With the acquisition of Sogetrel by Quilvest and BPI alongside the Company’s management, Bryan Garnier closes its 36th transaction in the past 12 months

Paris, December 16th, 2015 – Sogetrel, a leading French actor in telecom networks and digital information systems, has been acquired by Quilvest and BPI with a strong commitment from the company’s management.
Sogetrel designs deploy and maintain network infrastructures and digital communication systems. Founded in 1985, the company become a key actor in the field of high-speed internet and the preferred partner for the main operators (public and private) and local and regional authorities. This has led Sogetrel to carry out 700,000 interventions on their networks in 2013, all over France.
Sogetrel supports its major clients in achieving the deployment of the networks needed to provide digital access throughout the country, as quickly as possible, at the best price and in complete safety. With its Security & Digital Solutions division, the group is also a recognised force in the integration of security systems and digital solutions for its public and private clients.
With an estimated turnover of more than €250 million in 2015 and a sharp increase compared to the previous year, Sogetrel employs a staff of 2,200 at 40 sites in France, Belgium and Switzerland. Following regulatory approval, Quilvest, together with Bpifrance, has completed the company’s acquisition alongside CEO Xavier Vignon and the management team from Equistone, Ardian, Capzanine ICG and Idinvest.
The group’s strategic plan focuses on the accelerated growth in expanding markets driven by new digital usage, the rollout of ultra-high broadband in all territories, and rapid growth in the use of connected objects. With the strong support of its new shareholders, Sogetrel intends to consolidate its positions in these areas and to further develop its relations with major public and private clients and local authorities.
Thomas Vatier, Partner at Quilvest Private Equity, comments, “We are delighted to have the opportunity to support Sogetrel’s talented management team going forward. Their project fits extremely well with Quilvest’s entrepreneurial spirit. Together, we are looking forward to accelerating the company’s growth in fibre optics and communicating solutions both organically and through acquisitions.“
Thibaut De Smedt, Partner at Bryan, Garnier & Co, adds “We were pleased to assist Quilvest in what we believe will be a very successful partnership. This transaction is a new illustration of Bryan, Garnier & Co’s ability to provide expertise in numerous fields within the technology space, as well as bring together private-equity players and managers with a strong entrepreneurial spirit. We believe that Sogetrel’ strong growth potential across several technology fields, makes the company an ideal match for Quilvest”
Alexandre Boukhari, Director at Bryan, Garnier & Co, concludes “Considering the rapidly changing market conditions, we are pleased to have reconciled the objectives of the exiting shareholders with those of the management team in order to provide new development perspectives to the Group and its staff, but also to all Sogetrel clients”.
Participants
Quilvest Private Equit: Thomas Vatier, Loeïz Lagadec, Guillaume Laboureix, Hichem Hadjoudj
Bpifrance Investissement: Nicolas Manardo, Alexis Guinard, Charlotte Sorin, Nicolas Sluys
Bryan, Garnier & Co: Thibaut De Smedt, Alexandre Boukhari, Griffin Woollgar
Equistone: Guillaume Jacqueau, Laurent Chauvois, Stanislas Gaillard
About Groupe Sogetrel
Founded in 1985, Sogetrel is a leading French player in communications network installation and system integration. The company has become a key partner of the major public and private operators and local authorities, particularly in the rollout of ultra-high broadband networks. Sogetrel is also a major player in the field of communicating solutions (electronic security, connected objects, and machine-to-machine applications). The rollout of the Gazpar smart meter for Grdf (Engie Group) stands out as one of its latest successes.
With an estimated turnover of more than €250 million in 2015 and a sharp increase compared with the previous year, Sogetrel employs a staff of 2,200 at 40 sites in France, Belgium and Switzerland. The headquarter is located in Issy-les-Moulineaux near Paris.
(www.sogetrel.net)
About Quilvest Private Equity
Quilvest Private Equity is the private equity arm of the Quilvest Group, a leading global independent wealth manager and private equity investor founded a century ago by a family of entrepreneurs. Since 1972, Quilvest Private Equity has supported talented families and entrepreneurs in the strategic development of their businesses. Over the last 40 years, Quilvest has invested in 150 companies. Quilvest employs 15 professionals in its lead investment team, based in London, Paris and New York. The team invests equity tickets from €15 to €50 million, as a majority or large minority shareholder. It invests through an evergreen fund, which was raised in 2014 from a global group of prominent families and entrepreneurs. Quilvest Private Equity also manages a wide range of investment programs focusing on private equity funds and private equity real estate. At the end of 2015, Quilvest Private Equity was managing about €5 billion of assets.
(www.quilvestprivateequity.com)
About Bpifrance
Bpifrance, a subsidiary of the French state and the Caisse des Dépôts and the entrepreneurs’ trusted partner, finances businesses from the seed phase to IPO, through loans, guarantees and equity investments. Bpifrance Investissement operates equity investment. Bpifrance also provides operational services and strong support for innovation, export, and external growth in partnership with Business France and Coface. Bpifrance offers to businesses a large range of financing opportunities at each key step of their development, including offers adapted to regional specificities. With its 42 regional offices (90% of decisions are made locally) Bpifrance represents a strategic tool for economic competitiveness dedicated to entrepreneurs. Bpifrance acts as a back-up for initiatives driven by the French State and the Regions to tackle 3 goals:
Contributing to SME’s growth
Preparing tomorrow’s competitiveness
Contributing to the development of a positive entrepreneur ecosystem.
With Bpifrance, businesses benefit from a powerful, efficient and close representative, to answer all their needs in terms of financing, innovation and investment.
(www.bpifrance.fr)