Michael W. Scherb

Michael W. Scherb
Michael W. Scherb
Born	Michael Winston Scherb; November 5, 1981; Taiwan
🏳️ Nationality	Austrian, Singaporean
💼 Occupation	Businessman, investor and philanthropist
Known for	Appian Capital Advisory LLP, Appian Way Charitable Foundation

Michael Winston Scherb (born November 5, 1981) is an Austrian-Singaporean businessman, investor and philanthropist. He is the Founder and CEO of Appian Capital Advisory LLP^[1] and the Appian Way Charitable Foundation.^[2]

Early life and education[edit]

Scherb was born in Taiwan to Austrian and Singaporean parents, and moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he grew up before moving to various locations throughout his life. He has lived in Frankfurt (Germany), Canterbury (UK), Beijing (China), Paris (France), New York (USA), London (UK) and Rome (Italy).

He holds a B.B.A. in International Business and a M.A. in Finance.

Investment career[edit]

Scherb started his career ~20 years ago in Beijing structuring foreign investment into China, before joining J.P. Morgan’s Metals and Mining team in London where he worked on ~US$185 billion worth of Metals and Mining transactions across M&A, equity and debt.^[3]

Scherb founded Appian Capital Advisory LLP in 2011 and has overseen the development of Appian into a leading Private Equity investor in the Metals and Mining sector, particularly targeting commodities required for energy transition.

Investment philosophy[edit]

Scherb is best known for blending long term value-investing principles with the mining sector, a space known for very short-term irrational thinking. His investing style espouses second-level thinking^[4] and long-term value investing in a very hands-on operational manner^[5]. He coined the term "technical arbitrage" to describe Appian’s investment strategy.

Appian’s investments are largely undisclosed, but realizations include:

Roxgold^[6], acquired by Fortuna Silver^[7]
Peak Rare Earths^[8], sale of royalty^[9]
Caserones^[10], sale of copper NSR royalty^[11]
Avanco, sale to OZ Minerals^[12]
Sale of royalty and repayment of credit facility on Harte Gold to Silver Lake^[13]

Appian has raised multiple funds^[14] and manages multiple billion dollars of capital for primarily institutional investors such as pensions, sovereign wealth funds, endowments, foundations and family offices.^[15]

Philanthropy[edit]

Scherb is Chairman of the Trustees of the Appian Way Charitable Foundation which focuses mainly on children, women and the disenfranchised. The Foundation assists Appian’s portfolio companies in allocating capital into the most impactful social programmes in the communities and principal regions Appian invests into, and has created ~11,000 jobs in primarily Latin America and Africa.^[16]

Wealth[edit]

Scherb’s wealth is not reported.

Personal life[edit]

Scherb is unmarried but lives with his female partner and their two children.

Recognition[edit]

Scherb is a recipient of the Financial News Top 40 under 40 Private Equity Leaders Award.^[17]

Scherb was also voted in the top 35 of Mining's Most Influential people according to Mining Journal.^[18]

References[edit]

[1] ttps://appiancapitaladvisory.com

[2] ttps://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/5140376/trustees

[3] ttps://www.gbreports.com/interview/michael-w-scherb

[4] ttps://www.mining.com/appian-ceo-on-principles-for-mining-investment/

[5] ttps://www.mining.com/web/appians-michael-scherb-accommodative-capital-and-the-new-private-equity-investor-in-mining/

[6] ttps://fortunasilver.com/

[7] ttps://fortunasilver.com/investors/news/fortuna-and-roxgold-complete-combination-to-create-a-global-premier-growth-oriented-intermediate-gold-and-silver-producer/

[8] ttps://www.peakresources.com.au/

[9] ttps://www.mining-technology.com/news/peak-resources-funding-ngualla-project-tanzania/

[10] ttps://www.caserones.cl/

[11] ttps://www.mining.com/nomad-acquires-caserones-copper-royalty-from-appian/

[12] ttps://www.mining-technology.com/news/oz-minerals-closes-323-2m-avanco-resources-takeover/

[13] ttps://www.mining.com/silver-lake-resources-grabs-troubled-harte-gold/

[14] ttps://www.prnewswire.com/in/news-releases/appian-raises-775m-reaching-hard-cap-for-second-mining-fund-868873516.html

[15] ttps://www.fnlondon.com/articles/appian-capital-is-hoping-to-unearth-an-investment-winner-in-a-green-metals-push-20210810

[16] ttps://appiancapitaladvisory.com/esg/the-appian-way-charity/

[17] ttps://www.fnlondon.com/articles/meet-the-financial-news-40-under-40-rising-stars-of-private-equity-2014-20140428

[18] ttps://www.mining-journal.com/leadership/news/1423541/mining%E2%80%99s-most-influential-2021

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