Ardian buys Technology & Strategy in SBO from Dzeta

In a statement, Ardian said a number of managers from T&S have also invested in the deal.

The management, owning around a third of the business prior to the latest buyout, increased its stake in T&S, Unquote understands. 

The transaction was made via €1bn Ardian Expansion Fund IV, closed in 2016. The vehicle typically invests equity tickets of €50-60m, has an initial investment capacity of up to €100m, and makes both minority and majority buyouts of companies valued at up to €225m.

T&S has recorded organic growth of 46% per annum since its inception in 2008, according to a statement. It has made a number of international acquisitions, most recently bolting on engineering consulting group Arias/Maia and digital marketing specialist Octelio Conseil in 2015, and industrial projects management consulting firm Lormatech in 2017.

The business will continue to pursue an international and acquisitive growth strategy under its new owners.

Previous funding
Dzeta led the buyout of T&S in 2012, acquiring a 51% stake in the business, with the founders reinvesting to retain the remaining stake. The firm typically invests in businesses with enterprise values of €20-75m.

Company
Founded in 2008 and headquartered in Strasbourg, T&S provides consultancy related to engineering, IT, digital and project management across Europe and south-east Asia. Its clients typically operate in the automotive, healthcare, finance and luxury sectors.

T&S, employing 1,200 people in 16 offices across six countries, generates a turnover of around €100m, a person familiar with the situation told Unquote.  

People
Technology & Strategy – Jérémie Huss (co-founder, CEO).
Ardian – François Jerphagnon (head of Ardian Expansion); Marie Arnaud-Battandier (managing director); Arthur de Salins (senior investment manager).
Dzeta Group – Claude Darmon, Grégoire Darmon (founders).

Advisers
Equity – Latham & Watkins, Olivier du Mottay, Lionel Dechmann, Benedicte Large Brémond, Aurélie Buchinet (legal); Delaby & Dorison, Emmanuel Delaby, Florian Tumoine (tax); UBS, Fabrice Scheer, Renaud Tochon (M&A); Accenture Strategy, Sébastien Amichi, Romain Le Guen (strategic due diligence); Alvarez & Marsal, Frédéric Steiner, Simon Regad (financial due diligence); Taj, Olivier Venzal (legal, tax, ESG due diligence); Satec, Pierre Le Morzadec, Stéphane Arseau (insurance due diligence). 
Vendor – DC Advisory, Eric Hamou, Frédéric Meyer, Xavier Souvras, Léa Cichowlas (M&A); Cohen & Gresser, Muriel Goldberg-Darmon Johannes Jonas, Angeline Duffour, Guillaume Guerin, Antoine Philippe (legal); Frieh Associés, Emmanuel Scialom (legal).
Company – Scotto, Isabelle Cheradame, Magda Picchetto (legal).

• Tweet  
• Facebook  
• LinkedIn  
• Google plus  
• Send to  

• Topics
• Buyouts
• Exits
• France
• Industrials
• France
• Ardian (formerly Axa PE)