ASPIRATIONS 2016

Antwerp, 23 December 2015

Dear Investor,

Since its inception in 2008, Buysse & Partners has been creating value throughout both the financial and the economic crisis. This year however, we have noticed a different kind of crisis. The world has now been dragged in the third, most powerful, one: an identity crisis. The clash of civilizations in our streets, increasing moral uncertainty, the speed of evolution and disruption, have all lead to fear governing people’s mind.

No Central Bank or Government will have the power to resolve this crisis easily. And although we are afraid (again, fear) that this crisis will not abate in the near future, we continue to see the world offering one opportunity after another. Fundamental optimists are working on the irreversible creation of a sound and successful middle class. Agile entrepreneurs are steering family owned business and other SME’s towards resiliency. These kinds of companies are a cornerstone for wealth creation and economic stability.

And those companies are the ones we want to keep investing in. Spread across the globe, they carry the power to generate newborn optimism. “Old” and “new economy” entrepreneurs are strongly standing together in that respect. They are quickly learning from each other and are becoming intertwined. What would a disruptive start-up be without a minimum of governance or, let’s say, a hotel without IT systems and digitalization?

In Europe we have already found this fine balancing act: in companies with a history (Smart Equity) and in the winners of the future (Acceleration Capital). In both we are embedding the principles of one into the other. A few years ago, we have started our global quest in Latin America. Nowadays, the region is suffering from low commodity prices, the Chinese economic slowdown and last but not least from a political turnaround. But, agile as these people are, more than ever, they are preparing themselves for a sound recovery. Both seasoned and young local entrepreneurs are rising up to the occasion and are grasping the opportunities of a changing region. We remain convinced that our strategic choice to be a global investor will yield strong results for the long term.

Given our focused but well diversified approach we have further secured continuity in our own organization. Johan Buyle and Dimitri Herbosch have joined the partnership and, together with the entire team, will guide Buysse & Partners in finding access to unique investment opportunities in Belgium, Europa and across the globe.

It is obvious that we can’t invest everywhere. Focus remains key, as much as global diversification. We therefore have made a careful selection of “second homelands”: countries witnessing political stability, solid growth prospects and an economic tissue of hard working local entrepreneurs. In these countries we can establish ourselves for the long term as a successful investment boutique via a Unique Partnership.

We wish you and your families a healthy and prosperous 2016 with… successful investments.