
Roberto Selvetti
Investment Manager
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- Full Name
- Roberto Selvetti
- Title
- Principal
- Firm
- Charme Capital Partners
- Firm Type
- Private equity (European mid-market buyout fund) — *not* an angel investor, despite some aggregator listings
- Investment Stage
- Control and significant-minority buyouts of established, profitable companies (not seed/early-stage)
- Check Size
- Equity investments in businesses with an enterprise value of roughly €100m–€500m (firm-level mandate)
- Target Company Profile
- Established mid-market European companies with strong management teams and potential for transformational change, growth and internationalisation
- Sector Focus
- Generalist across the firm (healthcare/diagnostics, education, industrials, branded consumer goods, financial-services software); Selvetti's personal experience is concentrated in retail and business services
- Geographic Focus
- Europe — principally Italy, Spain and the UK, executed from offices in Milan, London and Madrid
- Location
- Milan, Italy
Background
Roberto Selvetti is a Principal at Charme Capital Partners, the Milan-based European mid-market private equity firm founded in 2003 (originally linked to Luca Cordero di Montezemolo and the Montezemolo & Partners family). Based in Milan, he supports the senior investment team on the origination and execution of transactions across multiple sectors and on portfolio-company management. Charme has raised roughly €2bn across four funds since inception (Charme I €186m in 2003, Charme II €340m in 2009, Charme III €650m in 2015, and Charme IV €850m in 2021) and invests in companies with enterprise values of about €100m–€500m across Europe.
Before joining Charme, Selvetti spent five years as an Associate at Motion Equity Partners (the pan-European mid-market buyout firm formerly known as Cognetas/Electra Partners Europe), where he worked across the full deal lifecycle — acquiring, managing and exiting three portfolio companies. His hands-on investment experience is particularly focused on the retail and business-services sectors.
He began his career in investment banking, working in the M&A/advisory teams of Rothschild and Morgan Stanley before moving into private equity. He holds an M.Sc. in Finance from Bocconi University in Milan.
It is worth flagging a data-quality note for founders: some investor databases and lead lists tag Selvetti as an "angel investor" writing seed-round checks. That characterisation appears to be an aggregator error. His verifiable role is as a private-equity principal executing control-oriented buyouts of established mid-market companies, not seed-stage angel deals.
Investment Thesis & Focus
- Invests through Charme's mandate: European mid-market companies with an enterprise value of ~€100m–€500m, typically via majority stakes (with occasional significant-minority positions).
- The firm's stated aim is "supporting management teams and shareholders to achieve transformational change, growth and internationalisation" — value creation via operational improvement and buy-and-build, not passive minority bets.
- Charme emphasises that "continuous interaction with our investor base is key in sourcing new opportunities, testing investment theses and growing portfolio companies," pointing to a network- and relationship-driven origination model.
- Sector appetite at the firm level clusters around healthcare and diagnostics, specialist education/care, industrial automation, and branded consumer goods; Selvetti personally brings depth in retail and business services.
- Not a fit for early-stage, seed, or venture-style capital — the firm backs established, cash-generative businesses.
Notable Investments
- Igenomix (Spain, Charme III, 2016) — World leader in genetic diagnostics for IVF; majority stake acquired September 2016.
- Atop (Italy, 2017) — Global leader in machines for manufacturing electric motors; industrial automation.
- Witherslack Group (UK, 2017; re-invested 2021) — Leading UK operator of Special Educational Needs schools.
- Fiocchi (Italy, 2018) — Premium small-calibre ammunition brand founded in 1876; branded goods.
- OCS (Italy, 2018) — Software for asset and consumer finance; financial-services technology.
- Poltrona Frau Group (Charme I, 2003–2014) — Roll-up of Poltrona Frau, Cassina and Cappellini into a high-end furniture leader; IPO 2006, sold to Haworth in 2014.
- Octo Telematics (Charme II, 2010–2014) — Insurance-telematics world leader; sold to Renova Group in 2014.
- Bellco (Charme II, 2012–2016) — Hemodialysis / blood-filtration medical devices; sold to Medtronic in 2016.
- INDIBA & Prism Healthcare (Charme IV, 2022) — Medical devices / homecare products (Spain and UK respectively).
- Animalia (Italy, 2024) — Network of 75+ veterinary clinics; majority stake acquired July 2024.
- Universae (Spain/LatAm, 2024) — Vocational and higher online education platform, 12,000+ students.
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