- Seasoned investment expert in the life science sector with impressive track-record
UTRECHT, The Netherlands, June 02, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gilde Healthcare, a specialized healthcare investor with €1.4 billion under management, today announced the appointment of Dr. Joep Muijrers to the investment team of its Venture & Growth capital fund. Joep will be responsible for Gilde's investments in publicly-traded companies focused on therapeutics, healthtech and medical devices in Europe and the US.
Dr. Muijrers joins Gilde with two decades of broad experience in life sciences, including senior roles in portfolio management, company operations and investment banking. Most recently, he served as Chief Financial Officer and Chief of Portfolio Strategy at PureTech Health (PRTC), a Boston-based biotech company focused on developing highly differentiated medicines for devastating diseases. During his term, companies founded by PureTech were able to raise funding in excess of USD 1.5 billion, PureTech listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange, its financial runway was extended into 2025 and PureTech's market capitalization grew substantially.
Prior to PureTech, Dr. Muijrers was a Portfolio Manager at LSP, where he invested in publicly-traded life sciences companies. During his ten-year tenure at LSP, this strategy generated a total return in excess of 900%, which was more than twice the return of the Nasdaq Biotechnology Index during the same period. Prior to joining LSP, Dr. Muijrers served as Director Corporate Finance and Capital Markets at Fortis Bank, where he focused on financing and M&A transactions for life sciences companies in Europe and the US. Dr. Muijrers holds a Ph.D. degree in Molecular Biology from the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg, Germany, and a Master's degree in Biochemistry from the University of Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
Pieter van der Meer, Managing Partner at Gilde Healthcare commented: "We are excited to join forces with Joep, one of the most accomplished investment professionals in the European healthcare sector. Joep combines an impressive investment track record with in-depth sector knowledge and an extensive network. Joep's arrival allows us to further build out our franchise with public investment expertise. In the past few years many of our portfolio companies became public, and several companies are preparing for a listing in the near term. In addition, Joep will be instrumental in evaluating public-private investment opportunities such as PIPEs, both in Europe and US."
Joep Muijrers commented: "Following a fantastic period at PureTech, I am thrilled to be joining the excellent team at Gilde. Its track record comfortably places the firm in the top decile of healthcare investors, and it is well-positioned for continued success. I have known several members of the investment team for close to twenty years, and I have gotten to know Gilde as a forward-thinking group with broad investment experience across the healthcare sector. I am highly motivated to extend Gilde's strategy to invest in innovative businesses delivering better care at lower cost into the public markets."
Media contacts:
LifeSci Advisors
Frank Schwarz - fschwarz@lifesciadvisors.com / +49 17 26 15 31 60
Gilde Healthcare
Pieter van der Meer - vandermeer@gildehealthcare.com / +31 30 219 2565
About Gilde Healthcare
Gilde Healthcare is a specialized healthcare investor managing over €1.4 billion across two fund strategies: Private Equityand Venture & Growth. The Private Equity fund of Gilde Healthcare participates in profitable European lower mid-market healthcare companies with a prime focus on the Benelux and DACH region. The Private Equity fund targets healthcare providers, suppliers of medical products and service providers in the healthcare market. The Venture & Growth of Gilde Healthcare invests in medtech, healthtech and therapeutics in Europe and North America.
For more information, visit the company's website at www.gildehealthcare.com.
