Mid Europa forms advisory board

Mid Europa Partners has hired Brunco Ducharme, Steve Johnson and Richard Oppenheim as the three initial members of its Industry Advisory Board. The firm is also looking to bolster its investment team across all three of its offices, as reported exclusively by Private Equity International earlier this year.

Ducharme is chairman of TIW Capital Partners, the investment arm of Czech and Romanian mobile group TIW, which he led from 1994 from 2005. From 2010 to earlier this year, he was also chief executive of satellite company Vizada.

Johnson is chairman of UK-based bed retailers Dreams. He is also a board member of Russian retailer Lenta. He was chief executive of the now-defunct UK retail chain Woolworths from 2008 to 2009, and also led DIY chain Focus from 2003 to 2007. He has also held executive positions at supermarket chain Asda

The third in the trio, Oppenheim is a supervisory board member of German pharmaceutical wholesaler Anzag. He is also chairman of the board of trustees of chemist chain Boots’ pension fund. He previously held a number of senior executive positions at Unilever, the last of which saw him take responsibility for 13 national operating companies across Russia and CEE.

Mid Europa said in a statement the firm had long-standing relationships with all three individuals, adding that their appointment would provide “insight and introductions for the Mid Europa investment team in target sectors across the region”. The firm said it would make further appointments to the advisory board in due course.