On May 28, 2025, we had the pleasure of meeting with our investors and partners during the CVI Investor Day.

This was the first event of its kind. We hosted it in the elegant setting of Hotel Warszawa, located in the very heart of the capital — an iconic blend of tradition and modernity. The event welcomed around fifty representatives of institutional investors, including delegates from the European Investment Fund, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Polish Development Fund, as well as representatives of investment fund companies, financial institutions, and family foundations.

Throughout the full-day event, we discussed current trends in the private debt market in Poland and Central Europe, the performance of funds managed by CVI, selected investments, credit risk management, and our approach to investing in line with ESG strategy.

Milestones in CVI’s development

The meeting was opened by Rafał Lis, founder and Managing Partner, who presented the key milestones in the company’s thirteen-year history. He reminded us that CVI was founded in 2012 and today manages assets worth €930 million. The total value of invested capital has now exceeded €3 billion, with investment activities spanning twelve countries. The CVI team executes dozens of private debt transactions annually and now numbers over forty professionals, making it one of the largest and most experienced teams specializing in private debt investments in Europe. Since 2019, CVI has been a signatory of the Principles for Responsible Investment.

Rafał Lis emphasized that private debt is no longer a niche asset class within so-called alternative investments. It is becoming a regular source of corporate financing and is increasingly emerging as a key component of diversified investment portfolios.

Private debt in Central Europe

The next speaker was Marcin Leja, Partner and CEO, who provided an overview of the private debt market both globally and within the context of Central Europe, including Poland. He noted that the dynamic growth of this market began after the 2008 financial crisis when banks significantly curtailed lending activities. At that time, many companies — particularly SMEs — faced challenges in securing growth capital. This created a space that private debt successfully filled.

Marcin Leja also highlighted that the growing role of private debt in investment portfolios stems from its advantages: diversification opportunities, higher returns, access to unique investment opportunities, and resilience to economic volatility and inflation. He pointed out that in our region, tens of thousands of SMEs are seeking financing of up to €25 million — precisely the segment that CVI focuses on.

CVI’s transformation and new initiatives

In the next part of the event, Dorota Dubyk, Head of the Legal Department, spoke about CVI’s dynamic growth and the transformation processes the company has undergone in recent months. She stressed that CVI’s history is fundamentally one of continuous adaptation to changing market conditions and actively shaping them in line with European trends. Recently, new members — Barbara Nowakowska and Franciszek Witaszek — joined the Supervisory Board. The company has also expanded its investment team both in Poland and the Baltic countries, where it now has a representative in Arturas Vilkas. Another significant milestone was the opening of a new office in Prague, led by Radoslav Tausinger, who has been with CVI for over eight years. Dorota Dubyk also emphasized that CVI is intensifying its efforts to implement ESG strategy and has begun work on incorporating artificial intelligence into internal processes, including IT and CRM.

Case study

A key part of the program was the presentation of selected investment projects. Members of CVI’s investment team — Radoslav Tausinger, Paweł Jacel, Magdalena Śniegocka, Aleksander Wlezień, Piotr Gocłowski, Adam Rzepecki, Jacek Kawałczewski, Olaf Hofses, and Elżbieta Winnik shared their experiences and showcased various transactions. In addition, Jolanta Turek provided insights into CVI’s current ESG initiatives.

We would like to thank all our guests for joining us — we were delighted to welcome so many of you!