Guarda

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We partner with entrepreneurs to shape what comes next and build lasting industry leaders plans

Guarda was founded by entrepreneurs who share a passion for building and developing businesses.

What we do

We partner with entrepreneurs and management teams to strengthen leading service businesses and help them grow.

Our role goes well beyond succession. We help build strong management teams, digitalize operations, sharpen commercial capabilities, integrate complementary businesses and put in place the structures needed for the next stage of growth.

We do this without losing sight of what made the business successful in the first place: its identity, culture and entrepreneurial spirit.

How we support businesses

Succession & transition - We shape succession solutions around the entrepreneur and the business. Founders can stay involved in the way that suits them best - operationally, strategically or as shareholders.

Management & organization - We strengthen management teams, build the next layer of leadership and put in place the structures the business needs for its next stage.

Digitalization & capabilities - We help build capabilities that are often hard to develop alone - from digital marketing and systems to finance and data-driven processes.

Strategic growth - We work with management to strengthen market positions, enter new areas and turn growth opportunities into concrete initiatives.

Integration - When it makes strategic sense, we identify and integrate complementary businesses that make the company stronger and open up new opportunities.

Our focus

Entrepreneur-led businesses - Established service businesses with strong market positions and room to grow.

Succession situations - Owners looking for a trusted partner to secure continuity and shape what comes next.

Growth opportunities - Business that can benefit from stronger teams, digitalization or complementary acquisitions

Shared ambition - We work best with entrepreneurs and management teams who think long term and value continuity, trust and active partnership.

"Successful entrepreneurs neither want to work forever nor to fully stop. Jonathan and Nicolas let me contribute in a self-determined way. I can still bring in my experience and perspective and they always listen and take my inputs. The Company I founded is in good hands"

Hanna Rychener

Former owner and current Chairwoman of IST Higher Education in Tourism

"As the co-Founder and CEO of Swiss Marketing Academy I was approached by a number of financial investors and strategic players. However, Nicolas and Jonathan stood out from the beginning. The difference maker was its people. Both Nicolas and Jonathan are entrepreneurs themselves and know what it means to run a business like mine. They took the time to both understand our company, our team and our needs. From my earliest interactions it was clear that they would be that rare, true value-add partner that would drive the business to achieve its full potential and accelerate Swiss Marketing Academy growth beyond just financing".

Brigitte Oertli

Former co-founder and owner of Swiss Marketing Academy

"When you want to transmit your company, you search for an acquirer with profound market understanding, a deep set of operating insights, and tangible company-building know-how. Nicolas and Jonathan ticked all the boxes. I particularly liked their approach of constantly wanting our clients -students- needs to be the centre piece. I am convinced that they will bring tangible operational results in MBSZ's next phase and that my former company is in the best hands possible".

Roland Gerber

Co-former owner of MBSZ Marketing & Business School Zürich AG

"With conviction Lisa and I said 'yes' to Nicolas and Jonathan. It was very important to us to plan the continuation and further development of Apamed with foresight. Apamed is to continue intensively - with new offers and new locations. Our graduates and lecturers will benefit greatly from the exchange, diversity and synergies within a larger group. Lisa and I are looking forward to continuing to accompany Apamed strategically and to being available as contacts".

Werner Becker

Former owner and managing director of Apamed GmbH

Founding partners

Jonathan Wynne

Jonathan has worked in education since 2008. Before co-founding Vantage Education, he spent six years at Nord Anglia Education, leading more than 30 acquisitions and new developments across Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the Americas. He also held operational roles, including Regional Managing Director for Switzerland and Integration Director. At Vantage Education, he helped build and scale a multi-institution platform. He holds a Master’s degree in Engineering from EPFL.

Nicolas Faivre

Nicolas has spent much of his career alongside entrepreneurs and owner-managed businesses. He started in investment banking at Credit Suisse before co-founding Helvetica Capital in Zurich. He later co-founded Vantage Education, where he helped build and scale the platform, acquire and integrate acquisitions, improve operational and financial performance, and work at board level across the group. He holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration from HEC Lausanne.

Guarda was founded by entrepreneurs with hands-on experience building businesses through growth, integration and transition. A central part of that journey was co-founding and building Vantage Education over seven years.

Building Vantage Education

Vantage Education Group

We co-founded Vantage Education and spent the following seven years building it from three independent higher-education institutions into an integrated platform of 14 brands.

We built the entire management team and second leadership layer, put succession plans in place for each of the ten acquisitions, and built the operating platform across marketing, sales, finance, HR, IT and academic functions. Along the way, we drove digitalization, improved performance and integrated the businesses without losing the identity and strengths of each institution.

Vantage Education is a leading Swiss higher-education platform with more than 15,000 students across 14 institutions.

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