Thomas Peter Limberger is a German industrial manager, restructuring expert, and investor. He is the founder of SilverArrow Capital, an investment company that generated a 24% return in 2014 and a 19% return in 2016. In 2006, German newspaper Handelsblatt described Limberger and his management style as “Jack Welch of the Alps”. In 2008, Die Zeit referred to Limberger as a successful but somewhat different “Whirlwind”.
In 1996, National Medical Care was acquired, forming Fresenius Medical Care based in Bad Homburg vor der Höhe, Germany. Limberger joined the company in 1996, holding various management roles until 2001.
In January 2001, Limberger took a position at General Electric, responsible for the German Industrial business division. In 2002, he became CEO of General Electric Germany, Austria and Switzerland. In this role he was responsible for all General Electric’s activities in Central Europe with 11,000 employees. It was under his management, that the region’s revenues doubled to $6.5 billion and earnings tripled. He was also at the helm during the integration of Allbank, where he was Chairman until 2005, and the building of a Global GE Research Facility on the Technical University of Munich campus.
In May 2004, Limberger was elected to the board of OC Oerlikon. One year later, after insolvency and a change in key shareholders, he became CEO and Vice President of the board. Limberger led a successful restructuring of the firm. He centralized management, restructured the 7 industrial business units, and implemented a stringent cost management regime. He led the company from a loss of 340 million Swiss Francs in 2004 to a record profit of 320 million Swiss Francs in 2006. Due to these efforts and the surge in the Oerlikon share price, the company won the Dow Jones EUROSTOXX 500 prize for the best stock in Europe.
From 2007 until 2011, Limberger was President and CEO of Von Roll, a manufacturer of insulation products and systems for the electrical machinery industry as well as for composite materials and parts for various industrial applications. Limberger successfully turned the company into a market leader in the industry with a sales growth of 33% and an EBIT growth of 103%. The share price of the company increased fivefold during this period.
SilverArrow Capital
In 2011, Limberger founded SilverArrow Capital, an investment company focusing on industrial growth sectors, real estate and infrastructure projects. With a deal flow of over $16 billion, Limberger has established himself as one of the leading activist players in the industry. It generated a 24% return in 2014 and a 19% return in 2016. In November 2015, it announced plans to raise its stake in Rofin-Sinar to 15% to force the company to appoint three new independent directors. In March 2016, the company announced that it would be acquired, leading to a surge in the share price. In October 2016, it acquired 51% of PrivatAir, a Swiss airline. PrivatAir became insolvent in December 2018.
Politics
His engagement and economic position brought him into contact with the political scene in Berlin. Johannes Rau mentioned Limberger in as speech to the German Foundation as an example of a businessman, who recognizes the significance of location and so invests successfully. In other discussions with the political leadership – including Gerhard Schroder, Angela Merkel, Frank-Walter Steinmeier – he is always stating his opinion on European economical development and the importance of high-tech development in the region.
