LAKESIDE CAPITAL PARTNERS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Member of the Management Team
- Founding Managing Partner
- New Chairman
Ali Keles holds a Master's Degree in Dutch Law from the Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Since the beginning of his studies, he started founding new ventures in various sectors. With nearly 20 years of experience in different fields of business, he has gained significant expertise in asset management, corporate finance, and strategic business development. From 2007 to 2012, he was an Advisory Partner to TransMatch Realty Advisors and from 2012 to 2019, he served as co-founder and Managing Partner of TransMatch Capital Partners. In August 2019, Lakeside Capital Partners was founded by Ali Keles as a successor of the latter.
He has advised and led multiple successful start-ups and scale-ups. Currently, he is also chairman of the Netherlands Association of Corporate Art Collections, board member of an advisor to various NGOs, and companies. One of these companies is Tandheelkunde Groep Nederland, a portfolio company, that has been awarded the title FD Gazelle consecutively in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022, with a highest ranking of 79 th fastest growing company in the Netherlands. The industries he concentrates on are finance, real estate, healthcare, technology, and renewable energy. As a philanthropist and art aficionado, he pursues social impact through Keles Foundation and Lakeside Collection.
From 2010 to 2014, he served as a member of the City Council of Barendrecht in the Netherlands. During this council membership he introduced crowdfunding as a solution for financing renewable energy projects on Municipality owned real estate and had initiated various conferences such as the anniversary of 400 years diplomatic and business relations between the Netherlands and Turkey.
In 2012 he co-founded the Cultural Foundation Netherlands Turkey and was on the board consecutively for 5 years. Since its establishment, it has been supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Turkey and Dutch Municipality funds for organizing the Red Tulip Film Festival in the Netherlands. In 2005, he was installed as a Member of the Board of the foundation, Student Forum for European Affairs (SFEA), which initiated the European Parliament for Students in The Hague, funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Arjan van der Graaf has a background in technical informatics at the Leiden Educational Institute. He has also made various specialized additions in the field of IT Security and Microsoft 365. With 15 years of experience in B2C and B2B in both sales and support, Arjan van der Graaf is currently responsible for IT, telephony, process automation and project management within Lakeside Capital Partner's group of companies.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Board
Aslı Han Gedik holds a bachelor's degree in Banking and Finance from Bilkent University Ankara, Turkey. She has gained management experience in trade finance and investment banking for more than 20 years in the areas of treasury, trading, liquidity, and international banking management. Aslı Han Gedik adds valuable banking and finance knowledge and network to Lakeside Capital Partners and acts as a Member of the Advisory Board.
She began her career as a retail banker in Interbank A.Ş. at the year of 1998. She worked in Interbank A.Ş. until 2002 with various titles while being responsible for credit marketing, structured trade finance, and coordinating marketing activities of branches. She then moved to TAIB YatırımBank A.Ş. During this time, she worked in the areas of treasury and asset management. She also carried activities as a dealer by actively trading T-bill and Eurobond markets. Further, in 2003 she continued her career at Yapi Kredi Bank Nederland N.V. in the treasury as a portfolio manager in Amsterdam.
After this successful period in Amsterdam, Aslı moved to Frankfurt and started as a Deputy General Manager at Oyak Anker Bank GmbH-Treasury and Financial Institutions. She set up the Treasury Department and the Financial Institutions Department of the bank while being Chief Investment Officer. She worked in Oyak Anker Bank GmbH-Treasury and Financial Institutions until she began to work for MCE Bank GmbH as a Senior Advisor and Manager of Treasury and Financial Institutions.
Additionally, Aslı Han Gedik holds a position in the Official Monetary and Financial Institutions Forum (OMFIF) as a member of the Advisory Council, being responsible for Capital Markets and Banking since 2012. Moreover, She has been the founder and the chairman of the organization named Wild@Life which is dedicated to the conservation of wildlife and natural resources of the World.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Management Team
- Advisory Partner
Bayram Yıldızoğlu completed his Marketing and Economical Information Systems studies in 1988 in Darmstadt, Germany. He started his career within Datacom Service in Dreieich and Hessen as a head of Network Services. Hereafter, Bayram moved on to system GmbH in Langen as CFO of the data communication and information department being active in the company until 2003.
In the second part of his career, Bayram started to work for Pittler 55 GmbH, a consulting company for ethnic marketing as a managing director. While working in this position, he worked as a consultant to Turkish governmental bodies in Germany. Helping Turkish organizations to efficiently negotiate with German Institutions. Bayram has been honored by German National Assembly and Turkish Parliament for various endeavours.
Since 2007 he has been active in Turkey as an independent consultant working for companies in many different fields ranging from real estate to high tech textile. Moreover, he has been an advisor to the chairman of Gebze Güzeller Organized Industrial Zone and CEO of Technical College in Gebze.
With his insights in international business and real estate, experience in the areas of technology management, together with a broad network, Bayram Yıldızoğlu is a valuable Advisory Partner of Lakeside Capital Partners in Turkey.
Gerard van Herpen has a background in Business Economics from University of Applied Sciences in Breda, the Netherlands. He has completed a vocational training in Business Administration. He has more than 25 years of experience, accumulated in different industries, such as logistics, hospitality and healthcare. Within Lakeside Capital Partners, Gerard van Herpen is currently responsible for all financial administration of group companies and assets.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Management Team
- Advisory Partner
Having finished his Dutch law degree at the Erasmus University of Rotterdam, the Netherlands, Guus Drijver began his career in 1992 at Koninklijke Van Ommeren (current Vopak). After his position as fuel storage manager and inland shipping in Hamburg, he moved to ABN AMRO bank. During his time at ABN AMRO he served in several positions among which was area manager with ‘Private Banking,' ‘Retail Banking,' and ‘Grootbedrijf,' (big volume business) under his supervision. From 2005 to 2007 he worked as statutory director at Falck Nutec Nederland, a safety training centre for port employees.
Following his time at Falck Nutec, he set up the first peer-to-peer market place for consumer finance in the Netherlands. At the beginning of 2010 he successfully set up the Friesland Bank branch in Rotterdam. After Friesland Bank was acquired by Rabobank, Guus Drijver also became the Utrecht branch manager and guided the movement of clients, products, and business in-between the two branches until his step over to Monolith in 2014.
Currently, he is a senior partner at Tridense contributing hands-on to the development and further growth of the company. Additionally, Guus Drijver holds various management and board positions in business clubs, charities, and NGOs.
With his experience in various industries, including banking and finance, he has considerable knowledge and extensive network in the financial markets. Within Lakeside Capital Partners, Guus is a valuable Advisory Partner.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Board
Henk van den Oever completed various studies including Business Administration in 1976 and became Public Accountant in 1991, graduating from the NOvAA in the Netherlands. Additionally, he finalized education programs in Tax Advisory in 2006 and in Governance for Commissioners and Supervisors in 2018.
Henk started his career as an Assistant-Accountant at De Tombe Melse & Co Public Accountants (current Deloitte). After which in 1983 he founded his own firm Van den Oever Accountants and led this company successfully as the Managing Director until it was acquired by Boschland Accountants and Advisors in 2010. Henk continued his work as a Public Accountant and an Advisor at Boschland Accountants and Advisors until today. He is also a Supervisor within the Dutch Organization for the Accountants Profession (NBA).
Henk has contributed to a broad range of NGOs as a volunteer and chaired in boards of amongst others such as the Foundation Watch & Listen Museum in Bennekom, Foundation Kingsday Bennekom and Ede Monuments Association (VEM).
With his insights in accounting within various business industries, experience in mergers & acquisitions, together with a broad network, Henk van den Oever is a valuable Member of the Advisory Board of Lakeside Capital Partners.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Management Team
- Partner
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Advisory Board
- Member of the Management Team
Luuk Ruys completed his business economics studies in 1974 at Erasmus University in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Additionally, he finalized an advanced business valuation course from Rotterdam School of Management in 2001.
Luuk started his career within Smit Internationale N.V. in Rotterdam and in Curaçao as a treasurer and finance manager. Hereafter, Luuk moved on to Heerema Group in Leiden as information manager and was active as such until 1986.
Maarten Passtoors graduated from the Michigan State & Cornell University in the USA. He started his career within Hilton International where he spent 10 years in different international management positions. He left the Hilton group to work for the holding of the Autobar Group as a Business Development Manager throughout Europe.
Maarten Passtoors' human resources management career began in 1994 when he joined a European executive search firm. In 1997 he started an executive search firm with several partners, which rapidly grew into a highly successful organization employing up to 18 professionals. This company has since merged its activities with Boyden.
Within Lakeside Capital Partners, Maarten Passtoors is involved in business development and responsible for all human resources management affairs.
Martijn Brouwer has completed various studies and has a background in Financial Services Management and Accounting & Control in the Netherlands.
Martijn started his career in the banking industry, having worked for both ABN AMRO and Rabobank successively. After which he started within the Accounting sector working for various renowned companies such as VWG Nijhof Accountants and Tax Advisors, Mazars and Boschland Accountants. He has more than 15 years of experience in business, accumulated in different industries amongst others such as financial services and healthcare.
He has over time developed many skills by education and experience in mergers & acquisitions, finance and investments. Within Lakeside Capital Partners, Martijn Brouwer is responsible for all annual reports of all group companies, including financial control and corporate finance advisory.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Board
- Chairman of the Executive Board of the Amsterdam School of Arts
Ubbo Hylkema completed his Dutch Law studies in 1963 and continued his studies by obtaining a history diploma in 1973. Moreover, He studied civil engineering at TU Delft and Utrecht University. After finishing his studies in the Netherlands, he moved to London in 1973 to conduct research for NWO. Additionally, Ubbo finalized higher education management courses from the University of Maryland and the University of California at Berkeley in 1988.
Ubbo started his career within Christian Gymnasium Utrecht as a history and state structure teacher. Hereafter, he moved on to Amsterdam Academy of Architecture as a Program Director and worked in the same institution until 1987.
In 1987, Ubbo was appointed as the Chairman of the Executive Board of the Amsterdam School of Arts. Hereafter, he served the European Association of Institutions in Higher Education (EURASHE) in Brussels as an Executive Director. Alongside his position in Brussels, at the same time, he worked as a Director of Dutch National Heritage Agency between 1991 and 1993.
In the second part of his career, Ubbo continued as an independent consultant in the areas of architecture, restoration, and heritage protection and management. In 1994, he founded Hylkema Consultants B.V. in Utrecht and continued working in the same company as a General Director until 2013.
Through his career, Ubbo has conducted many critical restoration projects and taken active roles in different cultural and educational organizations. With his broad experience in various industries and extensive network, he was a very valuable Member of the Advisory Board of Lakeside Capital Partners.