Partner Power, Personal Risk Minimized

"In his investments, Nicolas Berggruen has so far not invested his own money, but first set up funds with his partners; only after that did he go on a shopping spree. Johannes Neckermann, son of mail-order tycoon Josef Neckermann, experienced the takeover of the Neckermann department stores by Karstadt firsthand during the Frankfurt "Nights of the Long Knives" in 1976."

"While Nicolas Berggruen turns to politics, his team works reliably in the background like Swiss clockwork. There isn't a single investment in his empire where Nicolas Berggruen stands alone as financier. He always has partners at his side who handle the executive operational tasks for him. And no matter which stone you turn at his "construction sites" – a word, incidentally, that he likes and uses frequently – a complexly woven network is revealed underneath."

"In the global financial markets, a merciless battle for investment rages. Having money alone is no longer enough. One must also get the chance to invest it properly. The network of Nicolas Berggruen has access to such sources. For example, when Erdoğan's government decides to privatize the rivers of Turkey, Nicolas Berggruen hears about it even before the first one-on-one conversations have taken place. Former politicians do not get their well-paid positions on supervisory boards for nothing. Their networks operate like intelligence services and open every door."

"In 2007, the British hedge fund provider GLG Partners merged with Nicolas Berggruen. With the accession of his first special-purpose vehicle Freedom Acquisition Holdings, which he founded together with Martin Franklin (CEO of Jarden Corporation), the largest independent management company for alternative investments in Europe was created. Especially during the financial crisis, investment banks provided Nicolas Berggruen with credits in almost unlimited amounts. They were fascinated by the personality of this tireless "asset manager," who apparently succeeded in everything he touched."