Waterland merges MEDIAN and RHM

Düsseldorf/Berlin/Deidesheim, December 18, 2014

MEDIAN Kliniken and RHM Group are to become one company. Today, the majority shareholder of both companies, the private equity investor Waterland has announced this step. This was made possible after the acquisition of MEDIAN Kliniken by Waterland Private Equity Fund V has been completed on December, 15. The result is a hospital group with 72 clinics, about 12,000 beds and approximately 9,500 employees.

Carsten Rahlfs, principal of Waterland and head of the Düsseldorf office, explains the merger: “The healthcare industry is subject to a significant transformation especially in light of the demographic shift in Germany. To participate in this development is a very interesting business challenge and opportunity. After the acquisition of MEDIAN Kliniken, the second hospital operator in Germany, the merger of our two investments is the next logical step. Both groups complement each other regionally very well. Through targeted investments, we will expand the rehabilitation segment close to acute care in particular, but also offer concepts to retain employees in working life in healthy conditions. We also see additional opportunities for organic growth and acquisitions.”

Merger in two steps

As a first step, a common management of both companies has been formed. The MEDIAN board will be complemented by CEO André M. Schmidt and Roland Seebauer as CFO. Philipp Cremer will stay in charge as COO for MEDIAN. To assure a proper changeover, Daniel Koch will remain CFO for a transitional period of time. Klaus-Dieter Stocker will remain Director for RHM Kliniken. Following his own wish, Hartmut Hain, CEO of MEDIAN, will leave the company at years end and in good agreement. Mr. Rahlfs thanks Mr. Hain as well as Mr. Koch for their personal commitment and contribution to the successful development of MEDIAN Kliniken.

In a second step during the course of 2015 the combination of the two companies will be completed as a legal merger. The headquarters of the combined company will be in Berlin, Deidesheim is maintained as a further location. Beginning with the date of the legal merger the group will operate under a new name.

Strong provider of rehabilitation and highly specialized acute care

The merger will create a new, even more powerful care provider with 72 rehabilitation facilities, acute care hospitals and nursing homes altogether. “We are looking forward to see the growing together of two successful hospital operator to a joint corporation,” said Jörg Dreisow, Managing Principal of Waterland.

For the employees nothing changes

For employees who have been informed in advance in a letter from the management, nothing will change. “We are a reliable employer and want to motivate all employees to actively participate in the change,” said the new CEO André M. Schmidt: “To this end we as the new management will visit in the coming weeks all locations in person, looking for an on-site dialogue. We will unite the best of the know-how of these two outstanding and established clinic groups in the coming months – for the sake of our patients and employees.” For the patients also nothing changes with respect to the usual high standard of care.