Overview
Silke is the Global Head of Linklaters’ Investment Funds practice and specialises in alternative investment funds and is the key contact for some of the largest global fund sponsors in private markets.
Her practice covers the full range of investment funds including retail and professional funds, with special expertise in alternative investment funds such as private equity, real estate, private credit and other alternative asset funds and investment management arrangements. Silke has been the counsel for several ground-breaking deals for some of the largest asset managers. Her practice includes the structuring, establishment and regulation of funds and asset management businesses, including the setting-up of co-investment structures, tailored managed accounts e.g. for sovereign investors and regulatory work (e.g. licensing and passporting procedures) in the asset management sphere. Silke covers all types of diversified, regulated, unregulated and tailored investment structures including beyond a typical fund set-up.
In addition, Silke has developed extensive experience in the field of sustainable finance and advises our clients on sustainable finance disclosures and taxonomy. Silke is also advising clients on the structuring of impact and sustainable funds and on how to capture new opportunities arising in the new era of ESG friendly investments.
Besides her alternatives business Silke further has deep knowledge of retail investor funds (UCITS and UCIs) and is the legal counsel to a number of flagship funds distributed by some of the biggest asset managers around the world.
Silke is Linklaters’ Luxembourg Innovation Partner and leads communication and engagement for our global Generative AI Steering Group. In this role, she brings together technology experts, lawyers, and senior leaders to ensure everyone is aligned on the responsible and transparent use of artificial intelligence across the firm.
Work highlights
Recently, Silke has acted for and advised, among others:
- KKR: advising KKR as longstanding trusted counsel on the vast majority of their EEA funds both with private equity (including infra, RE, and impact) and credit strategies, as well as on several segregated managed accounts, funds of 1, co-investment vehicles, aggregators, alternative investment vehicles, as well as service provider relationships, compliance, governance and strategic matters.
- A leading Nordic private equity player: advising on their first ever open-ended ELTIF with a PE-type strategy targeting retail and professional investors across a number of jurisdictions, including establishment, distribution, regulatory and compliance aspects as well as portfolio analysis.
- The asset management arm of one of the world’s leading global financial institutions: advising on the structuring, marketing and fund formation of an umbrella Luxembourg Part II fund which includes as its first subfund an open-ended ELTIF with a fund of funds, multi alternatives strategy which is open to retail investors and professional investors and combines the UCITS and alternatives business lines of this player.
- One of the world’s top three global PE houses: advising their private wealth team on strategic opportunity analysis, conception, portfolio analysis, and on the structuring of their new Part II platform and its first subfund being their first ever European Long Term Investment Fund.
Professional experience
Silke is heavily involved in the activities of the fund industry organisations in Luxembourg. She is chairing several working groups of the Luxembourg fund industry association ALFI and of the Luxembourg Private Equity Association LPEA. She is leading Luxembourg’s industry efforts on European Long-Term Investment Funds (ELTIFs) and currently on the Pan-European Personal Pensions Product PEPP. Her industry involvement further covers various other fields such as e.g. infrastructure, private equity or private debt. She is a committee member of the European asset management association EFAMA in Brussels and is a regular speaker at various national and international conferences and industry roadshows.
Education and qualifications
Silke studied law in Germany (Humboldt University of Berlin) and holds a masters degree in France (Université Jean Moulin Lyon III).
She speaks German, French and English.
Member of the German Bar, Member of the Luxembourg Bar.
