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Munich, 12 October 2026 – EMERAM, one of the leading independent private equity firms focused on mid-sized companies and managing more than EUR 800 million in assets, is expanding its partner team with Tilman Au. The entrepreneur and long-standing CEO of digital services provider and EMERAM portfolio company diva-e (diva-e Conclusion since 2024) brings more than 25 years of leadership and industry experience in digital and IT services. Au, who has been a member of EMERAM’s Advisory Board since 2024, will contribute his extensive operational experience in building, integrating and scaling technology-focused companies in his new role. He will build directly on his previous work, which focused on the digital transformation of businesses and, more recently, in particular on their further development in the context of artificial intelligence. At EMERAM, Au will be responsible for Portfolio Management and Value Creation, among other areas. Together with the portfolio companies, he will also advance the targeted use of AI as a lever for growth, efficiency and the further development of business models. With the appointment, EMERAM expands its partner team to a total of eight partners and reinforces its approach of providing operational support to portfolio companies beyond capital alone.

From portfolio company CEO to investor with entrepreneurial DNA

Au is regarded as a pioneer of the digital services industry in Germany and brings both an entrepreneur’s perspective and first-hand experience of working with a private equity investor. He founded New Identity AG in 1998, which became part of EQT-backed United Digital Group in 2011. From 2015 to 2024, he was CEO and co-founder of diva-e, a digital services provider and an EMERAM portfolio company during that period. Under Au’s leadership and with the support of the EMERAM team, diva-e merged and integrated twelve companies to become one of Germany’s leading digital services platforms, with more than EUR 100 million in revenue and over 900 employees. During this period, Au and EMERAM also led the sale of the data centre business to Cube Infrastructure Investors in 2020, followed by the sale of the professional services business to Conclusion Group in 2024. Most recently, Au served as Managing Director of Conclusion DACH and CEO of diva-e Conclusion. He was also a member of the Group Executive Team.                                                                                                                                                         

Systematically embedding operational expertise

Au’s long-standing partnership with EMERAM now continues seamlessly as he joins the private equity firm’s partner team. Dr Christian Nähter, Managing Partner at EMERAM, comments: "Tilman has long been part of our entrepreneurial family – in him, we gain someone who has experienced how we work first-hand over many years. He understands our partnership-based approach and shares our view of how to develop companies successfully. Through our many years of working together, Tilman knows both the management and investor perspectives very well, giving him the ideal foundation for future collaboration with our portfolio companies."

Alongside expanding its partner team, EMERAM also intends to make know-how, in-depth sector expertise and best practices from individual portfolio companies more systematically available across the entire portfolio in future, including in the areas of integration, reporting and AI-supported core processes.

Tilman Au says: "My connection with EMERAM goes far beyond our time together at diva-e. For many years, we worked on developing the company, overcame challenges and made important decisions. This has created a deep relationship of trust. After many years on the entrepreneurial side, I am therefore looking forward to contributing my experience and working alongside and supporting other entrepreneurs and management teams on their journeys."