We are a highly networked, multi-cultural and multi-lingual partnership with proven investment judgement
As an owner-managed firm, we are entrepreneurs at heart, and we are passionate about European businesses. When it comes to successful private equity deals, it’s the people who make the difference, and at Keyhaven our partners manage each investment that we make. We are a diverse group of individuals who have worked across different countries and industries, and we have a long track record of more than 25 years each in private equity, and over 10 years together.
The broader Keyhaven team is comprised of individuals with diverse professional backgrounds, nationalities and language capabilities: we hail from 18 countries and we speak 21 languages. This rich heritage serves as the central building block of our firm, and informs our culture, strategy, and execution capabilities. We are a complementary mix of people who share a sense of ambition, a questioning nature and an open-minded, creative and friendly approach. The Keyhaven team's broad cultural awareness, strong language capabilities, and deep industrial experience positions us exceptionally well for European lower mid-market investing, where local networks and knowledge are vital to forming good judgement, which in turn is key to creating long term high quality performance.
In addition, we work closely with a group of Senior Advisers, who are individuals with a broad range of operational and investment experience from different industries and geographies. They provide us with active support and insights in the sourcing and evaluation of investment opportunities, and also assist the Keyhaven team in monitoring and performing regular reviews of our portfolio companies.
Salina Allie
Partner
Salina has 30 years of investing and operational experience. She is a member of the Investment Committee and manages firm-wide operations. Before joining Keyhaven, Salina was employed with London Fund Managers and from 2001, she was a member of the European private equity fund of funds team at AXA Investment Managers. Prior to this, Salina worked for Morgan Cole Solicitors where she managed all internal and external marketing and seminars. Salina is a mentor for Action for Race Equality, a national UK charity, delivering programmes to raise the aspirations of young black, Asian and minority groups between the age of 11-24 years to succeed in education and employment.
Salina also gained experience at The Communications Innovation Group, where she was responsible for regional press coverage and the management of designers. Earlier in her career Salina worked at the Demerara Distilleries in Georgetown, Guyana, where she advised the company on a variety of training and development programmes for staff.
Salina has a BSc in Business Administration with honours from Cardiff University and an MSc in Management Studies from Brunel University
Sarah Baha
Chief Compliance Officer
Sarah has nine years of compliance and other relevant experience. At Keyhaven, she leads the firm’s compliance function, working alongside the Partners. Sarah is responsible for developing and executing Keyhaven’s compliance programme, as well as ensuring that the company operates in a legal and ethical manner while meeting its business goals. Before joining Keyhaven, Sarah was Junior Compliance Officer at Union Bancaire Privée in Geneva. Prior to this, she worked at Credit Suisse as a Pre-Compliance Team Assistant in Geneva.
Sarah has a BA in Law from Geneva University, a Bilingual Masters in Civil and Criminal Law from Geneva University and Basel University and a Certificate of Advanced Studies in Legal Professions from Geneva University. She is fluent in English, French, German and Spanish.
Petra Balaziova
Senior Fund Accountant
Petra has 16 years of experience in finance and back office operations. She assists in the management of the day to day back office and the fund administration for the Keyhaven funds. Before joining Keyhaven, Petra was a Fund Accountant for Montagu Private Equity and Mainspring Fund Services Limited. Prior to this, she worked as a Project Accountant at IQEQ (Global) UK Limited and an Assistant Accountant at Tish Leibovitch Accountants.
Petra holds certificates in Financial Modelling and Financial Planning and Analysis from the London School of Business and Finance and is ACCA qualified. She is fluent in English, Slovak and Czech, and speaks conversational German.
Keith Bratton
Head of Fund Accounting
Keith has 19 years of experience in finance and back office operations. He assists in the management of the day to day back office and the fund administration for the Keyhaven funds. Before joining Keyhaven, Keith was a Senior Fund Controller at Park Square Capital. Prior to this, he was a Client Services Accountant at Augentius and a Trainee Accountant at TK Magee & Co. Keith began his career at PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Keith has a MSc in Professional Accountancy from the University of London and is ACCA qualified.
Sarah Brereton
Partner
Sarah has 13 years of experience in private equity and finance. She is responsible for managing the investment process, including the sourcing, analysis, monitoring and exiting of investments, and for conducting general market research. Before joining Keyhaven, Sarah was a Corporate Finance Executive for Gaelectric Holdings. Previous to this, she was a Senior Associate in the audit division of KPMG in Ireland.
Sarah has a BA in Business and Law with honours from University College Dublin and is ACA qualified.
Matthew Cloke
Senior Analyst
Matthew has five years of relevant experience. He focuses on database maintenance, general market research and assisting in the sourcing, analysis, monitoring and exiting of investments. In addition, Matthew works in the Firm’s investor relations and marketing team. Before joining Keyhaven, Matthew was an Assistant Manager in Private Capital Audit at Deloitte.
Matthew has a BSc in Economics with Industrial Experience from the University of Exeter and is ACA qualified. He is fluent in English and conversational in French.
Stuart Davies
Partner
Stuart has 34 years of experience in operations and finance, mostly in the insurance industry. He is a member of the Investment Committee and is responsible for leading the investment process with a focus on financial services. Stuart has served as Executive Chairman of DARAG Group Limited since 2017 and he is the Chairman of the Board of elseco. Before joining Keyhaven, Stuart was a Group Chief Executive Officer at Sompo Canopius, a leading global speciality reinsurer. Previous to this, Stuart spent 11 years at Aegis London, a Lloyd’s syndicate, most recently as Managing Director. He began his career with Ernst and Young where he qualified as a Chartered Accountant.
Stuart has a BA in Geography from Kings College London and an Executive MBA from INSEAD.
Chiara Dirutigliano
Analyst
Chiara has five years of experience in private equity and finance. She focuses on database maintenance, general market research, and assisting in the sourcing and analysis of investment opportunities. In addition, Chiara works in the Firm’s investor relations and marketing team. Before joining Keyhaven, she completed several internships at Deloitte in Luxembourg and Optimum Asset Management in Berlin.
Chiara has a BA in Management from Università degli Studi di Torino and a Masters in Management from ESCP Europe Business School. She is fluent in English, Italian and French.
Michael Haddad
Investment Manager
Michael has seven years of experience in private equity and finance. He is responsible for the sourcing, analysis, monitoring and exiting of investments, as well as conducting general market research. In addition, Michael works in the Firm's investor relations and marketing team. Before joining Keyhaven, he worked at Nomura International and AXA Investment Managers in London.
Michael has a BSc in Economics from Brunel University and an MSc in Corporate Finance from Cass Business School. He is fluent in English and Arabic.
Ahsan Hameed
Senior Analyst
Ahsan has 11 years of experience in private equity and finance. He focuses on database maintenance, general market research and assisting in the sourcing, analysis, monitoring and exiting of investments. Before joining Keyhaven, Ahsan worked at Grant Thornton and JPMorgan.
Ahsan has a BSc in Business Management with honours from King’s College London and is ACA qualified. He is fluent in English and Urdu, and speaks conversational French and Arabic.
Natasha Hill
Finance Administrator
Natasha has 15 years of experience in finance and back office operations. She assists in the management of the day to day back office and the administration for the Keyhaven funds. Before joining Keyhaven, she gained significant experience at Grant Thornton, Love Success, and BritBound Limited in the UK, and Bendigo Bank and ANZ Bank in Australia.
Vignesh Kumaravel
Investment Manager
Vignesh has 11 years of experience in private equity and finance. He is responsible for the sourcing, analysis, monitoring and exiting of investments, in addition to conducting general market research. Before joining Keyhaven, Vignesh worked as an Investment Associate at Kester Capital. Prior to this, he spent seven years at PricewaterhouseCoopers, rising to become a manager in the transaction services division in London.
Vignesh has a BSc (Hons) in Economics from Warwick University and is ACA qualified. In addition, he is a CFA Charterholder. Vignesh is fluent in English and Tamil.
Diana Marr
Investment Director
Diana has 21 years of experience in private equity and corporate finance. She is responsible for managing the investment process, including the sourcing, analysis, monitoring and exiting of investments, and for conducting general market research. Before joining Keyhaven, Diana was a Managing Director in the M&A team at BDO Corporate Finance leading M&A transactions in technology and media, business services and consumer sectors. Prior to this, she was a corporate finance advisor at Clarges Capital Limited and Bridge Europe Consulting in London. Diana started her career at New Europe Fund, American International Group Capital Management’s private equity fund based in Poland and Romania.
Diana has BA degrees in Business Administration and Political Science/International Relations from the American University in Bulgaria and an MSc in Finance from Cass Business School in London. She is fluent in English, Romanian, French and speaks Italian.
Kelly Mayer
Partner
Kelly has 25 years of private equity experience. He is a member of the Investment Committee and is responsible for leading the investment process and investor relations in North America. Prior to joining Keyhaven, Kelly spent three years independently supporting the capital raising initiatives of emerging deal sponsors and starting a business venture in Colorado. From 2003 to 2017, Kelly served with Lion Capital, a private investment firm that focuses on acquiring market-leading consumer brands in Europe and North America. As a Partner, Kelly led Lion’s fundraising and investor relations activities, raising over $7 billion of capital commitments for closed-end funds and co-investment vehicles over his 14-year tenure. His earlier positions include five years as the Investor Relations Officer at Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst, a mid-market private equity firm, and four years as an investment consultant with Watson Wyatt Worldwide (now Willis Towers Watson) and SEI Corporation. Kelly started his career as a Naval Officer in the U.S. Navy.
Kelly has a B.S. in General Engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy and is a Chartered Financial Analyst.
Teddy Mouawad
Partner
Teddy has 14 years of experience in private equity and finance. He is responsible for managing the investment process, including the sourcing, analysis, monitoring and exiting of investments, and for conducting general market research. Teddy holds an Observer seat on the Board of Pet Network, Real Good Dental, Mazarine and Buffet Crampon. Before joining Keyhaven, he worked as a Finance Analyst for British American Tobacco in London, where he began his tenure as a Management Trainee in 2009.
Teddy has a BA in Business Administration from the American University of Beirut, and a Masters in Finance from Cass Business School in London. In addition, he is ACMA qualified. Teddy is fluent in English, French and Arabic.
Mehreen Saleem
Fund Accountant
Mehreen has nine years of experience in finance and back office operations. She assists in the management of the day to day back office and the fund administration for the Keyhaven funds. Before joining Keyhaven, she worked as an Associate for OakNorth Bank Limited. Prior to this, she was a Financial Assistant at Copal Partners (UK) Limited.
Mehreen has a BSc in Finance and Accounting with honours from Brunel University. She is fluent in English, Urdu, Hindi and Punjabi.
Saba Sikander
Financial Controller
Saba has 12 years of experience in finance and private equity back office operations. She is responsible for managing corporate accounting. Before joining Keyhaven, Saba was Financial Controller and Compliance Officer at Aretex Capital Management, a global private equity firm focused on investments primarily in Europe and North America. Prior to this, she spent six years at Deloitte, rising to become an audit manager for global asset managers, entrepreneurial investment firms, and private equity funds, among others.
Saba has a BA in Accounting with first class honours from University of Strathclyde, Scotland and is a member of Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland. She is fluent in English and Urdu.
Claus Stenbaek
Managing Partner
Claus has 41 years of direct private equity as well as quoted securities experience. In addition to managing Keyhaven Capital Partners, he is a member of the Investment Committee and is also responsible for leading the investment process. Claus is the Chairman of Novation 2017 and Novation Tech S.p.A. In addition, he holds an Observer seat on the Board of Agrupapulpi. From 2012 to 2018, Claus was a member of the Invest Europe Limited Partner Platform Council, and he was also appointed to the Invest Europe Audit and Financial Committee.
Before founding Keyhaven, Claus was Executive Director of Danske Private Equity. His earlier positions include Founding Managing Director of Richmond Capital Limited, a niche investment bank, and managing a European family office. Claus has also served as CFO of engineering company F.L.Smidth & Cia Espanola, and as a Senior Consultant with Andersen Consulting (now Accenture). He has served as Chairman and/or Board Member of more than 30 private and public companies in Europe and the United States over the course of his career.
Claus has a BSc in Finance and Accounting from Copenhagen Business School and earned an Executive MBA cum laude from Instituto de Impresa, Madrid. He is fluent in English, Danish, Spanish, Norwegian and Swedish, and also speaks French and German.
Zaid Tabani
Head of Finance
Zaid has 16 years of experience in finance and audit. He manages the day to day back office and the fund administration for the Keyhaven funds. Before joining Keyhaven, Zaid was an accountant at Prudential. Prior to this, he also worked for Deutsche Bank and BDO Stoy Hayward.
Zaid has a BSc in Medical Biochemistry with honours from Leicester University and is ACA qualified. He is fluent in English and Urdu, and speaks conversational French and German.
Sasha van den Blink
Managing Partner
Sasha has 30 years of experience in European private equity. In addition to managing Keyhaven Capital Partners, she is a member of the Investment Committee and is also responsible for leading the investment process. Sasha sits on the Board of Novation 2017 and Novation Tech S.p.A. In addition, she holds an Observer seat on the Board of Barbara Sturm Molecular Cosmetics GmbH and Optimapharm. Sasha is a Co-Founder of Level 20, a not-for-profit organisation founded to inspire women to join and succeed in the European private equity industry. From April 2017 to April 2023 she served as a member of the Board of Directors of Lebanese International Finance Executives (LIFE), a worldwide membership organisation of Lebanese financiers based in the Lebanese diaspora.
Before founding Keyhaven, Sasha was Managing Director at AXA Investment Managers where she was responsible for setting up and developing its European private equity fund of funds programme. Prior to joining AXA Investment Managers, she was employed by an affiliate of BT Alex. Brown (now Deutsche Bank). Sasha previously worked as a consultant for Cambridge Associates, an investment advisory firm, in both their London and Boston offices.
Sasha has a BA cum laude degree from Wellesley College. She is fluent in Dutch and English, and speaks conversational Italian, Spanish and Arabic.
Andrew Ware
Partner
Andrew has 38 years of experience in M&A, operations and finance. He is a member of the Investment Committee and is responsible for the oversight and management of our finance, compliance, corporate governance functions as well as supporting our deal execution and monitoring capabilities. Andrew sits on the Board of Novation 2017 Limited, Potsdamer 2018 Limited, and holds an observer seat on the Board of OUTCO, PCML Group and Steer Automotive Group. Before joining Keyhaven he served as the CFO/COO of Karen Millen Group, a London based international fashion retailer operating in over 65 countries.
Previous to this, Andrew spent 14 years at BDO, most recently as a Partner. During his tenure at BDO he held a variety of corporate finance-related management and leadership roles including the founding of the private equity advisory group, leading the London advisory business and the London Corporate Finance department, and heading National Corporate Finance. In addition, he was a member of the International M&A team and provided strategic support to the BDO management board. He began his career with Deloitte Haskins and Sells where he qualified as a Chartered Accountant.
Andrew has a BSc in Economics with honours from Swansea University
Nicola Williamson
Office Manager
Nicola has 15 years of relevant experience. In addition to managing all aspects of the building, she provides administrative support to Keyhaven’s Partners. Nicola has gained significant experience in the course of her career, through her work with companies to include Solium Capital UK, The BB Group, Downham Health & Leisure Centre and Cadrex Overseas Limited based in Cyprus.