Lifebrain Group was founded in 2013 by Prof. Michael Havel and Bernhard Auer and is today one of the largest Italian providers in clinical laboratory testing in the fields of clinical chemistry, haematology, immunochemistry, microbiology, molecular biology, cytology and pathology. In 2018 Lifebrain Group also added non-clinical environmental and food testing to its portfolio with the acquisition of Lab Giusto. As of today, Lifebrain Group is the fastest growing laboratory group in Europe.

✓ Network of over 240 locations in 15 regions – broad network all over Italy
           

✓ More than 1.200 employees taking care of our clients
                     

✓ Annual tests volume of more than 22 million tests

✓ More than 1.300 testing parameters tested in 4 regional hubs and a special laboratory

✓ With Laboratorio Giusto Lifebrain acquired one of the biggest players on the Italian market for food and environmental testing with a strong footprint in Northern Italy

History

2013

Foundation of Lifebrain Group with the focus on creating a Central-European laboratory network, starting in Switzerland.

2014

Entry of the Italian market with take-over of Laboratorio Guidonia in Latium, first acquisitions in Puglia.

2015

Market entries in Emilia-Romagna, Basilicata, Liguria, Campania, Lombardy, Marche. Lifebrain Group becomes leading laboratory group in Latium based on add-on acquisition.
 

2016

Sale of Swiss activities and full focus on the Italian market, establishment of 3 platforms with North / Central / South with already 145 locations.
Lifebrain Group becomes N.2 laboratory group in Italy and N.1 in Veneto.

2017

Lifebrain Group expands its network into 4 new regions and increases its presence to 15 regions and 204 locations in Italy.

2018

Takeover of Lifebrain Group by Investindustrial, a leading European group of independently managed investment, holding and advisory companies with €6.8 billion of raised fund capital.
By the acquisition of Laboratorio Giusto entry of non-clinical environmental and food testing in Italy.
Based on 122 acquisitions Lifebrain Group reaches more than EUR 100 million revenues and was present in 244 locations within 16 regions by the end of the year.

Lifebrain’s Growth Path since 2014

Management

Univ. Prof. Dr. Michael Havel 
CEO
Professor Havel is the co-founder and CEO of Lifebrain Group and successfully executed more than 120 acquisitions in the last 5 years. In the past he founded successfully FutureLAB (2004-2009) as a merger of two Austrian laboratory groups and grown through 40 acquisitions of small and mid-sized laboratories in Austria and six European countries (the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Germany, Switzerland and Romania). With more than 120 locations, FutureLAB became one of the leading privately-owned laboratory Groups in Europe with approx. EUR 120 million turnover in 2009. Within only four years, the enterprise value of FutureLAB was developed from approx. EUR 10 million to an exit value of approx. EUR 270 milion.
 
Before FutureLAB, Professor Havel was working in the hospital division of the University of Vienna as a professor for surgery (1992-2001), focusing on heart, thorax and vascular surgeries. In this function, he published more than 350 academic publications and was a well-reputed lecturer at national and international congresses.
 
Professor Havel gained extensive experience in business management mainly from funding and managing a number of private companies. In 2013, he founded Lifebrain AG together with its former management team and has served as CEO since.
Bernhard Auer 
CFO

Mr. Auer is the co-founder and CFO of Lifebrain Group and successfully executed more than 120 acquisitions in the last 5 years. He was already Finance Director of FutureLAB  from the end of 2006 until 2011. He was responsible for financial management, planning & reporting processes and systems, standardised due diligence processes, reporting to equity investors, bondholders and banks and preparing and coordinating the exit process. After the successful sale, he became the CFO of the buyer and newly formed Synlab Group in Germany until 2011.

Before joining the Lifebrain management team, Mr. Auer served from 2011–2013 as CFO of an internet-focused Holding company.

Mr. Auer’s professional career started at Austrian Airlines AG as Group Controller (2001 – 2006), where he became a Director and Head of Controlling & Finance (Technical) in 2005. Mr. Auer is also a Certified Public Accountant and a Certified Treasury Professional.

Riccardo Manca 
General Manager

Mr. Manca became General Manager for Lifebrain Group’s operational business in 2019. He is the former CFO and manager of Gruppo Ospedaliero San Donato – San Raffaele (2005 – 2018) where he was responsible for the financial management of the group, treasury and M&A activities. Further he took care of reporting and financial controlling. Additionally, he served for the group of hospitals as CEO for its subsidiaries GSD Sistemi e Servizi and Istituti Clinici di Pavia e Vigevano and as Financial Attorney of Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele.

Before joining Gruppo Ospedaliero San Donato – San Raffaele Mr. Manca worked as Credit Analyst for Mediobanca (2003-2005) with focus on financial analytics and rating supporting the acquisition finance team.

Mr. Manca is also contracted Professor of the Università degli Studi di Pavia.