Gérard Lopez (businessman)

Gérard López
Native name Gérard López Fojaca[1]
Born (1971-12-27) 27 December 1971
Esch-sur-Alzette
Nationality  ESP Spanish[2]
 LUX Luxembourgish
Alma mater Miami University
Occupation Chairman and CEO of Nekton Co-founder and Chairman of The Genii Group and Chairman of Genii Capital
Founding Managing Partner of Mangrove Capital Partners

Gérard López Fojaca (born 27 December 1971) is an entrepreneur-investor and an active Luxembourgish-Spanish businessman that invests in new technologies, energy sector and in the sports industry.

In the 1990s, Lopez cofounded Mangrove Capital Partners, one of the top three Tech investor in Europe. Alongside Éric Lux, he created The Genii Group. From 2009 to 2015, Lopez was President of the Formula 1 Lotus F1 Team and is still one of its minority shareholder and administrator. He is chairman of Genii Capital and is also CEO of Nekton,[3] an investment company in the energy sector, where he spends most of his time. Lopez has been the President of Luxemburg CS Fola Esch football club since 2007.

Biography

Lopez graduated from Miami University in integrated traffic management systems and in operational management. He also has a degree in Asian Art. At age 22, he began managing a number of companies among which Icon Solutions, a pioneer society in internet development, and the leasing company ProLease. Lopez is an active investor in various types of private funds, ranging from early-stage technology companies to real estate investments.

With Mark Tluszcz and Hans Jurgen Schmitz, he founded Mangrove Capital Partners, a Luxembourg-based leading venture capital company specialized in future oriented technologies. Mangrove Capital Partners was one of the first investors in Skype before selling its share to Ebay in 2005 for 3.2 billion dollars.[4]

He founded with Eric Lux in 2008 Genii Capital, a finance consulting and investment managing firm. Lopez sits on the board of Directors of WIx, Zink Imaging, Lotus F1 Team and is also a member of the Planning Advisory Committee of the University of Miami Business School.

In 2015, he founded Nekton, an investment company and brokerage in energy field, active in South America, Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe[5][6]

Sports

As a sports fan, Lopez got into car racing through operations made with Eric Lux and Gravity Sport Management in particular. He also participated in long-distance races with Gravity Racing International's team. In 2009, he bought out the Formula 1 Lotus F1 Team making Genii Capital the majority owner of the team. If the stable possessed very few sponsors at the beginning, Microsoft, Unilever and Coca-Cola soon became team partners.[7]

Through Kick Partners and Mangrove Sport Business Intelligence, Lopez also takes care of the image and the transfers of football players.[8] The businessman has also been since 2007 the President of the CS Fola Esch, the football club in which he used to play as a teenager.

With Marc Ingla, both men have been associates for years in Kick Partners and Mangrove Sport Business Intelligence activities. Leading figure of the FC Barcelona in the 2000s and former Marketing Director of the football club, Marc Ingla coordinated FC Barcelona’s professional team sponsoring by Nike.

For one year, Lopez and his team are studying the French Ligue 1 championship for an acquisition.[9] In October 2016, Lopez entered into exclusive talks with President Michel Seydoux for the acquisition of the Lille OSC football club[10] He eventually succeeded and become the majority owner of the French Ligue 1 club.

Personal interests

Lopez owns what is considered by some to be one of the best car collections in the world.[11] It has been featured in Top Gear magazine and in local newspapers.[12]

References

  1. ↑ "Nekton Group". nekton-group.com. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  2. ↑ País, Ediciones El (23 December 2015). "Reportaje - Gerard López, el millonario invisible". elpais.com. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  3. ↑ http://www.luxembourgforict.lu/en/library/video-clips/mangrove/index.html
  4. ↑ "Wikiwix's cache". wikiwix.com. Archived from the original on 14 September 2016. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  5. ↑ "Nekton Group prend 50% de Rise Capital: Le pétrole, nouveau pari de Gérard Lopez". wort.lu. 15 June 2015. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  6. ↑ "Skype financier Gerard Lopez to lead new Russia-focused infrastructure investment group". privateequitywire.co.uk. 16 June 2015. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  7. ↑ "Lotus signe un nouveau partenaire - F1i.com". f1i.com. 5 September 2013. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  8. ↑ "Transfert : Gerson est enfin à la Roma". lequipe.fr. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  9. ↑ SPORT, RMC. "LOSC : pourquoi Gérard Lopez débarque". bfmtv.com. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  10. ↑ Rédaction. "Vente du Losc : Gérard Lopez et Michel Seydoux en négociations exclusives pour le rachat du club". lequipe.fr. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  11. ↑ "The best car collection... in the world?". Retrieved 12 July 2012.
  12. ↑ "Car collection featured on Top Gear". Retrieved 28 June 2017.
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