Team

Our teams in London and New York have over 140 years of combined investment experience.  The diversity of our backgrounds and viewpoints is our strength.

Meet the IH International Advisors team:

Ailie Walker

Office Manager, Sr Team Asst

Ailie Walker is the Office Manager/Senior Team Assistant at IH International Advisors. Prior to joining IHIA in 2021, Ailie worked as Executive Assistant at HarbourVest Partners and Office Manager at London Capital Group. Ailie has a Classical Studies and English Literature degree from Newcastle University.

Benjamin Peeters

Investment Director

Benjamin Peeters is an Investment Director at IH International Advisors, based in New York. Prior to joining IHIA in 2016, Benjamin worked as an investment professional at a global Single Family Office after starting his career in cross-border M&A at Rothschild & Co. (previously Leonardo & Co.). Benjamin has a Master’s degree in Business Engineering at the Louvain School of Management (UCL).

Charlie Mercer

Investment Director

Charlie Mercer is an Investment Director at IH International Advisors. Prior to joining IHIA in 2017, Charlie worked at PwC in Transaction Services. Charlie is a qualified Chartered Accountant (ACA) and holds a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Nottingham University.

Danielle van Rootselaar

Analyst

Danielle is an Analyst at IH International Advisors. Prior to joining IHIA in 2023, Danielle worked as an Intern in the TMT Team at ING Capital. Danielle has a Bachelor of Arts in Business Economics from Brown University and a Master of Finance from the University of Maryland, Smith School of Business.

Elena Shirokaya

Principal

Elena Shirokaya is as Principal at IH International Advisors Prior to joining IHIA in 2012, Elena worked as a consultant with Altran, now Capgemini Engineering, and the Boston Consulting Group. Elena has an MSc in Advanced Financial Economics from KU Leuven and MSc in Microfinance from Solvay Brussels School of Economics & Management.

Harry Chen

Senior Associate

Harry (Siyuan) Chen is a Senior Associate at IH International Advisors. Prior to joining IHIA in 2021, Harry worked as an investment banker focused on cross-border M&A transactions between Europe and Asia. Harry has an MSc in Risk Management and Financial Engineering from Imperial College and a BA in Finance and Accounting from University of Nottingham.

Helen Lu Evans

Principal

Helen Lu Evans is a Principal at IH International Advisors, based in New York. Prior to joining IHIA in 2021, Helen was an investment professional at APG Asset Management and started her career at Citigroup's industrials investment banking group. Helen has a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and a Certificate in Finance from Princeton University.

Johannes Doczy

Analyst

Johannes Doczy is an Analyst at IH International Advisors. Prior to joining IHIA in 2023, Johannes worked as an Intern in Private Equity Secondaries & Primaries at Ardian. Johannes has a degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from the University of Warwick.

Joseph Platt

Senior Legal Counsel

Joseph Platt is Senior Legal Counsel at IH International Advisors. Prior to joining IHIA in 2021, Joseph worked as a solicitor in Hogan Lovells International LLP’s corporate team. Joseph has a law degree from King’s College London.

Joshua Afshani

Analyst

Joshua is an Analyst at IH International Advisors. Prior to joining IHIA in 2023, Joshua worked as an Analyst at CF Private Equity (Commonfund Capital). Joshua has a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from The University of Michigan, Ross School of Business.

Lena Groen

Principal

Lena Groen is Principal at IH International Advisors.  Prior to joining IHIA in 2018, Lena worked as Investment Director at Langholm Capital (FMCG focused mid-market private equity fund) and worked in investment banking in Amsterdam/ New York for Rabobank M&A. Lena has a Master’s degree in Financial Economics from Erasmus University Rotterdam (graduated Cum Laude) and a Bachelor of Liberal Arts degree from University College Utrecht (graduated with honours).

Leo Débrin

Principal

Leo Débrin is a Principal at IH International Advisors. Prior to joining IHIA in 2021, Leo worked in M&A at Credit Suisse and in Buyout at Aretex Capital Partners. Leo has a Bachelor and a Master’s degree in Finance from the EDHEC Business School.

Maggie Abrahams

Chief Operating Officer

Maggie Abrahams is the Chief Operating Officer of IH International Advisors. Prior to joining IHIA in 2020, Maggie worked as Deputy COO at London LGPS CIV Ltd, Executive Director, Firm Management at Morgan Stanley, and Managing Director at HSBC Global Research. Maggie has a joint MBA/MA degree from the Wharton School of Business and Lauder Institute of International Studies at the University of Pennsylvania.

Matthew Johns

Principal, ESG

Matthew Johns is a Principal at IH International Advisors and is responsible for the ESG programme. Prior to joining IHIA in 2022, Matthew was part of the ESG team at Triton Partners and a consultant in PwC’s Sustainability and Climate change practice. Matthew has an undergraduate degree in Economics and History from the University of York and a Master’s degree in Corporate Social Responsibility from the University of Nottingham Business School.

Nikolina Mitrović

Management Assistant

Nikolina Mitrović is the Management Assistant at IH International Advisors. Prior to joining IHIA in 2022, Nikolina worked as Executive Assistant at Greenbrook Advisory (formerly Greenbook Communications) and EA & Office Manager at Kest CNC. Nikolina has a European Law and Policy degree from the University of Portsmouth.

Nils Heise

Investment Director

Nils Heise is an Investment Director at IH International Advisors. Prior to joining IHIA in 2014, Nils worked in banking, consultancy, direct private equity and venture capital. He holds an MSc in Technology and Management from the Technical University in Munich.

Oliver Vallée

General Counsel

Oliver Vallée is the General Counsel of IH International Advisors. Prior to joining IHIA in 2017, Ollie was in private practice at Hogan Lovells, focused on private equity M&A and previously worked in similar roles at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett and Clifford Chance. Ollie has a law degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Ruth Kain

Principal

Ruth Kain is a Principal at IH International Advisors. Prior to joining IHIA in 2018, Ruth worked as an M&A advisor at Raiffeisen Investment and Perella Weinberg Partners and an investment professional at EMH Partners. Ruth has an MBA from MIT Sloan School of Management and a Business degree from Innsbruck University.

Sigurd Skavlan

Associate

Sigurd Skavlan is an Associate at IH International Advisors. Prior to joining IHIA full-time in 2019, Sigurd worked as a part-time analyst while obtaining his Master’s degree in Finance at Cass Business School.

Simon Faure

Managing Director

Simon Faure is the Managing Director of IH International Advisors. Prior to joining IHIA in 2021, Simon spent 16 years at M&G Investment’s private equity team. Simon has over 20 years’ experience investing in private equity and over 25 years' investment experience in total. Simon has a History degree from Southampton University.

Victor Deruyck

Analyst

Victor Deruyck is an Analyst at IH International Advisors. Prior to joining IHIA in 2022, Victor worked as a Private Equity Analyst for a French family office. Victor has an MSc in Finance from Emlyon business school.