Lardera Arrival

Filippo Lardera joins Compass, Rondelli Advisers as Managing Director

MILAN February 16, 2009 – Compass, Rondelli Advisers, the Milan-based investment banking boutique, announced today that Filippo Lardera has joined the firm as a Managing Director. He was previously Managing Partner of Sigma Corporate Finance, an investment banking boutique with a particular focus on M&A and private equity, which he founded in 2002.

      Prior to 2002, Mr. Lardera was responsible for principal investment activities of GE Capital Structured Finance in Southern Europe. He joined GE Capital from UBS, where he was in charge of Italy and Eastern Europe with his main focus on telecom corporate finance. During his 20 years in investment banking, he has led a wide variety of corporate finance transactions including strategic sales, capital raisings, debt restructurings, privatisations and valuations. He holds an MBA from Universitá Bocconi in Milan.

      Saverio Rondelli, Managing Partner of Compass, Rondelli Advisers, said: "Few individuals in Italy can match the length and breadth of Filippo's experience in corporate finance. As organisations increasingly look to advice from an independent investment banking boutique, Filippo will significantly enhance our capability to assist private equity firms and other clients in restructurings, M&A and capital raisings."

      Filippo Lardera said: "I am delighted to join Compass, Rondelli Advisers, a firm which in only two years has already demonstrated that it can punch well above its weight. As I have got to know Saverio over the past 14 years, it has become very clear that we both share the same values and approach in serving the needs of clients."

      "We are pleased that Filippo has joined our global team," said Stephen Waters, Compass Advisers' Founding Partner. "Our clients need high-quality support as they expand globally, seek capital for new ventures, or restructure during the current difficult times."

      Compass, Rondelli Advisers is a strategic partnership formed at the end of 2006 between Saverio Rondelli and Compass Advisers, LLP to collaborate on cross-border M&A transactions involving Italian companies.

      Over the past three years Compass, Rondelli Advisers has advised on two of Italy's largest LBOs, including:

• Barclays Private Equity and Investcorp on the €820 million acquisition of N&W Global Vending, the leading pan-European manufacturer of food and beverage vending machines from Argan Capital and Merrill Lynch Global Private Equity.


• Candover on its €1.7 billion acquisition from Permira of a majority interest in Ferretti SpA, one of the world's leading manufacturers of high performance luxury motor yachts.