Acquisition of Catana Capital by LEHNER INVESTMENTS
The shares of the German FinTech company Catana Capital GmbH (Catana), based in Frankfurt, and a pioneer in Big Data and Artificial Intelligence (AI) driven asset management, will be fully acquired by its strategic partner LEHNER INVESTMENTS AG (LIAG). The acquisition will be made in exchange for 11.5 million newly issued shares of LIAG, which is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (ISIN:DE000A2DA406), at an issue price of EUR 1.64 per share for the approximately 71% of Catana’s shares previously not held by LIAG.
“I am very pleased that Catana Capital will become part of the LEHNER INVESTMENTS Group. Together, this will enable us even more to efficiently and successfully grow our positioning as the leading asset management company in Europe for AI and Big Data investment solutions based on Catana’s know-how and LEHNER INVESTMENTS’ experience and network,” said Bastian Lechner, founder and CEO of Catana Capital.
The transaction was recorded with the commercial register on January 20, 2021, after the prior approval of Catana’s shareholders and the approval of LIAG’s Annual General Meeting. The German Financial Supervisory Authority has also already approved the transaction in the context of an owner control procedure.
“As the founder of LEHNER INVESTMENTS, I am pleased to welcome Catana’s shareholders and employees as part of LEHNER INVESTMENTS. After successfully working with Catana over the past two and a half years, we are convinced of the significant potential in applying AI and Big Data to investing. With Catana, we now have an innovation driver that will significantly contribute to the future growth of LEHNER INVESTMENTS,” says Markus Lehner, founder and main shareholder of LEHNER INVESTMENTS.
In the future, Catana will act as the central asset manager of the group alongside the sales unit LEHNER INVESTMENTS SALES AGENCY and the engineering and administration unit LEHNER INVESTMENTS ENGINEERING. In the future, the external branding for all joint products and services will be uniformly “LEHNER INVESTMENTS — The Art of Artificial Intelligence“. Accordingly, Catana Capital GmbH will operate as LEHNER INVESTMENTS MANAGEMENT GmbH going forward.
“The full acquisition of Catana Capital represents an important milestone for LIAG as a listed company to complete our equity story as an operational financial services holding company. The first step of our reverse IPO through the contribution of the three companies has been completed,” said Siddharath Lugani, CEO of LEHNER INVESTMENTS AG.
In addition to taking over operational and cross-group activities, LIAG also performs the function of a financial services holding company. In the long term, the next step of the reverse IPO is planned to increase the free float of the shares after a further increase in assets under management. Already now, LIAG is attractively positioned and will be able to pay dividends in the near future.
About Catana Capital
Catana Capital GmbH is a financial services institution licensed under Section 32 of the German Banking Act (KWG) and headquartered in Frankfurt am Main. The FinTech was founded in August 2015 and advises, among others, the LI Data Intelligence Fund (ISIN: DE000A2H9A76), a European Equity L/S fund based entirely on Big Data and Artificial Intelligence. Catana Capital sees itself as a pioneer in the development of new approaches in asset management and offers innovative investment products for private investors & institutional clients.
About LEHNER INVESTMENTS
LEHNER INVESTMENTS AG is a financial services holding company listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (ISIN: DE000A2DA406) and initiator of the LI MULTI LEADERS FUND (ISIN: DE000A0MUW08). The company acquires and manages international investments in companies active and specialized in the investment fund business. LEHNER INVESTMENTS has more than 30 years of proven expertise in the entire value chain for investment funds.
