Akiles

Kurt Huyghe is a partner and co-founder at Akiles, a €50 million Belgian evergreen investment fund that provides growth capital and buyout solutions to profitable SMEs, typically investing €0.5 million to €7.5 million in equity through minority or structured transactions. He brings over twenty years of experience in private equity, M&A, and corporate finance, having previously spent thirteen years in investment banking at Degroof Petercam leading M&A transactions and equity financings, and served as a financial advisor to real estate developers and private equity investors. Huyghe holds Master's degrees in Finance and Business Engineering and serves on the boards of several portfolio companies including Loop, Moonbird, and Vaigo.

Laurent Puissant Baeyens is a Partner at Akiles and member of the firm's investment team. He brings over 20 years of experience in corporate finance, private equity, and family office management.

Thierry François is a Managing Director at magenta tree and board director with over 25 years of experience in venture capital, private equity, family offices, and public markets. He advises small and medium-sized enterprises, scale-ups, and private equity-backed companies on growth acceleration, acquisitions, governance, and ownership transitions, serving in board roles including chair and audit committee positions. A CFA charterholder and Guberna certified director, he works with shareholders, boards, and management teams on strategy, financial performance, and corporate governance matters.