LONDON, March 4 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Brendon Grunewald has joined Element Six as head of E6 Ventures to set up and run the group's new venture business to identify and invest in new business opportunities. As part of the group's ambitious growth programme, Element Six has made significant funds available to support strategic investment in innovative businesses using synthetic diamond as an important enabling technology. The aim is to provide investments that range from seed funds for research and start-ups, through to spin-outs, spins-offs and joint ventures with the aim of bringing a strong return on investment.
"We want to be recognised as an active investor in new applications, new markets, new technologies and new companies," says Brendon Grunewald. "As such, Element Six is open to a broad range of investment opportunities across industry, provided they meet our investment criteria. We are looking for entrepreneurs with potentially interesting ideas and partners who would be willing to invest alongside us in businesses of the future. We are actively encouraging people with ideas and entrepreneurial ambitions to contact us."
"Brendon's long experience in the ventures business is a considerable asset to Element Six," says Christian Hultner, CEO of Element Six. "This is of particular value to us as we are developing and building our expertise in novel solutions based on our marketing redefining and, often, disruptive technologies. Also our commitment to these venture activities gives a powerful message that Element Six intends to become an even stronger force in the world of materials."
Importantly for Element Six, Brendon Grunewald has had direct experience of building businesses from start up. He served as CEO and board member of Sinfilo, where he took the company from incorporation to one of the best known WLAN operators in Europe with a successful exit to Telenet in October 2003.
Brendon Grunewald has built his experience as founder and CEO of IceVista, an advisory firm based in Brussels, Belgium that assists companies and investors of all sizes with research, financial structuring or restructuring, refinancing, fund raising (debt and equity), investments and divestments as well as due diligence, mergers and acquisitions. Also, he has held various executive positions at several companies including Siemens in Germany and continues to serve on company boards or act as an executive or board advisor in both North America and Europe.
Aside from his business activities, Brendon Grunewald is also the founder of 70South and the Polar Conservation Organisation, a recognized leader in Antarctic and Polar news and educational information, and is active in Antarctic and polar conservation and education.
Element Six is the world's leading supplier of high quality superabrasives and advanced engineering materials used throughout manufacturing industry for a wide range of applications. It is the frontrunner in the development of synthetic diamond and novel engineering materials that are being used in industrial applications that span, for example optical, mechanical, thermal, electronic, automotive, telecommunications and medical industries. With a turnover of more than US$500m and almost 4,000 employees, Element Six has established production and processing plants in China, Germany, Ireland, Sweden, South Africa, Ukraine and the UK supported by a global distribution network.
