Gimv funds a Chair in Private Equity at Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School
Gimv (www.gimv.com) and Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School (www.vlerick.com) combine their strengths by setting up a Chair in private equity. Both partners involved have always had a strong belief in the fruitful interaction between academic research and management practice. The multidisciplinary program, with a strong link to day-to-day investment practice, will be beneficial to the broader private equity and venture capital community, as well as to both partners in this Chair. The Gimv Chair in private equity will be held by Professor Dr. Sophie Manigart. The Chair agreement enables her to undertake research in the field of private equity and venture capital, and to develop a knowledge base and valuable insights that, ultimately, can take the industry to a higher level.
Professor Dr. Sophie Manigart holds a degree in Civil Engineering and an MBA. She received her doctorate in Management from Ghent University. Dr. Manigart is a professor at Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School and at Ghent University. Currently she is also the Programme Director of Vlerick's Master's in Financial Management. She did her doctoral studies at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business (USA), and she is a specialist in the field of entrepreneurial financing. Professor Dr Manigart has been a Visiting Professor at London Business School for the course 'Financing the Entrepreneurial Business'. Last year Professor Dr. Manigart was holder of the Belgian Francqui Chair at Université de Liège, with the topic ‘Venture capital and private equity: an economic and entrepreneurial approach’.
Professor Herman Daems, Chairman Gimv, comments on this sponsorship: “This is a clear example of a strong partnership between two leading and complementary organizations, which will be beneficial to the whole industry in which Gimv is active. Gimv has its roots in Flanders but has also the clear ambition to continue to grow further into a fully fledged European private equity and venture capital player. Teaming up with Vlerick, Belgium’s most important business school and an institute with an outstanding international reputation and network, will be of great help in realizing this ambition.”
“Private equity offers a great opportunity for research and teaching, because it is often misunderstood, can add a lot of value in building companies, and is also undergoing significant change. We appreciate that Gimv is funding this collaboration which will stimulate the ongoing institutionalisation of private equity and venture capital, and will also be beneficial to entrepreneurship in our country.“ adds Professor Philippe Haspeslagh, Dean Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School.
Professor Dr. Sophie Manigart on this partnership: “Traditionally, we have devoted a lot of attention to venture capital and private equity practices in our long term MasterClasses, MBA and Masters programmes. The research and practical cases that we will develop with Gimv will further spread best practice in private equity and venture capital amongst all onrushing management talent. We will further strengthen our international network with private equity practitioners and academics.”
“Management practice goes hand in hand with academic research. Therefore, we believe this partnership to be an excellent basis to create a center of excellence in private equity and venture capital. Moreover, the active participation of our portfolio companies will add an extra dimension to this partnership. This collaboration will also enable both Gimv’s professionals as well as the management teams in the different portfolio companies, to get in touch with Vlerick’s outstanding educational level and its extensive network. This should lead to an interesting cross-fertilization between both organizations.” adds Koen Dejonckheere, CEO Gimv.