Bernhard Koepp is the CEO and Managing Member of C.J. Lawrence® (“CJL”). At CJL, Bernhard advises high net worth clients, foundations, corporations, and family offices across most investable asset classes.

Bernhard chairs CJL’s investment committee which implements its Bulldog-Equity Strategy. In conjunction with CJL’s Chairman, Jim Moltz, Bernhard began applying the Bulldog-Equity Strategy over 25 years ago across both domestic and international equities. Among its Large Cap Core pier group, as of Q4 2022, CJL’s Bulldog-Equity Portfolios are ranked 6-stars within Informa’s PSN database.  Prior to relaunching CJL in 2014, Bernhard spent 16 years at International Strategy & Investment Group (ISI), where he applied the same strategy.

Bernhard began his career in 1989 as a corporate banker in London Deutsche Bank AG’s structured finance division. During that time, he gained multi-sector experience in project and asset-based finance deals for large multi-national corporations. After German unification in 1991, Bernhard spearheaded an initiative to match UK investors with opportunities offered by the newly formed Treuhandanstalt, a Trust Agency established by the German government in Berlin to privatize approximately 8500 state-owned enterprises.

In 1993, he joined the Assets Management Products Group at Deutsche Bank Securities in New York. His responsibilities included structuring and launching numerous Irish-based, tax-driven investment companies for predominantly German Corporates. In 1994, he helped lead a Rights Offering for The New Germany Fund, Inc., one of Deutsche Bank’s flagship closed-end funds. In 1996, he launched the DB Brazil Investment Fund.  In 1997, Bernhard brought to market the DB New World Fund, an emerging market local currency fund and utilized Jim Moltz’ Bulldog investment strategy to launch the DB Top 50 US Funds. In 1997, he transitioned to asset management.  He co-managed both the DB Top 50 US Fund and DB Bulldog Portfolios. That same year, he joined the CIO office of DB’s Private Banking division directing its risk management and new products initiatives.

Bernhard received his M.A. in International Relations & Economics from Johns Hopkins University, SAIS and his BA in International Studies from George Mason University. He has served as a Board Member of DWS’ New Germany Fund, The European Equity Fund, and the Central and Eastern European Fund since 2021 and has served as President of The Opera Foundation since 2006.