Our Team. Your Success.
Experience that drives capital.
Allocating capital where banks retreat — uncovering opportunity in real estate financing.
PONTIS FUTURUM acts as initiator and financing specialist, responsible for sourcing, investment advisory, and ongoing fund management.
The decades of experience within our leadership, our extensive networks, and the interdisciplinary composition of our team are the foundation for tailored investment solutions. A reliable team of experts with a collective track record and proven expertise spanning several decades.
Gerald Ranftl
Initiator
25 Years of Expertise in Strategic Investments
Gerald brings more than 25 years of experience as an investment strategist in both national and international markets. His deep market knowledge and strong sense for economic dynamics enable him to analyze companies with precision, optimize structures, and guide them strategically. With a powerful network in the real estate and fund markets, he identifies opportunities early and develops sustainable investment strategies – serving as a trusted partner for holistic capital solutions.
Behind every strong strategy stand people with integrity, experience, and responsibility.
Francis Fulton-Smith
Representative
As an award-winning, successful actor, producer, and entrepreneur for 30 years, FRANCIS has learned to read and analyse the psyche and behaviour of people, and bring them to life in more than 150 films. He grew up multilingual and learned about the international business world early on through his upbringing. His professional and personal experiences in Europe, the USA, the Bahamas, and the Middle East have led Fulton-Smith to build an impressive network in various fields.
Thorsten Steffen
CEO | Capital Bay Fund Management S.à r.l. (Luxembourg)
Expert in Regulation, Governance & Institutional Fund Architecture
CEO | Capital Bay Fund Management S.à r.l. (Luxembourg)
Expert in Regulation, Governance & Institutional Fund Architecture
Strategic risk management with foresight.
Thorsten Steffen is a seasoned risk management and compliance specialist with over 20 years of experience in real estate and private equity. As Chief Risk & Compliance Officer at Cresvia Capital Fund Management S.à r.l., a fully regulated Luxembourg AIFM, he oversees risk management, compliance, legal & administration, and IT. Thorsten combines deep regulatory expertise with strategic foresight in fund architecture. His ability to analyze complex risks and design innovative solutions makes him a key asset to the PONTIS FUTURUM board.
Elisabeth Muhr
Co-Founder & Managing Partner | Alpine Water GmbH (Hallstein Water)
Expert in Environmental Engineering, Hydrobiology & Sustainable Resource Strategy
Sustainable vision meets entrepreneurial excellence.
Elisabeth Muhr is an internationally recognized environmental engineer and entrepreneur with over two decades of experience in ecological research, sustainable resource management, and global brand development. As co-founder of Hallstein Water together with her husband Karlheinz Muhr, she led a 20-year scientific search for the purest drinking water source in the world – a project that unites ecological excellence with entrepreneurial vision. She combines scientific depth with business acumen, making her a key driver for innovative, future-oriented strategies in the real estate and finance sectors.
David Knower
Strategic Advisor | International Finance & Investment Leadership
Global financial expertise with an entrepreneurial focus.
With more than three decades of global experience in strategic financial leadership and executive search, David Knower brings extraordinary depth and foresight to the PONTIS FUTURUM board. As a long-standing Managing Director at Cerberus Capital Management, he is recognized for value-driven transformation and sustainable portfolio management in complex markets. He bridges institutional investors with operational excellence – combining global capital market expertise with entrepreneurial thinking.
Axel Jörg Gränitz
Ex-CEO | Polygon Group | Executive Chairman | Investor | PE Specialist
Expert in Decentralized Growth Strategies, M&A and Operational Excellence
Shaping growth – with strategic vision and operational strength.
Axel Gränitz is an internationally experienced CEO with more than 25 years of leadership in decentralized, service-driven industries. From 2018 to 2025, he led Polygon Group – Europe’s market leader in property damage control with over 8,000 employees across 18 countries – and remains an investor today. He also serves as Chairman of Infravadis Group, NDA Group Stockholm, CWS Workwear, and sits on the board of Schörghuber Holding. Having worked closely with PE firms such as Triton Partners, GBL, Oakley Capital, and Ambienta Partners, Axel combines operational excellence with strategic foresight. He is also Honorary Consul of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg for the Free State of Bavaria, underlining his close ties to Luxembourg and his role in fostering bilateral relations.
Manfred Seitz
Non-Executive Director | NetJets Europe | Senior Advisor | Risk, Aviation & Capital Strategy
A financial architecture built on depth, stability, and responsibility.
With over 30 years of experience in the international insurance and reinsurance business, Manfred Seitz is a cornerstone for risk-based financial architecture. At Berkshire Hathaway, he oversaw international reinsurance strategies with a sharp focus on long-term stability and capital strength. His role at NetJets combines financial stewardship with pioneering innovation in private aviation. Analytical depth, international networks, and operational excellence – Manfred Seitz stands for substance, reliability, and system-relevant thinking within the PONTIS FUTURUM board.
Elena Steffen-Burkhardt
Executive Board Member | Fully Regulated VC Fund & AIFM (Luxembourg) Expert in Governance, Compliance, Fund Management & International Transactions
Managing fund platforms successfully – with regulatory expertise and operational strength.
Elena Steffen-Burkhardt has over 20 years of combined experience in managing regulated fund structures and real estate transactions. Since 2017, she has been part of the executive board of a fully regulated venture capital fund and AIFM in Luxembourg, responsible for governance, compliance, delegation management, and operational steering. Licensed by the CSSF to manage a regulated entity, she also acts as initiator for new fund products. With international management experience in the EU and Hong Kong, and over 15 years in real estate brokerage, Elena combines strong negotiation and structuring skills with deep transactional expertise.
Invest in substance – today for tomorrow.
Discover how PONTIS FUTURUM strengthens your strategy and creates real value.