Our French investment team includes 22 investment professionals, operating from offices in Paris and Lyons.  The team is led by Bruno Deschamps and includes  partners Remi Carnimolla, Jérôme Girszyn, Laurent Savinelli and Jean-David Chamboredon.  The French team works as one with 3i’s wider network across Europe, Asia and the US, so that we put together the ‘right team for the job’ for each investment opportunity we assess.  Because we mainly invest from our own balance sheet, we are flexible and committed investors.

The French team is experienced in a wide range of sectors, including transport and logistics, internet, consumer goods (including retail and food), industry and healthcare.

Our business areas:

• Growth Capital (typical investment in the range €10m-€150m)
  We work in partnership as minority shareholders, helping established French businesses (particularly family-owned businesses) achieve organic growth, shareholder restructurings, international expansion and acquisitions.  Senoble, Transports Alloin, Dirickx, Défimode, Prosol and Poliris (SeLoger.com) are recent successful investments.

• Buyouts (typical enterprise value up to €2bn)
  We acquire majority holdings in established, mid-cap companies that have outstanding management teams and excellent prospects for growth.  Often we are helping existing management teams to acquire the business they work for, enabling the spin-out of a non-core division from a multinational corporation or supporting preparations for an IPO.  Recent investments include Keolis, MSC and IneumConsulting.