Unveiling High-Potential Opportunities, Driving Exceptional Results

Max-Hervé George, is a distinguished French entrepreneur, property developer, and a billionaire. He is the Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Icona Capital. Prior to establishing Icona Capital, George co-founded Ultima Capital Group, where he served as a CEO, showcasing his expertise and leadership in the financial and investment sectors. His entrepreneurial acumen and impact have earned him widespread recognition. 

In 2019, George was named to the prestigious Forbes 30 Under 30 list and featured on the magazine’s cover, a testament to his significant influence in the business world. George was ranked among the top 100 successful young individuals and the 300 richest people by Bilan, a leading Swiss Business Publication. Throughout his career, he has directly and indirectly been involved in transactions worth billions of euros, further affirming his strategic expertise and commitment to driving growth in both private equity and property development.

With extensive experience in infrastructure, data centres, and real estate, Bruno Vannini, our Managing Partner brings a wealth of expertise in driving strategic investments and managing complex projects. His professional journey includes senior roles at the top-tier law firms such as SBKG & Associés, Clifford Chance, and Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP. In these positions, he provided legal counsel on a wide range of high-profile transactions, honing their ability to navigate intricate legal and business environments within the infrastructure and real estate sectors. 

In addition to his legal and professional accomplishments, he has held leadership roles within prestigious organizations. Notably, he served as a former Board Member at the Global Trade Centre, contributing valuable insights and strategic direction to international trade initiatives.

Alexandros, or “Alex,” is responsible for leading Icona Capital’s investment strategy and execution. With a background in distressed real estate and structured finance, Alex has structured and managed over €1 billion in assets across various sectors. Before moving to the buy side, he sat with J.P. Morgan within the Special Opportunities division, structuring over €2 billion in real estate lending and loan acquisitions.

Roberto Giacalone is a seasoned macro investor with more than 25 years of experience in global financial markets. Before joining Icona Capital, Roberto held senior investment positions at hedge funds, mutual funds, and proprietary trading desks, serving as Chief Investment Officer (CIO) and board member, among other roles. With over twenty years of market experience and a strong academic foundation in economics, he has successfully navigated four major financial crises, consistently delivering positive results for his clients. Roberto holds a PhD in Economics.

Federico is responsible for sourcing and executing Real Estate deals across Europe at Icona Capital, with a primary focus on data center acquisitions. He brings over eight years of real estate acquisitions experience, combining deep expertise in data centers with a broad track record across logistics, office, and retail. He has worked at PURE DC (Oaktree Capital’s data center platform) and at Thor Equities, where he focused on logistics and data center investments. He began his acquisitions career at Cromwell Property Group, covering office, logistics, and retail acquisitions across Europe. Federico holds an M.Sc. in Real Estate Investment from Cass Business School.

Margaux Hirzel brings a wealth of operational and administrative expertise to Icona Capital. As an Executive Assistant to the CEO, she manages key corporate affairs, ensuring smooth executive operations. Previously, Margaux served as Managing Partner at Ultima Collection, where she played a pivotal role in accounting management, property pre-openings, and overseeing real estate projects to ensure smooth operations. Known for her operational expertise, she is instrumental in coordinating complex logistics and administrative functions, enabling efficient execution at all levels.

Her career also includes roles at Hotel Royal Savoy Lausanne, where she served as Finance Coordinator, overseeing income audits, accounts payable, and receivable processes.

Stephanie Aslan leads Icona Capital’s credit strategy, drawing on her extensive career in investment banking and real estate finance. In this capacity, Stephanie led numerous high-profile real estate single asset and portfolio financings across Europe both at Citigroup and Nomura. Prior to that, Stephanie also acted on the buy-side at Blackstone, as Head of Capital Markets of their logistics subsidiary Logicor where she focused on the successful sale of the unit to CIC in 2017.

Stephanie started her career in the Financial Management Program of GE Capital and has over 20 years of experience in the finance industry. She holds a Master in Management (majored in Finance) from EM Lyon in France.

Ivana has two decades of experience within finance and accounting. She started with the worldwide recognised company, E&Y, and became a financial controller amongst large companies occupying roles such as Finance & Compliance, Board Member and then CFO. She moved to Icona Capital and SWI Group in 2024 where she occupies the role as CFO.

With 20 years of legal experience, Klara Bujdoso is a seasoned advisor specializing in high-value, complex cross-border transactions. Her career spans top-tier international law firms including Dentons and PwC’s legal services, private equity, and senior in-house roles, including serving as General Counsel for Globe Trade Center, a publicly listed company. Based in Icona’s Luxembourg office, Klara plays a key role in overseeing general legal matters for the entire Icona Group. She applies a strategic, business-focused approach to legal advisory, supporting the group’s growth and operations across multiple jurisdictions.

Michala Chatel has extensive experience in marketing, brand strategy, and communications across the luxury, travel, and corporate sectors. Previously, she was Managing Partner at Ultima Collection, overseeing global operations and brand management. She has also held key roles at The Travel Corporation, IATA, Clarins Fragrance Group, and IBM Software Group. At Icona Capital, Michala leads marketing, brand positioning, and communications, overseeing campaigns, digital marketing, and strategic initiatives to strengthen the company’s institutional presence.