Investment Philosophy
Approach
HW Investment Partners is focused on investing in healthcare companies with engaging business models, unique service concepts and disruptive technologies. Our approach is to partner with innovative companies that are driven to transform patient care and dramatically improve patient lives.
Our team has broad healthcare experience gained from many years in senior executive and medical leadership positions, combined with diverse skillsets within many healthcare segments. We take a very deep and active role in both the operating and strategic aspects of our portfolio companies -- most often, we serve in the capacity of Chairman of the companies' Board of Directors.
Other Investment Entities
HW Investment Partners has ownership in the following:
- KMG Capital Partners (80% ownership)
- KMG TriSalus Investments (80% ownership)
- KMG Renal Investments (93% ownership)
- Caduceus Medical Holdings (42% ownership)
Investment Team
Mats L. Wahlstrom, Partner and Co-Chairman
Mats Wahlström has 35 years of experience in the healthcare industry, having served as CEO and CFO of large international companies in the renal field. Mats currently serves as Executive Chairman of KMG Capital Partners LLC, and board member of PCI | HealthDev and Circuit Clinical. He also serves as a Lead Director and Chairman of the Audit/Finance Committee of Coherus Biosciences, a public biotech company. In addition, he currently serves on the boards of Alteco Medical AB, a public company. Mats is Chairman of the Boards of Triomed AB and Surefire Medical, Inc.
From January 2004 through December 2009, Mats served as Co-CEO of Fresenius Medical Care North America, and from November 2002 through December 2009 as President and CEO of Fresenius Medical Services, which operated more than 1,700 dialysis clinics in the U.S. Prior to joining Fresenius Medical Care in 2002, he held various positions at Gambro AB, including President and CEO of Gambro North America, as well as CFO of the Gambro Group.
Mats has a BS in Economics and Business Administration from the University of Lund, Sweden.
Kerry R. Hicks, Partner and Co-Chairman
Kerry Hicks currently serves as CEO and President of KMG Capital Partners LLC, a boutique healthcare venture capital company based in Denver, Colorado. As a successful, innovative healthcare executive, Mr. Hicks leverages his extensive healthcare and leadership expertise to provide strategic guidance and drive success within portfolio companies.
Prior to joining KMG Capital Partners, Kerry served as Chairman (1998 – 2010) and Chief Executive Officer (1998 – 2012) of Healthgrades since the company’s inception. He led Healthgrades through eleven years of consistent growth as a publicly traded company, and then facilitated the sale of the business to Vestar Capital Partners in 2010. Under his leadership, Healthgrades transformed into the premier destination for consumers seeking information on doctors and hospitals. Mr. Hicks built Healthgrades from a predecessor company, Specialty Care Network, where he served as President and Chief Executive Officer from 1995 to 1999. From 1985 to 1995 he served as Senior Vice President of LBA Healthcare.
Kerry currently serves as CEO and President of KMG Capital Partners LLC, Executive Chairman of Circuit Clinical, Co-Chairman of HW Investment Partners, LLC and serves on the boards of KMG Capital Partners LLC, Caduceus Medical Holdings, Inc. and TriSalus Life Sciences, as well as the Advisory Council of the Institute for Entrepreneurship at Colorado State University, and as a Senior Advisor to both Kitchen One-For-One and the SOX Place, which provide services to at-risk populations in the Denver area.