3i, the leading international private equity company, has furthered strengthened its Buyouts team investing in Central and Eastern Europe (‘CEE’) with the addition of Andrzej Szostak in Poland.

Szostak will primarily be based in Warsaw, but will also spend time in 3i’s London office and in other parts of the CEE region.

Szostak will focus on identifying, introducing and executing buyouts in Poland and the rest of CEE, targeting companies with an enterprise value from €100 million to over €1bn. He joins a dedicated team, led by Partner Stuart McMinnies, who are already in situ within the 3i Buyouts team and focus on opportunities in CEE.

Stuart McMinnies commented on the hire: “One of the main drivers of 3i’s great market position is its powerful international network. We’re building on that established network now throughout Central and Eastern Europe. Andrzej is a high profile and experienced professional with great knowledge and connections in Poland and the rest of this exciting market. I’m delighted that he has decided to join our team and bring that experience to 3i.”

Prior to joining 3i, Szostak spent eight years as Managing Director of Rothschild Polska Limited, part of the Rothschild Group. He was also a member of the CEE Coordination Committee of Rothschild Europe, and his responsibilities in the region included origination and execution of mandates in the TMT and Oil & Gas sectors.

Szostak added: “Deals such as EDS, Eltel and SR Technics evidence 3i’s ability to support complex revenue growth investment opportunities successfully. That experience combined with my knowledge of the market should make for some fantastic opportunities ahead.”

In February the CEE Buyouts team announced they had signed their first investment in Central and Eastern Europe, a buyout of Euro-Druckservice Aktiengesellschaft (“EDS”), the leading web-offset printer in the Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary, with a presence in Germany and Austria. Szostak’s appointment today also follows that of Zoltan Toth, a native Hungarian, who joined the team in April. Toth was previously at Advent International, where he led investments in the region for five years.