Bernd is a seasoned revenue leader with a proven track record in establishing and expanding European operations for mostly US-based technology companies.

He currently leads the EMEA expansion for eCommerce Product Discovery Platform Constructor.io and previously built Cloud Security Scale-Up Lacework in Central & Southern Europe, following successful ventures in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland for Endpoint Security Company Cybereason, as well as the Database platform MongoDB (Nasdaq: MDB).

Bernd’s software Go-to-Market career began with direct sales roles at SAP HQ and M&A data room provider Intralinks. Currently, he collaborates with select SaaS startup CEOs to build and evolve their GTM operations.

Bernd grew up playing competitive Rugby and in his free time, enjoys being immersed in the world of sports with his two kids or exploring the great outdoors with his wife and dog Wilma.

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Jessica brings more than 20 years of Go-to-Market experience in the software and services industry.

After starting her career in global corporations like Siemens and Yahoo!, Jessica was part of the leadership team at Board International, where during her 10+ tenure she was instrumental to the growth of the business from a niche regional player to a global market leader.

In her various roles, Jessica has developed and executed growth strategies through international expansion, business development and sales excellence, creation of strategic alliances, customer success.  She was nominated among the “Top 50 Women in SaaS 2019” by The Software Report.

Having lived in Ireland and Germany in the past, Jessica is based in the north of Italy, where outside work she enjoys horse riding and spending time with family and friends.

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Onno is an International Finance Executive (CFO) with an extensive experience in public, private as well as PE backed companies. Combining innovation and technology into sustainable value creation has been his passion throughout his career. 

 He was previously CFO of Exact Software BV (International software company headquartered in the NL) while the company was taken private in 2014 and subsequently successfully transitioned through various ownerships cycles. More recently, Onno was the CFO of Kinly Holding BV, an international visual collaboration company. 

Onno is on the supervisory board of Planon BV, a truly global leading software provider for IWMS (Integrated Workplace Management Systems), serving the world’s most successful companies.  

 Onno lives in The Hague Netherlands, is married and has two children. Running, golf and sailing are his other occupations.

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Suzanne is a very accomplished CFO with over 20 years of experience in Capital Markets.

Suzanne started her career in banking at Close Brothers. Most recently Suzanne was the CFO / COO at Clarity Capital before that at Seaport Global.

Suzanne spent her earlier career contributing to and leading finance & operation teams in Capital Markets. She specialises in setting up scalable international finance and operations for young business whilst maintaining the integrity of financial systems in larger organisations.

Outside of work, Suzanne is a netball player having played at the national club and county level, she now enjoys social netball, rugby & spending time with her son.

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Before joining the Upliift team, Sebastien had been focusing on providing cross functional operational support to portfolio companies at Vitruvian Partners and Expedition Growth Capital.

Prior to this, Sebastien held hands-on operational roles at PE-backed software companies where he ran a portfolio of value creation initiatives focusing on GTM, pricing, and related areas.

Sebastien spent nearly 7 years as a consultant for Oliver Wyman and The Boston Consulting Group.

He holds an MBA from INSEAD, an MPhil in Economics from Cambridge University and a MA in Economics – Econometrics from the University of Geneva.

Outside of work, Seb enjoys travelling, playing a wide range of sports, socialising and spending time with his two children and his wife.

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Lucy Jacobs is a marketing professional with a 30-year career in high-growth software companies. She has made significant contributions to renowned companies including Oracle, Siebel Systems, and Salesforce during periods of rapid growth in Europe.

Lucy gained experience of marketing a European niche software business, while VP Marketing at Invenias. Her tenure was marked by expanding the customer base to over 1,000 clients and profitability, ultimately resulting in the successful acquisition by Bullhorn, backed by Insight Partners.

More recently she transitioned to professional services marketing when she assumed the role of Chief Marketing Officer at Erevena, a leading executive search firm specializing in investor-backed start-ups.

In her spare time she enjoys walking in the countryside with her cockapoo and going to the gym.

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Sara is a Marketing Assistant, and as a part of the Upliift Portfolio Team, she works closely with the Chief Marketing Officer to ensure the webpage remains up to date and supports with content creation, data analysis, and event management.

She recently graduated in Journalism with a focus on Strategic Communication. During her studies, Sara worked as a Social Media Manager at a Public Relations Agency Millenium Promotion, where she gained valuable experience in creating analytical reports, managing social media and content management systems, and creating various content for a wide range of clients.

Sara is enrolled in an educational program focused on Internet Marketing & Branding. Outside work, she finds joy in culinary experimentation and enjoys relaxing with a fine TV series.

CRO

Sebastian’s responsibilities include deal origination, execution and oversight, along with supporting the other members of the M&A team.

Prior to Upliift Sebastian spent 5 years as M&A Director at Jonas Software, a division of Constellation Software Inc., and a year as M&A Director for ClearCourse.

He closed 22 acquisitions over that time and worked on countless others.

Sebastian is from the UK and lives in the Chilterns.

He originally has an accounting background, moving into M&A in 2017, for the excitement that deal making brings.

In his spare time Sebastian enjoys watching Arsenal, playing golf (poorly), karting and spending time with his wife and 3 daughters.

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Darko’s responsibilities include investment origination and execution.

Prior to joining Upliift Darko was part of the investment team at Constellation Software Inc., where he spent three years focusing on European software companies.

He started his career at Ernst & Young for five years, followed by eight years as an investment professional in the private equity industry.

Darko lives in Zagreb, Croatia. He is a CFA charter holder.

In his spare time, Darko enjoys hiking and spending time in nature.

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Jérémy focuses on investments in France & Spain.

Prior to joining Upliift Jérémy was part of the M&A team at Believe, a French Music-Tech listed company.

He previously spent 7 years working in M&A (advisory and corporate) / investment roles in various tech-related sectors, prior to joining Believe.

Jérémy is originally from Perpignan, France, and now lives in Paris. He is a graduate from SKEMA Business School where he studied Corporate Finance.

Besides French, Jérémy speaks English and Spanish.

In his spare time, Jérémy enjoys exercising, cooking, spending time with his family and learning bass.

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Valentina is as an M&A Manager supporting investment origination and execution.

Prior to joining Upliift, she spent three years at Constellation Software working on a number of transactions within European portfolio.

Valentina started her career working as a sell-side advisor in an M&A boutique.

Valentina lives in Zagreb, Croatia.

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Nicola is an M&A Manager focusing on investments in Italy.

Prior to Upliift, Nicola spent the last year as CFO of RE-Lender, a lending crowdfunding company.

Before this Nicola was at Bain and Company where he focused on working with Banks and Telco firms and in Intesa Sanpaolo in the CIB division as VP in the Coverage and M&A team for Telecom, Media & Technology industry.

He studied at L. Bocconi University in Milan, where he graduated with a Master of Science in Management.

Outside of work, Nicola enjoys CrossFit and kick boxing along with spending time travelling.

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Kristina is an M&A Analyst, and as a part of the Upliift M&A team she supports the entire transaction journey, from identifying potential target companies to finalizing deals.

Before joining Upliift, Kristina worked in Financial Advisory at UniCredit where she gained valuable experience in financial analysis, investment strategies and client interactions. During her studies Kristina served as a student assistant at the department of finance and won prestigious Rector’s awards for academic and community contributions.

Outside work, Kristina finds joy in cultivating her passion for cuisine and staying active at the gym.

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Before joining the Upliift team, Marlon (Anthony Don) Schmidt spent nearly two years at a strategy, M&A, and transformation consulting company in Dubai, where he worked on various projects in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, gaining valuable international experience. Prior to that, he completed internships in the USA and Croatia within the healthcare industry. 

He holds a BSc in International Management and an MSc in Management from Modul University Vienna, where he graduated with distinction and received the Dean’s List award for academic excellence. 

Outside of work, Marlon enjoys staying active by going to the gym and taking his dogs for strolls around the city. He also likes socializing with friends, cooking, and exploring new cities when possible. 

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Ivana is a Research Analyst, her role at Upliift is to identify and analyse European vertical software markets and to empower portfolio companies.
Ivana obtained a master’s degree in finance from the Faculty of Economics and Business at the University of Zagreb. During her studies, she worked as a student assistant at the Department of Finance and the Department of Marketing. She was a recipient of a scholarship for students with outstanding academic achievements and received the Dean’s appreciation for extracurricular activities during her studies. Ivana was a team leader in a student association, where she actively promoted financial literacy among young people. Prior to Upliift, she gained work experience in a voluntary pension fund as a fixed-income analyst.
Ivana enjoys spending quality time with her dog in nature and socializing with friends.

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Andro is a Research Analyst, and as a part of Upliift Portfolio Team, he leverages his analytical skills to conduct market research, identify trends and opportunities in European vertical software markets. His responsibilities include sourcing potential M&A targets, supporting investment due diligence, and providing market intelligence to help Upliift’s portfolio companies grow.
Prior to joining Upliift, Andro has worked as an equity analyst at Croatia Insurance Voluntary Pension Fund, creating valuation models and analyzing company financial reports. He also worked at the Energy Institute Hrvoje Požar, developing power pricing models and feasibility studies for energy entities. He attended the Business Mathematics and Economics undergraduate program at Zagreb School of Economics and Management.
Outside of work, Andro enjoys spending time with his family and friends, does orienteering, and plays padel as hobbies. He also has a great interest in following global equity markets and asset management.

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