office, where he most recently served as a Partner leading deal origination and execution and investment advisory in the German-speaking region, with a focus on the technology and consumer industries. Prior to joining Oakley Capital in 2018, Mr. Günther led M&A transactions at ProSiebenSat.1 and oversaw multiple investments in the technology, media, and consumer space. He has also worked at management consulting firm Oliver Wyman. He received a BSc in Electrical Engineering and Information Technology from the Technical University of Munich and an MBA from London Business School.

“The DACH region holds strategic significance within General Atlantic's global investment portfolio. Since we began investing in the region in 1995, we have maintained our conviction in its unique entrepreneurial ecosystem and culture of innovation,” said Bill Ford, Chairman and CEO of General Atlantic. “We welcome Sascha and look forward to working closely together as we continue to grow our partnerships with leading companies across DACH. We also thank Jörn for his leadership during his tenure, and we will continue to draw on his perspectives in his new advisory role.”

Gabriel Caillaux, Co-President, Managing Director, and Head of Climate and EMEA at General Atlantic, continued, “We are immensely proud of the success we’ve achieved in the DACH region over nearly three decades. As we focus on capturing an ever-growing opportunity set in the market, we are confident Sascha’s local investment expertise will both support our existing management teams and enable us to build on our momentum.”

“There are many attractive opportunities to apply General Atlantic’s global resources and operational expertise across multiple sectors of the local economy. I am pleased to join the firm to contribute to its longstanding history of partnering with innovative businesses in DACH and globally,” Mr. Günther commented.

After a 16-year tenure at General Atlantic, including more than a decade as Managing Director and Head of DACH, Jörn Nikolay will transition into a new role as Advisory Director. In this capacity, Mr. Nikolay will remain actively involved with the firm, providing strategic counsel to DACH investment teams and portfolio companies.

“We are deeply grateful to Jörn for his invaluable contributions to our success in DACH and look forward to a seamless transition within our Munich office,” added Mr. Caillaux.

Key members of General Atlantic’s DACH team also include Vice Presidents Christian Osterland and Christopher Apfel, who play critical roles in leading regional investments and providing operational support to portfolio companies. General Atlantic’s DACH portfolio spans 12 leading companies in the Technology, Financial Services, Life Sciences, and Climate sectors. The firm has invested more than $14 billion across the broader EMEA region, making its first investment in Germany in 1995 and opening its Munich office in 2012.

About General Atlantic

General Atlantic is a leading global investor with more than four decades of experience providing capital and strategic support for over 500 growth companies throughout its history. Established in 1980 to partner with visionary entrepreneurs and deliver lasting impact, the firm combines a collaborative global approach, sector specific expertise, a long-term investment horizon and a deep understanding of growth drivers to partner with great entrepreneurs and management teams to scale innovative businesses around the world. General Atlantic has more than $77 billion in assets under management inclusive of all products as of September 30, 2023, and more than 220 investment professionals based in New York, Amsterdam, Beijing, Hong Kong, Jakarta, London, Mexico City, Miami, Mumbai, Munich, San Francisco, São Paulo, Shanghai, Singapore, Stamford and Tel Aviv. For more information on General Atlantic, please visit: www.generalatlantic.com.