June 30, 2022
Translink Corporate Finance in France advised leading global business services company and rating agency, Leaders League, on the 100% sale to leading media group in the B2B field, Groupe Ficade.
Group Ficade has acquired Leaders League to create the 1st French B2B media and communications group. Representing its 9th acquisition, this transaction enables Group Ficade to strengthen its activities with a consolidated turnover of €25m, 250 employees and including 35 media and nearly 60 events each year.
Founded in 1996, Leaders League has established itself as the essential rating agency in the B2B sector. Leaders League has also developed expertise in events and communications over the years.
Gaël Chervet – Founder, Manager and Sole Shareholder of Groupe Ficade, will become the majority shareholder and chair of the new entity. Chervet said, “This acquisition allows the group resulting from the merger, to have a leading position in most of our businesses. It will allow us to further develop the organization of large-scale professional events and accelerate our internationalization. It also gives us the means to better support our customers in the development of their activities thanks to complete product offerings: global media (print, web, audio-visual, and events), rating and certification agency, marketing and communication consulting agency and digital service platforms.”
A profitable merger for both entities according to Pierre-Etienne Lorenceau, Founder of Leaders League, who explains, “The Ficade Group is today a very good human, technological and strategic platform built by successive acquisitions but also by organic growth. We have seen the Ficade Group grow rapidly and keep the best talent after their previous acquisitions. Gaël Chervet’s personality and leadership has a lot to do with it. Above all, I was impressed by the technological and international ambition of Gaël Chervet. The group has a real growth strategy, based on people and empowerment.”
This is the seventh transaction of the year for Translink Corporate Finance in France in less than three months. Mathieu Lemesle, Partner at Translink Corporate Finance in France says, “This good start to the year is the result of the work undertaken over the past 12 months to strengthen the firm’s team and expertise in the health and technology, media and telecom (TMT) sectors. We hope to conclude around twenty transactions this year, including a dozen internationally with the support of our Translink CF network”.
Contact our Team Members advising in this transaction:
Headquartered in the city of lights, Paris, and with an office in the beautiful port city of Bordeaux, Translink CF France, formerly Financière Monceau CF, is an independent mid-market M&A boutique. Founded 10 years ago by finance entrepreneurs aged under 30, Translink CF France puts the emphasis on its entrepreneurial DNA when it comes to advising its clients.