Neovian Partners assisted Ekkio Capital in their divestment of Groupe Thoiry

Neovian Partners assisted Ekkio Capital in their divestment of Groupe Thoiry

Paris, the 13th of April 2022. The strategy consulting firm Neovian Partners assisted the investment fund Ekkio Capital by conducting the strategic vendor due diligence of Groupe Thoiry, a major animal park operator, with more than one million visitors per year.

Founded in 1968, Groupe Thoiry operates the animal parks of Thoiry near Paris, Peaugres near Lyon, both in France, and the animal park of Santo Inacio near Porto, in Portugal. Groupe Thoiry stands out for its unique positioning, with a focus on immersion in nature, wide open spaces, and animal welfare. The pandemic has reinforced the interest of the French population in local destinations close to nature, creating a favourable market environment for the Group. The Group is a pioneer in immersive experiences in the sector, notably with the Fête des Lumières Sauvages event, organised during the winter season, where visitors can discover animal lanterns spread throughout the parks. The Group has also developed alternative accommodation at Thoiry and Peaugres, offering visitors a unique experience of getting back to nature during their stay.

Neovian Partners assisted Ekkio Capital in the sell-side strategic audit of Groupe Thoiry on its scope of activity. The aim of the mission was to assess the market developments to be expected over the next 5 years. To this end, Neovian Partners studied the growth potential of the various segments of the offer of the Group (animal parks and alternative accommodation), their evolution as well as the positioning of Groupe Thoiry within these markets. The mission also included an in-depth study of the competitive environment and the characteristics of the demand.

“ Neovian Partners’ experience in the tourism and leisure sector has enabled us to carry out an in-depth study of Groupe Thoiry’s markets. Neovian Partners was able to quantify the potential of Groupe Thoiry’s catchment areas, in various geographies largely undocumented, while providing a national and representative panel of the French general public’s expectations of animal parks. The mission also enabled us to establish an exhaustive competitive overview of animal parks in France and to validate the Group’s development paths.”

Patrick Richer, Partner

The analysis conducted by Neovian Partners also highlighted the excellent brand image of Groupe Thoiry and high barriers to entry to its markets, which should ensure the growth of the Group in the years to come. Through this transaction, Ekkio Capital has sold its entire stake in Groupe Thoiry to a group of investors led by Kartesia, associated with Christelle Bercheny, General Director of Groupe Thoiry, and her management team. Ekkio Capital reinvested as a minority shareholder in this transaction

Patrick Richer, Partner, has led the mission.


About Neovian Partners


Neovian Partners

is a consulting firm specializing in the creation of tailored solutions in Strategy, Business Due Diligence, Strategic Screening and HR/Leadership, serving fast-growing investment funds, SMEs and MSCs. Based in Paris and Lyon with a team of about 30 consultants, Neovian Partners is also present internationally, with a network of partner firms with more than 500 employees in 21 countries. Neovian Partners is a generalist firm but with a particularly important project history in software, IT, Internet, Industry, Health and MedTechs, as well as in many niche sectors. More information on : www.neovianpartners.com

Neovian Partners concluded the Vendor Strategic Due Diligence of Agora Technologies, leader of the French public lighting market

Neovian Partners concluded the Vendor Strategic Due Diligence of Agora Technologies, leader of the French public lighting market

Paris, March 2nd, 2022. The strategy consulting firm Neovian Partners supported the Agora Technologies group, in the context of the restructuring of its capital, by completing a Vendor Strategic Due Diligence.

Created in 1836 and originally specialised in foundry products for public lighting and street furniture, the group has developed a broad range of capabilities through progressive business integrations such as the acquisition of Eclatec in 2005, leading to the creation of Agora Technologies in 2017, a group currently composed of four subsidiaries: GHM, Eclatec, Metalec and TTT. Together with Metalec, Eclatec manufactures between 200,000 and 250,000 luminaires each year, of which 95% are LED-based, thus realising €82.3 million in turnover, whilst GHM is a historic French foundry, generating €71.5 million of revenues in 2019.

The mission of Neovian Partners carried out a Strategic Vendor Due Diligence, by analysing the depth and dynamics of the Luminaires, Supports and Street furniture markets and their competitive environments. Neovian Partners also identified several growth opportunities, such as benefiting from export opportunities in a selection of geographical areas, developing smart IoT solutions for public lighting, integrating an in-house solution in the field of galvanisation or establishing a partnership with a specialised player in the street furniture market.

The team was led by Patrick Richer, Founding Partner and Leonid Dorogoï, Head of Lyon.

“ Neovian Partners has carried out an in-depth study of Agora Technologies’ markets. Leveraging its production capabilities and reputation on both the luminaire and support markets as well as benefiting from a strong historical legacy, the group has secured a solid position in its competitive environment. Largest player with a strong network, Agora Technologies is among the few to produce luminaires in France on a market which shows a strong preference for “made in France” products. Given the solidity of the market and the numerous growth opportunities, Agora Technologies is likely to pursue its strong development. “

Patrick Richer, Partner

About Neovian Partners

Neovian Partners is a consulting firm specializing in the creation of tailored solutions in Strategy, Business Due Diligence, Strategic Screening and HR/Leadership, serving fast-growing investment funds, SMEs and MSCs. Based in Paris and Lyon with a team of about 30 consultants, Neovian Partners is also present internationally, with a network of partner firms with more than 500 employees in 21 countries. Neovian Partners is a generalist firm but with a particularly important project history in software, IT, Internet, Industry, Health and MedTechs, as well as in many niche sectors. More information on : www.neovianpartners.com

Neovian Partners supports Mesotrans in the exit of UI Gestion and the entry of Société Générale Capital Partenaires and bpifrance

Neovian Partners supports Mesotrans in the exit of UI Gestion and the entry of Société Générale Capital Partenaires and bpifrance

Paris, 6 April 2021. The strategy consulting firm Neovian Partners assisted the investment fund UI Gestion and the management of Mesotrans group in carrying out the Vendor Strategic Due Diligence of this French player specialising in the grouping and de-grouping transport of hanging meat and frozen food products.

Following several acquisitions since 2016, the Mesotrans group is made up of eight separate entities representing a dozen subsidiaries: TRM, the Vivarais group, the Rungis group, Lucas Europe, Wairy, TFT, TFR and Exbrayat. Thanks to the study carried out by the Neovian Partners team, led by Patrick Richer and Vincent Locanetto, the management of Mesotrans and UI Gestion were able to present financial investors a precise picture of the group’s activities and its markets, by analysing the size, past and future dynamics of each segment. For this project, Neovian Partners’ teams qualified and quantified the potential of the hanging meat and frozen food transport market in France. To do so, Neovian Partners had to validate the competitive advantage of Mesotrans’ model in the different customer segments, compare direct and indirect competitors, as well as carry out quantitative analyses on key markets and activity indicators.

” In a particular context due to the health crisis and the lockdown measures, the Neovian Partners teams succeeded in conducting this study in a seamless way that was very satisfactory for the financial investors; they were able to perfectly demonstrate the high level of technicality of the Mesotrans group’s services, in a resilient agri-food market “.

Julien Donarier, M&A Director, Edmond de Rothschild Corporate Finance

“Mesotrans is a unique group which, thanks to UI Gestion, has achieved critical size and become the French leader in the transport of hanging meat and one of the leaders in the transport of frozen foodstuffs in France. The group has proven its ability to consolidate the market and integrate the acquired subsidiaries. As one of the few players to master the complex know-how of grouping and de-grouping, especially upstream, protected by high barriers to entry, Mesotrans operates in extremely resilient and growing markets, with solid fundamentals and dynamic drivers.

Patrick Richer, Chairman and Founder, Neovian Partners


About Neovian Partners

Neovian Partners is a consulting firm specializing in the creation of tailored solutions in Strategy, Business Due Diligence, Strategic Screening and HR/Leadership, serving fast-growing investment funds, SMEs and MSCs. Based in Paris and Lyon with a team of about 30 consultants, Neovian Partners is also present internationally, with a network of partner firms with more than 500 employees in 21 countries. Neovian Partners is a generalist firm but with a particularly important project history in software, IT, Internet, Industry, Health and MedTechs, as well as in many niche sectors. More information on : www.neovianpartners.com

Neovian Partners completes the Strategic Diligence Seller of VISEO, a French specialist in digital services and digital transformation

Neovian Partners completes the Strategic Diligence Seller of VISEO, a French specialist in digital services and digital transformation

Paris, February 25, 2021. Strategy, development and leadership consulting firm Neovian Partners has supported VISEO in carrying out the Strategic Sales Due Diligence as part of the group’s growth financing.

Created in 2000 by Olivier Dhonte and Eric Perrier, VISEO is a major player in IT and digital services. Building on its 2,200 employees working on 5 continents, VISEO reconciles agility and complementarity of its know-how,design of new products and services, digitalization of business processes, valuation of data, development of digital assets etc. to make digital a real leverage the competitiveness and performance of its customers. In 2020, VISEO has a turnover of more than 220 million euros.

In order to finance its growth, VISEO has commissioned Neovian Partners, with the aim of carrying out a Strategic Diligence Salesman allowing interested debt funds to take the real measure of the company’s growth potential,both organically and through external growth operations. To do this, Neovian Parners’ teams conducted a very comprehensive study of VISEO’s main customer types in its three main markets, France,Spain andAsia Pacific (Singapore, Australia).

The whole point of this mission lay in positioning VISEO in its markets, as finely as possible,within a very large and often perceived competitive environment of NSEs as little differentiated, and thus illustrating the main constituents of its USP,guarantors of its considerable growth potential.

Neovian Partners was able to use its expertise in the ESN sector to ensure the success of this mission. The mission was led by Patrick Richer,Founding Partner and Victor Real,Senior Manager.

“ The Neovian Partners team quickly grasped our client’s challenges and delivered quality work that served the process greatly, given VISEO’s unique and multi-specialist positioning.”

Clement Barbot and Frédéric Damiron, Directors, Corporate Finance International

About Neovian Partners

Neovian Partners is a consulting firm specializing in the creation of tailored solutions in Strategy, Business Due Diligence, Strategic Screening and HR/Leadership, serving fast-growing investment funds, SMEs and MSCs. Based in Paris and Lyon with a team of about 30 consultants, Neovian Partners is also present internationally, with a network of partner firms with more than 500 employees in 21 countries. Neovian Partners is a generalist firm but with a particularly important project history in software, IT, Internet, Industry, Health and MedTechs, as well as in many niche sectors. More information on : www.neovianpartners.com

Neovian Partners completes the Strategic Diligence Salesman of Gibaud, French branch of the Icelandic group Ossur

Neovian Partners completes the Strategic Diligence Salesman of Gibaud, French branch of the Icelandic group Ossur

Paris, November 17, 2020. The strategy, development and leadership consultancy Neovian Partners has accompanied the Icelandic group Ossur,a specialist in non-invasive orthopaedicproducts, through its advice, the GibaudGroup, through its board, M.A. Rothschild and Co.

Specializing in skincare textiles since 1890,the French group Gibaud is established in the Loire and Herat, where it produces textiles used in orthopaedics, podiatry but also for elastic venous compression. In 2006, the Icelandic manufacturer of orthopaedic products Osser, acquired Gibaud, which became its French branch. With 360 employees, Gibaud has a turnover of 46 million euros in 2019.

Neovian Partners’ main mission was to study the gibaud Group’s issues, beyond the validation of the main trends in the non-invasive orthopaedic product market, the dynamics of demand and positioning in relation to the main players in supply. In order to give a representative and truthful picture of the market, Neovian Partners has chosen a dual approach aimed at validating the main dynamics in terms ofsupply and demand on a selection of geographies, such as China, the Iberian Peninsula and Russia. This study has helped to determine the levers to be activated for an effective development of the Gibaud Group’s activity in terms of its offer in France,but alsointernationally.

“ We were able to deal with a very large number of different themes, covering several product segments (three core segments and a multitude of complementary universes), over several geographies. We wanted to best support Gibaud not only on the validation of existing dynamics, but also on the identification of development axes that could bring additional differentiating added value to the group in the years to come.”

Martin Fougerolle, Partner

Neovian Partners was able to draw on its expertise and long experience in the MedTech sector to carry out this mission. The team was led by Martin Fougerolle, Associate Director and head of the Lyon office.

About Neovian Partners

Neovian Partners is a consulting firm specializing in the creation of tailored solutions in Strategy, Business Due Diligence, Strategic Screening and HR/Leadership, serving fast-growing investment funds, SMEs and MSCs. Based in Paris and Lyon with a team of about 30 consultants, Neovian Partners is also present internationally, with a network of partner firms with more than 500 employees in 21 countries. Neovian Partners is a generalist firm but with a particularly important project history in software, IT, Internet, Industry, Health and MedTechs, as well as in many niche sectors. More information on : www.neovianpartners.com

Neovian Partners supports the management team of the Mauffrey Group

Neovian Partners supports the management team of the Mauffrey Group

Paris, October 1, 2019. Neovian Partners, a strategy, development and leadership consulting firm, advised the management of the Mauffrey Group on the occasion of the exit of Siparex and the entry into the capital of Société Générale and Crédit Agricole, via its subsidiaries Idia Capital Investissement and Crédit Agricole Régions Investissement.

Created in 1964, the Mauffrey transport and logistics group is one of the major players in the transport of packaged goods and liquid and solid bulk in France. With sales of nearly €450M in 2018, the company has more than 3,000 employees at 38 sites in France and Europe. The company is chaired by Dominique Mauffrey and is now one of the top 5 French road hauliers of goods.

In order to meet the development ambitions of the Mauffrey Group and to prepare the change of financial partner, Neovian Partners carried out a strategic diversification study of the group’s services in order to identify the most attractive market segments for the company. The consulting firm also identified and qualified some 50 of the most relevant acquisition targets to achieve strategic objectives through external growth.

With the support of new financial partners, the transport and logistics group wishes to pursue its market consolidation strategy, in particular by asserting its presence in the Greater West.

“We are delighted to have assisted the Mauffrey Group in its exceptional growth. Working with Dominique Mauffrey and his teams has allowed us to strengthen our expertise in transportation and logistics and to accurately meet the requirements demanded.

Patrick Richer, Chairman and Founder, Neovian Partners


About Neovian Partners

Neovian Partners is a consulting firm specializing in the creation of tailored solutions in Strategy, Business Due Diligence, Strategic Screening and HR/Leadership, serving fast-growing investment funds, SMEs and MSCs. Based in Paris and Lyon with a team of about 30 consultants, Neovian Partners is also present internationally, with a network of partner firms with more than 500 employees in 21 countries. Neovian Partners is a generalist firm but with a particularly important project history in software, IT, Internet, Industry, Health and MedTechs, as well as in many niche sectors. More information on : www.neovianpartners.com