Lars Windhorst Interview - Lars Windhorst's Comeback - Page 2
5. How Windhorst gets hold of 200 million euros within one day
Munic, March 2009. The chip manufacturer Infineon needs money - fast, everything's at stake. A capital increase? 35 cents per share - out of the question. Loans? Impossible. Infineon is trying for a convertible bond, one bank after the other puts the company off. Then Windhorst calls. He has an idea. He will need not more than one day to be given a commitment of 200 million euros by investors. This is exactly what even directors of the largest corporations cannot comprehend. Bonds are usually handled by the relevant department of investment banks. Projects get calculated, re-calculated and sent to trust managers. At some point, often weeks later, a meeting is set. But Windhorst never works this way. He directly approaches the boss's desk. Most likely he even just went for lunch with him. Dirk Notheis, head of Morgan Stanley in Germany, visited Windhorst at the hospital after his plane crash. Lars is close friends with Saudi billionaire family Bahamdan. He maintains the best contacts with Dermot Desmond, one of the richest men in Ireland. A Dax member of the board wonders: "I don't know anyone in Germany who has similar access to investors." It's an important part of Windhorst's system.
6. A flying visit at a mansion in Beirut: Windhorst returns with a good deal
August 2009. Windhorst suggests a new bond to airline Air Berlin. The deal is complicated. Air Berlin will purchase back an old bond in order to float a new bond issue. He needs buyer for the old bond - fast. He picks up the phone. "Who are you? What do you want?" The man on the other end of the line is a trust manager owning more than four billion euros, and sitting in his mansion in Lebanon. He usually does not talk to strangers.
"I have to talk to you", Windhorst says unequivocally. "Under all circumstances!" "What? No. No, I am not at the office. Neither tomorrow. I am on vacation.
I beg your pardon? But it doesn't really matter. No, I am not close by. I am in Beirut." The next morning Windhorst is outside the trust manager's mansion. "I have half an hour for you", the landlord says. Four hours later he sells his old bond to Air Berlin and purchases a new one. 25 million euros, more was not possible. As Windhorst gets in his limo the man is still stunned. He will remember this Windhorst guy. This is the difference between Germany and the rest of the world. Some pay attention to failures, some to successful business deals. Back at home Windhorst is considered an impostor. Financial managers overseas see him as a genius who increases their money.
"I have to talk to you", Windhorst says unequivocally. "Under all circumstances!" "What? No. No, I am not at the office. Neither tomorrow. I am on vacation.
I beg your pardon? But it doesn't really matter. No, I am not close by. I am in Beirut." The next morning Windhorst is outside the trust manager's mansion. "I have half an hour for you", the landlord says. Four hours later he sells his old bond to Air Berlin and purchases a new one. 25 million euros, more was not possible. As Windhorst gets in his limo the man is still stunned. He will remember this Windhorst guy. This is the difference between Germany and the rest of the world. Some pay attention to failures, some to successful business deals. Back at home Windhorst is considered an impostor. Financial managers overseas see him as a genius who increases their money.
7. Windhorst drinks to his success. In his empty office he starts to feel blue
When asking Lars Windhorst about what fortune means to him, he says: Days like this, when he knows to convince the Lebanese of his Air Berlin deal. They are the reason why he often gets up at four in the morning, practicing half an hour of yoga and running for 40 minutes. Yoga sharpens his concentration and the jogging brings his circulation up to speed. Everything is subordinate to a goal. The chase after the perfect deal. Whatever serves this objective he will utilize. Every distraction is being blanked out. Looking back distracts, musing about failures as well. It is again one of those evenings at his table at Harry’s Bar, Windhorst has a glas of Bellini in front of him, champagne with freshly squeezed peach juice. The room is filled by stimulating discussions of powerful, rich men. Every now and then Windhorst nods to a guest. No doubt, he does belong here. He raises his glass. To 2009. A fantastic year.
At Infineon he secured his investors 65 million euros of the bond. Most of them already resold - with a profit of a hundred percents. For Air Berlin he arranged the complete new bond - 125 million euros. Who still cares that his company Vatas had to file for bankruptcy?
Berlin, Friedrichstraße, 16th floor, Windhorst's German office. The same place he had before the Vatas-disaster on January, 27th, 2009. The same Bloomberg terminal is on Windhorst's desk. The same spectacular view over the Reichstag. And still it feels as if Vatas never existed. The name Sapinda is now written at the door plate downstairs, Vatas' parent company. Windhorst has rented more rooms lately, almost 700 square meters on total. The office is one example why people might think that Windhorst is a megalomaniac. The lobby could be of a major international bank. The endless hallways are met with an almost absolute silence. The furnished office is deserted. Even his driver has a desk. Okay, Windhorst says, "maybe the office got kind of big". But his company will grow. 7,000, 8,000 euros more each month? Peanuts.
Peanuts? He still owes former business friends six-digit amounts. He does not pay anything back, but invites them to dinner and chauffeurs them in a new limo worth 100 million euros. He says, he does not understand the ongoing criticism. "I work the whole day, I try to move things." He takes a look at his desk, the invitations, the surveys, the new projects. Right in the middle of it lies a handwritten birthday card of a bank's chairman: "Dear Lars..." This is the deal with acknowledgement. It is one of these moments in the last months when Lars gets thoughtful. Yes, he says, sometimes he wishes for more acknowledgement. Yes, from regular people in Germany as well. But he understands that only the ones living in his world will really appreciate him. He takes a look at the city of Berlin, downstairs his driver is waiting for him. "This style is absolutely common in my world". Windhorst says. After all he is no store clerk.
At Infineon he secured his investors 65 million euros of the bond. Most of them already resold - with a profit of a hundred percents. For Air Berlin he arranged the complete new bond - 125 million euros. Who still cares that his company Vatas had to file for bankruptcy?
Berlin, Friedrichstraße, 16th floor, Windhorst's German office. The same place he had before the Vatas-disaster on January, 27th, 2009. The same Bloomberg terminal is on Windhorst's desk. The same spectacular view over the Reichstag. And still it feels as if Vatas never existed. The name Sapinda is now written at the door plate downstairs, Vatas' parent company. Windhorst has rented more rooms lately, almost 700 square meters on total. The office is one example why people might think that Windhorst is a megalomaniac. The lobby could be of a major international bank. The endless hallways are met with an almost absolute silence. The furnished office is deserted. Even his driver has a desk. Okay, Windhorst says, "maybe the office got kind of big". But his company will grow. 7,000, 8,000 euros more each month? Peanuts.
Peanuts? He still owes former business friends six-digit amounts. He does not pay anything back, but invites them to dinner and chauffeurs them in a new limo worth 100 million euros. He says, he does not understand the ongoing criticism. "I work the whole day, I try to move things." He takes a look at his desk, the invitations, the surveys, the new projects. Right in the middle of it lies a handwritten birthday card of a bank's chairman: "Dear Lars..." This is the deal with acknowledgement. It is one of these moments in the last months when Lars gets thoughtful. Yes, he says, sometimes he wishes for more acknowledgement. Yes, from regular people in Germany as well. But he understands that only the ones living in his world will really appreciate him. He takes a look at the city of Berlin, downstairs his driver is waiting for him. "This style is absolutely common in my world". Windhorst says. After all he is no store clerk.
Lars Windhorsts Resume
- On November 22nd, 1976
Lars Windhorst is being born in Rahden (Westfalen) as the second child of a school teacher and an IT specialist. His sister is five years older than him. - 1991
At the age of 14, Windhorst starts trading with computer parts from the Far East at his parents garage. - 1992
Windhorst convinces his father to pay a deposit of 150,000 marks in order to expand the business. - 1995
Windhorst accompanies then Federal Chancellor, Helmut Kohl, on his trip to Asia. In Germany he becomes acquainted as the wunderkind of the economy. - 1995
The Windhorst group pulls 180 million marks in sales within Europe and Asia. - 1998
The Windhorst group suffers from dramatic losses during the Asia crisis. Windhorst switches to the internet industry. - 2003
Windhorst has to file for bankruptcy for several companies. One year later he applies for private insolvency. However, in the same year he can start over with the help of Rob Hersov. Within the next four years he generates profits in the amount of nine-digit numbers. - 2008
A couple of business associates press charges against Windhorst. - 2009
Windhorst company Vatas is forced into bankruptcy. Shortly afterwards he partners up as a shareholder of the mother company Sapinda. He nails several big deals - among others with Infineon and Air Berlin.