Ardian backs management buyout of Babeau-Seguin

A spokesperson for Ardian confirmed the GP secured a majority of the shares, while Nixen fully exited the business and the company's management team retained a significant stake. 

This investment will be the sixth made by the Ardian Expansion IV fund, which raised €1bn in 2016. Ardian's fund targets investments in high-growth businesses valued at up to €225m.

Previous funding 
Nixen acquired 50% of the group in December 2011 via the Nixen II fund, according to unquote" data. The deal was valued in the €50-100m range.

Existing shareholders Siparex, CM-CIC, Carvest and Somfy Participations reinvested, as did Babeau-Seguin's founder and chief executive Bruno Babeau. Pechel and Avenir Entreprises also joined Nixen as investors in the new structure.

Company 
Based in Creney-près-Troyes and founded in 1982, Babeau-Seguin is a builder of detached houses.

According to Ardian, the Babeau-Seguin group's turnover has almost doubled since 2010 and is expected to reach more than €180m in 2017.

People 
Ardian – Alexis Lavaillote (managing director).
Nixen Partners – Pierre Rispoli (CEO).
Babeau-Seguin Group – Bruno Babeau (president).

Advisers
Equity - Invest Securities, Bertrand Le Galcher Baron, Rémi Pollet (M&A); Accuracy, Arnaud Lambert, Luojia Zhang, Jean Schott (financial due diligence); Advancy, Patrick Pudduy, Stepan Wildt, Charlotte Morizot (commercial due diligence); Weil, Gotshal & Manges, Frédéric Cazals, Maxime Fradet, Cassandre Porges, Edouard de Lamy, Romain Ferla (legal, tax) ; Niji, Romain Delavenne, Céline Feron (IT due diligence) ; Marsh, Jean-Marie Dargaignaratz; Ersida Ago (insurance due diligence).
Vendor - Lincoln International, Dominique Lecendreux, Arnaud Dudognon, Serge Palleau, Julien Chevrier, Margaux Lamothe (M&A); EY, Paul Gerber, Stéphane Vignals, Guillaume Lestang (financial due diligence); LEK, David Danon-Boileau, Frédéric Dessertine, Servane Perrot (commercial due diligence); STC Partners, Bertrand Araud, Delphine Bariani, Etienne Pujol (tax, legal); De Pardieu Brocas Maffei, Guillaume Touttée, Frédéric Tual (legal).
Management - SECC Group, Denis Gouaille (debt advisory); Cabinet Ratheaux, Gaétan de la Bourdonnaye (legal).

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• Topics
• Buyouts
• France
• Exits
• Consumer
• France
• Ardian (formerly Axa PE)
• NiXEN
• Secondary buyout
• Accuracy
• Weil Gotshal & Manges
• Lincoln International
• EY (Ernst & Young)