Meet our team.

Dr. Nazim Cetin has been serving as the CEO of Allianz X since 2017, bringing over a decade of leadership experience in investment, business development, and entrepreneurship to the role.

Before Allianz X, Nazim was the Vice President of Corporate Development & New Businesses at the media conglomerate Bertelsmann. He also founded Agora 42, the first German periodical dedicated to economics and philosophy. Prior to that, Nazim held the position of Vice President of Commercial Finance at Maple Bank. He began his career in investment banking at LBBW.

In addition to his position at Allianz X, Nazim is an active member of the supervisory boards of several companies, including AlTi Global, CLARK, Pie Insurance, and WeLab Holdings. He holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Witten-Herdecke University, an M.Sc. in Economics and Management from Universitat Pompeu Fabra Barcelona, and earned his first degree in Quantitative Economics from the Eberhard Karl University of Tübingen. 

Michael is the Executive Assistant to the CEO. In his role, he is responsible for managing all content-related topics of Allianz X’s CEO, as well as supporting and planning strategic projects. He joined Allianz X in 2020 as Investment Controller. In his position, he gained a thorough understanding of portfolio monitoring, financial modelling while optimizing further AZX’s reporting processes.

Michael holds both a M.Sc. and B.Sc. degree in Management & Technology from the Technical University of Munich (TUM), spending one semester at the LUISS Guido Carli Business School in Rome.

Before joining Allianz X, Michael gained valuable professional experience in various Internet startups around Munich and Barcelona. He also worked with Porsche Consulting and Harman in Munich.

Annika joined the legal department of Allianz X in January 2022. She advises on all legal affairs, with a strong focus on investment and M&A transactions.

Prior to joining Allianz X, Annika worked as a M&A and Venture Capital lawyer with a top-tier German law firm. Annika studied philosophy and law in Munich and Berlin. She also holds an Executive Master of Business Administration from the University of Münster.

Johann joined Allianz X in September 2020 as a Senior Associate within the Investment Team. Prior to joining Allianz X, Johann gained experience working for an Australasian early to mid stage focused venture capital firm, an R&D growth and assistance fund, and more recently a multinational bank and payment company based in Europe.

Johann holds an MBA, B.A and B.Sc, having studied at Copenhagen Business School, Otago University, and Victoria University Wellington, respectively.

Nathalie joined Allianz X in September 2023 as the Personal Assistant to CEO Dr. Nazim Cetin. She is, therefore, responsible for Nazim’s most valuable professional asset: His time. Nathalie organizes, coordinates, and manages all important administrative matters on behalf of the CEO, including calendar management, event planning, travel arrangements, meetings, hosting guests, and more.   

Prior to Allianz X, she was the Assistant to the CTO at Sixt SE. Before that, Nathalie worked in the luxury hotel sector, which allowed her to travel the world. She lived in London, New York, Miami, and Hong Kong for 12 years and was part of many hotel opening assignments throughout the U.S. in that time. 

Nathalie studied Hotel Management at the Hotelfachschule Munich. 

Beatrice is a Senior Legal Counsel & Data Privacy Officer and joined Allianz X in 2020. She is responsible for all privacy-related issues as well as for Corporate Law and general contractual matters.

Beatrice started her professional career in 2017 with Corporate Law and Mergers & Acquisitions at a leading German law firm in Munich. Prior to joining Allianz X, she focused on Data Privacy, Information Technology, and Commercial at a leading international law firm.

Julia joined Allianz X as a Senior HR Business Partner in 2024. She is responsible for the whole employee lifecycle including talent acquisition, talent management, learning & development, leadership development, HR strategy & innovation, HR analytics, diversity & inclusion, and more.

Before Joining Allianz X, Julia already gained experience in the Allianz Group as an HR Specialist for Solvd GmbH. She also worked for several years in the HR department at a Swiss company and co-founded a compliance company.

Julia has a strong background in psychology and law. After her law studies at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, she obtained a degree in business psychology from the University of Applied Management with a focus on organizational psychology.

Christiane joined Allianz X as a Junior Communicator in December 2021. Her main responsibilities include internal communications and social media.

Before joining Allianz X, Christiane had gained experience in the fields of marketing and communications at companies such as BMW Group and Allianz Deutschland.

Christiane holds M.Sc. and B.Sc. degrees in Business Education with a major in Marketing from the University of Mannheim. During her studies, she spent a semester abroad in Nice at the EDHEC Business School.

Luna joined Allianz X in March 2022 as a Compliance Officer after spending a year with the team as a working student. She specializes in Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Know Your Customer (KYC) topics, as well as looking after other compliance and governance topics, too.

Prior to joining Allianz X, Luna established her career as a KYC Officer at commercial and investment banks such as MUFG and J.P. Morgan Chase, including a managerial position at Barclays’ KYC operations team in NYC/NJ, USA.

Luna holds a B.Sc degree in Finance from Rutgers University and is is currently completing her Executive MBA at the Technical University of Munich (TUM). Luna’s studies have taken her to the USA, Germany, and Singapore.

Gregor joined Allianz X in March 2021, taking on responsibility for its public relations and communications.

The Australian-turned-Bavarian received a business degree from the University of Queensland before working in financial services in Sydney, moving to Munich, and learning the local language of the city of laptops and lederhosen. Gregor then freelanced as a consultant until an irresistible job opportunity took him to Allianz SE, the Allianz Group’s headquarters. There, Gregor proceeded to work in various communications and media relations roles before being inexorably drawn to the bleeding edge of fintech and insurtech that is the home turf of Allianz X. It’s here he’s delighted to indulge his twin passions for technology and communications.

Catherine has been Allianz X‘s CFO since September 2017. Before she joined, she worked at Allianz Group’s headquarters (Allianz SE) in the Investments division, overseeing budgets and controlling for five Allianz companies. Prior to her time there, Catherine was at Allianz Capital Partners (ACP), where she helped build up and eventually lead the Investment Controlling function.

Before ACP, Catherine worked in private equity as an Investment Manager for a small Family Office. And, previous to that, at Robertson Stephens International, a San Francisco-based, technology-focused investment bank. Catherine originally began her financial services career in London at HSBC Investment Bank after having received a First Class Honours Degree in International Business Management and German from the University of Bath.

Ishani joined Allianz X as an Accounting Transactional Associate in the Finance Team.

Prior to Allianz X, Ishani worked in the finance sector at companies like Genpact and HSBC in India. After moving to Germany, she worked in the finance teams of Hermith and later of Point of Sale specialized marketing agency Combera. Ishani also worked for several years at Atolls as a Senior Accountant.

Ishani was born and raised in India where she did her bachelor's at Calcutta University and her Finance MBA at All India Management Association.

Markus joined the Allianz X Finance Team as Finance Director in April 2021. After starting at Allianz Germany in 2002, he changed to Allianz Group Accounting and Reporting from 2004 to 2008, focused on the German P&C and Private Equity business. After that, he held various manager positions in Allianz divisions before joining Allianz X. Markus has extensive practical experience in the onboarding of new acquisitions and establishing processes such as investment accounting, controlling, and investor reporting. He holds an MBA (Diplom Wirtschaftswissenschaften) from the University of Regensburg.

Irene joined Allianz X in September 2020 and built up the Compliance and Risk function. She started her career at Allianz in 2004 with the SOX implementation, followed by the roll-out of the Group Internal Anti-Fraud Program and Compliance Quality Assurance. Prior to that she worked at Deutsche Bank and PricewaterhouseCoopers with a focus on Investment Banking- and Financial Statement Audit.

She holds a Master of International Business from the University of Giessen, Postgraduate Diploma in General Management from the ESMT in Berlin and is a certified SCRUM Master.

Hannah joined Allianz X as an Investment Controller in June 2023. She is responsible for tracking, analyzing, and reporting on portfolio KPIs and financial statement data on portfolio companies. Hannah also assesses the development of our portfolio company business models.

After working for Henkel, Hannah joined Allianz Capital Partners in 2019 in the field of Equity Valuation and Investment Controlling in Infrastructure and Renewable Energy.

Hannah studied economics and finance and holds a CEMS Master. For her studies, she moved between Cologne, Singapore, and Milan.

Robroy joined Allianz X in 2019, advancing through a number of roles since to his current position as Head of Operations.

In this capacity, he oversees operational functions, special projects, and serves as the local head for IT, Information Security, and Protection & Resilience. Since joining, Robroy has played a key role in the build-up of various functions at Allianz X, including Investment Controlling, Cost Controlling, Governance, and IT.

Before Allianz X, Robroy worked with several other Allianz entities, including Allianz Technology, Allianz Partners, Allianz Consulting, and the Global Digital Factory. At Allianz Technology, Robroy worked as an IT Project Portfolio Manager, supporting the global IT transformation of Allianz Partners. At Allianz Consulting, Robroy supported the build-up of Allianz X’s Finance Function and the development of the Digital Asset Library at the GDF.

Robroy holds a bachelor‘s in finance and an advanced diploma in business administration, as well as various financial certifications

Oliver joined Allianz X in October 2021 as an Investment Controller in the CFO office. His main responsibilities include tracking the performance of the portfolio companies and reporting on their development.

Before joining Allianz X, Oliver gained valuable working experience at AssetMetrix, a financial services provider offering a technology-based approach of asset servicing for private capital investors. As a Portfolio Controller, he was responsible for reporting on the Private Equity fund of funds portfolio of a Suisse asset manager with AuM of EUR 7 billion. After his promotion to a Senior Business Analyst role, Oliver was involved in enhancing automated data processing for digitalizing reporting services.

Oliver holds both a M.Sc and B.Sc in Management and Technology from the Technical University of Munich (TUM).

Tamara joined Allianz X in July 2021. She is responsible for administering the day-to-day activities of the leadership team.

Prior to joining Allianz X, Tamara was an Executive Assistant (EA) to Partners at both KPMG and McKinsey. Before that, as an EA to the Managing Directors of DAZN, she was able to live her passion for sports, in particular the NFL. Tamara also gained valuable experience in several other positions, including at a software company in the UK.

Tamara apprenticed as a Management Assistant in Office Communication.

Thomas joined Allianz X as a Risk Officer in April 2023. In his role, he is responsible for implementing a risk management function. He also focuses on portfolio risk as well as operational and business risk topics.

Prior to Allianz X, Thomas had already been part of the Allianz Group as a Risk Analyst and Risk Manager. He also was the Project Manager for the implementation of Solvency II related to the delivery of investment data and risk analyses for equity portfolios.

Thomas holds a Diploma and a PhD in Mathematics from the Technische Universität München (TUM).

Carsten is the Chief Investment Officer of Allianz X.

Having joined the Allianz Group in 2016, Carsten has been instrumental to the strategic and organizational development of Allianz X to the Group’s digital investments unit. He serves as Board Member/Observer for various Allianz X companies.

Previously, Carsten was an Engagement Manager with the European boutique consultancy The Advisory House. During his six-year consulting career, Carsten led various projects for international utilities, technology giants, and industrial companies.

Carsten holds a Diplom-Kaufmann from TU Munich with a major in Entrepreneurial Finance and a minor in Mechanical Engineering. During and after his studies, he spent time in Malaysia and South America.

Filipa joined Allianz X in September 2020 as a Senior Associate in the Platforms and Acquisitions Team. She focuses not only on sourcing and evaluating investment opportunities, mainly in the insurtech space, but also on developing strategic partnerships between leading digital companies and Allianz.

Before Allianz X, Filipa worked at Allianz Consulting and at Deloitte, where she advised various financial institutions and developed capabilities in new business set-up, post-merger integration and business transformation.

Filipa holds a master’s degree in International Management from ESADE Business School and a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Católica-Lisbon School of Business and Economics.

Besides enjoying traveling in her leisure time, through her various educational and professional experiences, Filipa has lived and worked in Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands, Tanzania, Angola, and Germany.

Giuseppe joined Allianz X as Investment Analyst in July 2023, having already been part of the team as an intern. His main responsibilities include deal sourcing and execution.

Before joining Allianz X, Giuseppe had gained experience in the field of Corporate Venture Capital at companies such as Philip Morris International and Maserati (Stellantis Group), where he interned as thesis student for his dissertation on technology scouting in conglomerates.

Giuseppe holds a Master in Corporate Finance from SDA Bocconi, as well as an M.Sc. in International Management and a B.Sc. in Economics from the University of Bologna. During his studies, he spent a semester abroad in Trondheim at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology.

Saharat joined Allianz X in September 2022 as an Analyst within the Investment Team, having already been part of the team as an intern. He focuses on evaluating investment opportunities in the insurtech and fintech spaces. Prior to joining Allianz X, Saharat gained experience at various investment funds, specializing in technology and real estate investments.

Saharat holds a Masters in Management from the ESCP Business School. As part of his studies, he spent semesters in Paris, London, Madrid, and Berlin.

Nhi joined Allianz X in March 2019. As a Manager in the Platforms and Acquisitions team, he is responsible for building fruitful relationships between portfolio companies and Allianz entities as well as supporting the sourcing and evaluation of investment opportunities. Prior to Allianz X, he has been with Allianz Partners in Paris since 2014 covering especially Finance, Strategy and Digital transformation topics globally as a Senior Auditor and Project Management Officer to the Head of Internal Audit.

Nhi holds Double French-German Master degrees in Financial Management from the Université de Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne and Universität Hohenheim (Stuttgart).

Raffaele is a Senior Associate in the Platforms & Acquisitions team. He joined Allianz X in April 2021 as an Analyst, having already been part of the team as an intern. He focuses on strategic investments in FinTech and WealthTech. He is also in charge of deal flow management for the team.

Raffaele began his career in the pre-seed start-up ecosystem, leading a business development concept in Italy and the UK. He then gained experience from several short engagements in consulting, cross-border M&A, and investment banking, working on projects in Spain, France, China, and Italy.

Raffaele received a Master of Science in Finance from Bocconi University with a thesis on “Venture Capital response to Covid-19: emerging technologies and business models”.

Patrik joined Allianz X as Director in December 2020. His main focus is on our strategic acquisitions and investments that fit Allianz’s ecosystem.

Patrik has a decade of experience in advising companies on financial and strategic decisions. He joined Allianz X from PwC’s deals practice where he assisted clients with valuations, M&A transactions and due diligence as senior manager leading teams mainly on large international projects. Prior to that, he worked as an analyst at a renowned strategy consulting company where he started his career in 2010.

Patrik holds a master’s degree from the University of Economics in Prague where he focused on international trade and business valuation.

Sümer is a Senior Manager focusing on FinTech & WealthTech. He began his career in Management Consulting in Germany and joined the Allianz Group in 2013 as Senior Analyst in Allianz Turkey´s CEO Office. While at Allianz Turkey, Sümer led various strategic projects and was responsible for the formation of the Innovation Department. Prior to joining Allianz X, he was in charge of Business Development, where his focus was on the creation of new business models and partnerships.

Sümer received a Master of Science in International Management (CEMS) from the Erasmus University of Rotterdam. During his studies, he spent time in Singapore and Istanbul.

Johannes joined Allianz X in February 2019 and is part of the Platforms and Acquisitions team. He supports the sourcing, evaluation and execution of investment opportunities across all verticals, as well as the facilitation of strategic partnerships between Allianz X portfolio companies and Allianz businesses. Before joining Allianz X, Johannes worked for EY, where he was involved in a variety of buy-side and sell-side transactions in the financial services sector.

Previously, Johannes gained experience at UniCredit, Allianz Capital Partners and Golding Capital Partners in the area of capital markets and private equity. Johannes received his M.Sc. in Business Administration from the University of Mannheim in 2016. During his studies, he spent time in England and South Korea.

Alex is the Chief Investment Officer and a Managing Director of Allianz X North America. He leads Allianz X’s day-to-day activities in North America, including deal sourcing and execution, as well as the management of its North America portfolio of high conviction investments.

Alex joined Allianz X in October 2019, working in the CEO Office where he executed key investments and led strategic initiatives. Prior to Allianz X, Alex worked for global asset manager Fidelity International, after having completed his master’s at Imperial College London.

Gregor is an Associate at Allianz X North America. He joined Allianz X as an Analyst in November 2021, having already been part of the team as an intern. During that time, he was involved in investments in the fintech, insurtech, and wealthtech verticals. In his new role, he is primarily concerned with expanding the Wealth and Asset Management portfolio of Allianz X. 

Gregor holds two master’s degrees in economics and in management with a major in finance from the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU) Munich. He did his bachelor’s degree in business administration and economics at the University of Passau. During his studies he spent one semester abroad in Bologna, Italy. His master theses and bachelor thesis were concerned with capital market dynamics, including modelling of exchange rate sensitivities and determinants of significant short positions. 

Prior to Allianz X, Gregor gained work experience in M&A, consulting, and data science at KPMG, EY, and Allianz Group. 

Niklas joined Allianz X in November 2019 and is currently a Manager. In his role, he drives Allianz X’s North America insurtech activities by sourcing new opportunities, executing and managing investments, and building relationships with portfolio companies. Niklas joined from Boston Consulting Group where he focused on different topics in the banking and insurance industry.

Niklas holds a master’s in finance from ESADE Business School and a bachelor’s in business administration from WHU-Otto Beisheim School of Management, over the course of which he spent a semester abroad in Uruguay.

Maya is a Manager at Allianz X North America. Her responsibilities include deal execution and driving strategically relevant projects in the North American markets. 

Maya joined Allianz X in January 2018 as an intern and has worked in several positions since, including as an Associate and as an Executive Assistant to the CEO. 

Maya completed a master’s in business management at the University of St. Gallen, during which she spent a semester abroad in Hong Kong. 

Jonathan joined Allianz in October 2018. He heads up the legal department of Allianz X and advises on all legal affairs, with a strong focus on investment transactions.

Before Jonathan joined Allianz, he worked with several top-tier law firms, most recently as a legal counsel specializing in venture capital and M&A transactions. During his legal clerkship, Jonathan also worked with the German Foreign Office in Berlin and Phnom Penh.

Jonathan received a doctoral degree (Dr. iur.) from the University of Mannheim and an LL.M. from the University of Cambridge.

Philip joined Allianz X in August 2018 and has worked on many of its minority investments, mainly in the fintech, wealthtech, and automotive sectors in Germany and North America. He also participated in the acquisitions of three companies in the claims space, which have been integrated into the Allianz Group, improving Allianz’ claims handling processes.

In mid-2023, Philip began setting up Allianz X’s North American entity and moved to New York City when its offices officially opened in November 2023. In his roles as Senior Manager and Managing Director, he supports Allianz X’s deal activity in North America, as well as overseeing the LLC’s Governance, Compliance, Risk, and Financial Reporting functions.

Philip studied in Frankfurt, Copenhagen, and Munich and earned an M.Sc. in Business Administration from Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU Munich) in 2015.