Multi-Family Office

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WPA Participações

WPA Participações serves as the central investment platform for the founding family of WEG S.A., the Jaraguá do Sul-based industrial manufacturer that...

WPA Participações

WPA Participações serves as the central investment platform for the founding family of WEG S.A., the Jaraguá do Sul-based industrial manufacturer that generates over R$29 billion in annual revenue from electric motors, transformers, and automation systems. Décio da Silva, one of the three sons of WEG co-founder Eggon João da Silva, chairs the family office alongside board members Martin Werninghaus and Miriam Voigt Schwartz — both family members — and maintains close ties with WEG's operational leadership through CEO Alberto Kuba and former CEO Harry Schmelzer Jr. The family's philanthropic infrastructure includes the Fundação Werner Voigt and Instituto Eggon João da Silva, named for the two other founders. WPA allocates across private equity, private credit, and direct co-investments, with sector emphasis on industrial technology, energy transition, mobility, and property technology. The firm's geographic reach mirrors WEG's own footprint — operations span South America, North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa — and its technology focus includes advanced materials and enterprise software alongside core industrials. The family office also holds a real estate portfolio through Seven Pounds Asset Management, targeting mixed-use properties in Brazil. Direct co-investment structures and special purpose vehicles are the primary deployment mechanisms, rather than fund-of-funds commitments. The firm's total assets are not publicly disclosed; an estimated $18.8 billion in assets under management (Altss estimate) reflects the scale of WEG-linked wealth, which includes Décio da Silva's personal fortune of approximately $2.6 billion as tracked by major wealth indexes. WPA's governance is structured around a board that includes both family members and senior WEG executives, and the chairman participates in Brazilian industrial policy through board membership at IEDI — the Institute for Industrial Development Studies — and Sindipeças, the automotive parts trade association. No recent fund closes or deployment figures are publicly available. WPA's structural differentiator is the depth of its operator knowledge: the family office draws direct investment insight from WEG's global supply chains, factory-floor dynamics, and emerging-market manufacturing exposure. Rather than building a diversified multi-family platform for external clients, WPA appears to concentrate on deploying industrial-family capital into adjacencies — energy infrastructure, mobility technology, and real assets — that complement the underlying industrial franchise rather than diluting it.

General information

Firm type

Multi Family Office

Year founded

AUM

$18.8B (Altss estimate)

Location

Region

South America

Country

Brazil

City

Jaraguá do Sul

Corporate office

Jaraguá do Sul, Brazil

Principals

Décio da Silva

Chairman of the Board

Martin Werninghaus

Board Member

Miriam Voigt Schwartz

Board Member

Alberto Kuba

CEO of WEG S.A.

Harry Schmelzer Jr.

Former CEO of WEG S.A.

Sector focus

Industrial TechEnergy Transition & RenewablesMobility & TransportationPropTech

Frequently asked questions

Who controls investment decisions at WPA Participações?

Décio da Silva chairs the board of WPA Participações and serves as the ultimate decision-maker for the family office. He is supported by family board members Martin Werninghaus and Miriam Voigt Schwartz, with input from WEG executives Alberto Kuba and Harry Schmelzer Jr. on industrial-sector opportunities.

How is WPA Participações related to WEG S.A.?

WPA Participações is the multi-family office for the founding family of WEG S.A., the Brazilian industrial manufacturer co-founded in 1961 by Eggon João da Silva along with Werner Ricardo Voigt and Geraldo Werninghaus. Décio da Silva, son of the co-founder, chairs both WPA's board and serves on WEG's leadership structure. The family's controlling stake in WEG represents the core of the wealth managed by the office.

Does WPA Participações invest outside Brazil?

Yes — the firm's geographic footprint covers South America, North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa, mirroring WEG's own global operational presence. WPA's direct co-investments and private equity allocations are not limited to Brazilian assets.

What investment structures does WPA Participações use?

WPA deploys capital through direct co-investments and special purpose vehicles, along with private equity and private credit strategies. The firm does not appear to operate as a fund-of-funds, preferring direct exposure to operating companies and real assets.

Which sectors does WPA Participações target?

Confirmed sector focuses include industrial technology, energy transition and renewables, mobility and transportation, and property technology. The firm also tracks advanced materials and enterprise software, consistent with WEG's own manufacturing and automation footprint.

Does WPA Participações have philanthropic structures?

Yes — the founding family maintains the Fundação Werner Voigt and the Instituto Eggon João da Silva, named for two of WEG's three co-founders. These operate as separate philanthropic entities from the investment office.

What is WPA Participações' known posture on co-investments alongside external GPs?

WPA's primary investment model relies on direct co-investments and SPVs rather than blind-pool fund commitments. The family's deep industrial operating experience through WEG suggests a preference for direct negotiation of terms and active involvement in investment decisions, though the firm's full GP co-investment posture is not publicly documented.

Profile maintained by using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.

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