Dr. Kerstien has advised private and public corporate clients as well as private equity houses on all kinds of debt products, such as loans, bonds, private placements (Schuldscheine), asset-backed facilities, and ratings in situations like refinancings, acquisition financings, and restructurings.

Dr. Kerstien’s notable transactions include: large refinancings for Viessmann and Phoenix Contact; a structured facility to allow a German family office to buy back a minority stake from a U.S.-based large-cap private equity; and several mid-cap private equity acquisition facilities in challenging sectors like travel and gastronomy. He also advised on turnaround refinancing for a large private equity house, including a covenant suspension for several quarters.

Over the course of his career, Dr. Kerstien has advised on more than €40 billion of debt, covering renowned private equity houses across the entire spectrum, from large internationals to smaller, specialized investors. His notable private equity clients include Advent International, BC Partners, Chequers Capital, CVC Capital Partners, EQT AB, H.I.G. Capital, KKR & Co., Waterland, EMK Capital, Avedon Capital Partners, Ambienta, Argos Wityu, and Bencis, among others. Dr. Kerstien’s corporate clients include Douglas, Schlecker, Galeria Karstadt, Conergy, IVG, ALBA, Berlinovo, Flughafen München, Phoenix Contact, Viessmann, HeidelbergCement AG, Marquard & Bahls, and MAHLE.

Prior to joining A&M, Dr. Kerstien worked as a Managing Partner at Clearwater, where he was responsible for debt advisory and private equity coverage across the entire German-speaking region. Before that, he spent 12 years at Rothschild & Co, where he served as European Co-Head of the Debt Advisory practice and a member of the German Executive Committee. Dr Kerstien also spent 10 years at Deutsche Bank in Germany and London, working in the Leveraged Finance and Debt Capital Markets Origination team.

Dr. Kerstien earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Münster and a PhD in banking economics from the University of Hohenheim.