BACKUP_SCREEN_1080

Investment strategy

In 2023, Wendel initiated a strategic shift with the creation of a new private asset management business for third parties, alongside its long-standing principal investments business.

 

In less than three years, we have carried out a major strategic transformation. We have evolved from a traditional investment holding company into a diversified investment firm focused on creating long-term value through controlled private assets managed on our own behalf and on behalf of third parties. The value created by Wendel now serves both its clients and shareholders, while preserving its long-term investor DNA.

First, we carried out several external growth operations to build our private asset management business on behalf of third parties. At the same time, we implemented a new operational investment model to make investments on our own behalf more efficient.

Wendel now operates two robust, complementary value-creation engines, both focused entirely on private assets:

  • Wendel Investment Managers (WIM), our multi-affiliated private asset management platform, specialized in the mid-market, generating recurring and predictable cash flows. It adresses the needs of institutional investors in three private asset classes: private equity, private debt, and secondary.
  • Wendel Principal Investments (WPI), our long-standing Principal Investments activity, which generates capital gains. Through WPI, Wendel commits its own capital to invest in and support leading companies in their sectors with strong sustainable growth potential.

Through our two businesses, we currently manage more than €50bn on our own behalf and on behalf of our clients.

Learn more about our investment strategy

 

Our value creation strategy

Wendel has created a unique private asset investment ecosystem in North America and Europe, powered by two complementary value creation engines: the strong recurring cash flow generated by its private asset management platform and the potential of capital gains arising from its principal investment activities. This ecosystem is supported by an optimized operating model, a streamlined team, and a robust financial structure.

WIM : A unique diversified Asset Management Platform, focused on the private midmarket

A unique diversified Asset Management Platform, focused on the private midmarket in the US & Europe, with an ambition to achieve average annual growth of 15% in FREs by the end of 2030 through:

  • Critical size: >€46bn in Assets under Management and >€200m FRE(1) in 2026
  • Top quartile and complementary GPs in terms of asset class, client type and vintages in the areas of private debt, private equity, and private market solutions;
  • Additional organic growth potential to be released by a strong pipeline in terms of new strategies enhanced by sponsoring and shared distribution initiatives;
  • Generating growing and predictable cash flows through FRE
  • Additional cash flows with PRE in the years to come (20% of future carried)

(1) Full consolidation, on a full-year basis. 2026 FRE, Wendel share: c.€130m

WPI: a new operating model to enhance the performance of our portfolio companies

With WPI, Wendel’s objective is to achieve an average annual increase in the intrinsic value of Wendel’s Principal Investments of 12% to 16%, based on:

  • €5.3billion in net asset value in September 2025
  • a simpler and more efficient model for private investments benefiting from IK Partners’ ecosystem and talent pool, to whom Wendel has granted an advisory mandate;
  • a high-quality investment portfolio that is regularly valued using listed peers’ multiples;
  • a dynamic management of the listed and unlisted portfolio, which will continue actively until the end of 2030;
  • the gradual implementation of a direct investment program through the advisory mandate granted to IK Partners, with an objective of approximately €300m per year and per investment, potentially alongside co-investors investing similar amounts.

For more information on Wendel’s investment strategy