TECHWORK 23: Kiril Valev and Phil Knaup, EMH Partners

Experience
Phil Knaup came to EMH in 2020 as the firm’s VP for IT and data. Previously, he was IT consultant at Metafinanz Informationssysteme for a year, following five years as IT clerk at DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences.

He completed an apprenticeship as an IT clerk at Berufsschule Husum and holds several certifications from AXELOS, including Prince2 practitioner and foundation, as well as an IT infrastructure library.

Kiril Valev has been with EMH since 2018 as a VP for IT and data. Before he joined the firm, he was a senior IT specialist at Fidor Bank for five years, where he focused on IT projects covering regulatory compliance and was transaction lead in the bank’s takeover. Prior to his time at Fidor, he worked in IT and data for DV-RATIO for five years.

Valev holds a BS in information systems from the Technical University of Munich.

Achievements
Integrated in all of EMH’s processes, Valev and Knaup have introduced a cloud platform for all of EMH’s activities and improved overall efficiency by implementing OKR-lead work strategies. This has resulted in a decrease in costs for the firm as well as streamlined operational processes.

Their agenda for the next two years includes building a data platform, which should automate deal sourcing in a proactive manner. Additionally, they are constantly looking at developing the firm’s workflows.

EMH’s tech stack includes Microsoft 365 plus standard software offered by Microsoft. Additionally, the team uses the firm’s own platform to build its tech stack.

Valev and Knaup benefit from EMH’s relationship with other investment professionals as well as service providers to source IT expertise. The firm’s location additionally caters to this as Munich is a PE hub in southern Germany.