thinkproject appoints new CEO

thinkproject logoGerman SaaS construction technology vendor has appointed former Nemetschek executive Patrik Heider as its CEO and further strengthened its board.

Former Nemetschek executive Patrik Heider has been appointed as the new CEO of Munich, Germany-based construction collaboration SaaS technology provider thinkproject

Patrik HeiderHeider, right, has held roles at PwC and the Hoffman manufacturing group, and spent five years (2014-2019) as spokesman of the executive board and CFO/COO at the Nemetschek construction software group, and 16 months as CEO of riskmethods (a supply chain risk management software vendor based in Munich). Under Heider’s tenure at Nemetschek, say thinkproject, “the company experienced impressive organic revenue growth and executed multiple group and brand level acquisitions – expanding the presence of the group from its core in building design and construction into building management.”

Heider replaces Gareth Burton who was succeeded thinkproject founder Thomas Bachmaier as CEO in May 2019 (post), having previously been the CIO of UK contractor Laing O’Rourke and, from January 2018, a non-executive director and member of thinkproject’s board of directors.

Perspectives

In late 2020, Swedish international investment group EQT took a majority stake in the German business (read: EQT takes majority stake in thinkproject). Florian Funk, a partner at EQT and member of thinkproject’s board says:

“Patrik is an inspiring leader with deep industry knowledge and a strong business acumen. He was a natural choice and an excellent successor for Gareth. He will continue the strategic focus on driving sustainable growth and further increasing the market position. I’m delighted to welcome Patrik to the company as he will play a key role in establishing Thinkproject as the leader in construction intelligence.

Heider says:

“I’m excited yet humbled to take on the responsibility of leading Thinkproject forward into the next phase. Digitalisation of the AECO industry is still at the beginning and there are a lot of opportunities as well as challenges ahead, both for us and the industry. I’m looking forward taking these challenges on with the talented employees, our customers and partners to help construct a better world.”

Gareth Burton (think project! CEO)Burton, right, told Extranet Evolution that he had agreed with EQT that now would be the right time for a transition.

“Life is like that in private equity – the soccer coach analogy is a good one: high passion, high intensity, but it can be over very quickly. Last year was exceptional … and I feel I am leaving on a high. …. The FY20 results were well ahead of budget [thinkproject achieved 40% revenue growth in 2020] and the business is in a great shape this FY.”

Further ex-Nemetschek representation on thinkproject board

Malou AamundSean FlahertyMeanwhile, Malou Aamund, left, is the new chair of thinkproject’s board of directors. Aamund is the managing director for Google Denmark, and has previously held international leadership positions at Microsoft and IBM in Europe, EMEA and the Americas. She is a board member for several companies and also chair of the Board of Ecoinnovation.

Sean Flaherty, right, also joins the board. Flaherty is an AECO industry veteran with over 30 years of experience in creating design software and working in BIM. He has held various leadership positions including spells as CTO then as CEO of Vectorworks; later, he was on the board at Nemetschek Group as CSO and chair of several of its brand companies.

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