An amine functional compound comprising i. least one segment consisting of at least one ether unit E and at least one ester unit, wherein the ether units and ester units are connected by an ether link or by an ester link, and wherein the sum of the number of ether units and ester units is at least three, and wherein the ether units and ester units are arranged in random order, and ii. at least one amine group ii. selected from a tertiary amine group, a salt of a tertiary amine group and a quaternary ammonium group, wherein the at least one segment is covalently linked to a polymerization starter moiety comprising the at least one amine group ii.