Hanspeter Spek joins Advent’s operations network

Advent International has appointed Hanspeter Spek to strengthen its operational team.  

Spek will work closely with Advent’s healthcare team to find attractive investment opportunities. He will also assist with value creation efforts in pharmaceuticals and pharmaceuticals-related investments. 

Spek will join Advent’s operating partner programme, which now includes approximately 60 senior industry executives. This team typically assists the firm in finding attractive investment opportunities, conducting due diligence, and creating and driving value creation plans for Advent’s portfolio companies. 

Hanspeter Spek has joined Advent  International.

Prior to joining Advent, Spek was president of global operations at pharmaceutical company Sanofi. He has been with the firm since 1985, when he was hired as a marketing director of Sanofi Pharma, the company’s German subsidiary. 

During his time at Sanofi, he has had a number of roles in Germany and France before becoming senior vice president of European operations after the merger with Synthélabo in 1999. From October 2000 until February 2003, Spek was executive vice president of international operations.

In 2003, Spek was appointed executive vice president of worldwide operations of Sanofi-Synthélabo, which later became Sanofi. Before Sanofi, Spek worked at Pfizer International where he held various marketing and sales positions before becoming marketing director for the German subsidiary. 

Tom Allen, a London-based director at Advent, said the firm was “delighted” to welcome Spek to its operating partner programme. “Advent is an active investor in the healthcare sector and pharmaceuticals is a key focus for the team, as evidenced by Advent’s recent acquisition of Mediq. Hanspeter’s operational and financial experience gained from working within leading global pharmaceutical businesses will further enhance our capability to pursue opportunities in the sector and support our portfolio companies globally.”

Earlier this month, Advent hired Angelo Brisimitzakis into its operating partner programme in the US, as a consultant to the firm’s industrial team.  

Advent is currently investing its seventh fund, which closed on €8.5 billion in October 2012.