Moritz von Laffert

Moritz has 25+ years of experience in the media industry. In his last position as CEO of Condé Nast Germany and Vice President of Condé Nast International, he was also responsible for investment activities outside the USA. This included Farfetch and Vestiaire Collective where he held board seats. Moritz was also a Senior Advisor at Advance Venture Partners, the corporate investment arm of the organization, in New York.

Prior to Condé Nast International, Moritz von Laffert held various leadership positions at Axel Springer SE. His last position was publishing director of women’s and lifestyle media in Hamburg and Munich. After his military service as a trombonist in the navy band and his apprenticeship training at Axel Springer, Moritz completed a Bachelor of Science in Economics and a Master of Science in Management at the London School of Economics.

Moritz is now a Partner at Proventis Partners in Munich, an M&A advisory firm specializing in Mid-Cap transactions. Moritz and his wife Natascha make all their private investment decisions together. They live in Munich with their two daughters.

A good founder is someone, who gathers strong people around him, gives them freedom and lets them have a share in the success of the venture. 

  • Expertise in / interest in the following areas: Media, Marketing, M&A, E-Commerce, Forestry

  • Previous experience:

    – Managing Director at Axel Springer
    – Managing Director Germany and on the international board of directors at Condé Nast International (media company)
    – Senior Advisor Advance Venture Fund, New York
    – Supervisory board positions at Farfetch, Vestiaire Collective, Monoqi and others
    – Partner at Proventis Partners (M&A Advisory)
    – Owner of a forestry enterprise

  • Favourite quote: “Those who would give up essential liberty, to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.” – Benjamin Franklin

Q -What would you have liked to know at the beginning of your career?
MvL -No one should have more than 10 direct reports.
Q -What makes a really good founder?
MvL -Someone, who gathers strong people around him, gives them freedom and lets them have a share in the success of the venture.
Q -What is a "deal breaker" for you?
MvL -Arrogance.
Q -What qualities are you looking for in a founder/team, what is important to you?
MvL -Having persistence and passion for the cause. Constant self-reflection - even at unicorn stage. That they keep in touch with their investors, but also have the ability to (politely) manage the investors when they want to introduce nonsensical ideas.
Q -Which technological advancement are you hoping for most?
MvL -Rainmaking. In concrete terms: a technology that can influence the weather and thus support agriculture and forestry in devastating drought years, such as 2018/2019/2020, and therefore help (rain)poor countries to achieve more prosperity and supply the population.
Q -How do you define success?
MvL -Personal happiness.

A good VC should make problems transparent to his investors in good time. He should actively support portfolio companies with actions and not just talk.

Q -How do you combine your startup investments with your daily work?
MvL -Working with startups and founders, networking with other investors is extremely inspiring, instructive and always shows you how little you know yourself.
Q -Which startup inspires you most?
MvL -A delicatessen shop for dogs in Berlin. They provide raw meat in top quality. The raw margins are enormous. Robust business development. Execution in perfection and with passion. No scaling planned.
Q -Which founders do you find most inspiring?
MvL -Those who burn with passion for their topic and yet can laugh at themselves; and those who can celebrate their successes and share it with others.
Q -What should a VC do and what not?
MvL -He should make problems transparent to his investors in good time. He should actively support portfolio companies with actions and not just talk.
Q -What are the indispensable tools in your everyday life?
MvL -Coffee grinder. Daily newspaper. Airpods. Brain and bicycle helmet.
Q -What are your three favorite podcasts/books?
MvL -Today in Focus / Guardian (Podcast), OMR (Podcast), LSE Public Lectures (my universities podcast).
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