, Columnist
Rocket Internet's Commander-in-Chef
Oliver Samwer is rooting for a U.S. food delivery rival's IPO, as well as one closer to home.
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Oliver Samwer, founder of European startup factory Rocket Internet SE, compares his job to a blitzkrieg that demands total dedication. Yet as two of Rocket's biggest investments reach a critical moment, he isn't in total command of their destinies.
Delivery Hero, a German online takeaway service 35 percent-owned by Rocket, said on Tuesday that it plans to sell 450 million euros ($506 million) of new shares to fund expansion. While the performance of British peer Just Eat Plc augurs well for the flotation, Samwer is just one of various stakeholders involved in the process. Despite that chunky stake, Rocket doesn't have a board seat. South Africa's Naspers got one after buying 10 percent of the shares last month.