Co-Founding Business Angel Philipp A. Schoeller, MSc, MBA, Chairman of Origins’ Strategic Development Board of the Excellence Cluster of LMU, TUM, ESO and Max-Planck-Institutes

Philipp A. Schoeller

Date and Place of Birth

Born October 19th, 1960 in Göttingen, Germany
Resident in Munich, married, 7 children
Nationality: Swiss and German

Education and Employment

  • Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule, ETH), Zurich
    Master of Science (MSc. in Electrical Engineering)
    (Diploma thesis published in IEEE journal)
  • INSEAD, Fontainebleau
    Master of Business Administration (MBA)
    (Dean’s list – top 10% students)
  • Boston Consulting Group, London/Munich

Philanthropic and Political Activities

  • Honorary Consul of Finland for Bavaria and Thuringia (successor of Prof. Dr. h.c. Roland Berger)
  • Chairman of Origins’ Strategic Development Board of the Excellence Cluster of LMU, TUM, ESO and Max-Planck-Institutes
  • Member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts
  • Member of the German Society Club of Rome
  • Co-Chairman DESERTEC-Foundation
  • Founding member of the Fragile World Foundation
  • Frm. Chairman of The Young President Organization (YPO), Rhine Chapter
  • Member of the Campaign Board of INSEAD
  • Senator of the European Senate of Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurial Curriculum

Investor and fund management: GenCap, large caps (since 2001)

  • Founding partner and instrumental in investments of General Capital Group, Munich (GenCap) or advised by GenCap to date, cum. total investments of more than € 4.0 bn; initiated privatization projects Continental and Deutsche Telekom; examples of successful GenCap investments: 4.9% in VW, ThyssenKrupp, Siemens, Infineon, Lanxess (IRR 37%)
  • Successful defence of Beiersdorf AG (“Nivea”) together with the founding family Claussen against the hostile take-over by Procter & Gamble (funding of € 5.0 bn), eventually creating a new DAX-member

Investor: GCI, Venture Capital (1995-2001)

  • Founding partner of GCI Management; IPO in 2001
  • Founding financer of several start-up companies Largest exit: a software firm for internet banking merged with a € 8bn listed company: triple digit IRR

Investor: GSM, Middle Market Private Equity (1989-1995)

  • Founding partner of GSM-Industries: a buy-out firm concentrating on middle market turnaround companies
  • Group built from scratch to 3,000 employees by 1995; most investments divested between 1995 and 2000: > 45% IRR

Philanthropic and Political Activities (cont.)

  • Co-author of “Fragile Welt”
  • Author of long seller “Coaching Kids”
  • Co-founder of the liberal network of the Liberal Democratic Party in Germany – presently non-active
  • Member of the Economic Advisory Board of German-Arab Friendship Society (DAFG)