GROUPE VILAVI acquired by HLD

The acquisition of UGIP Assurances by Santiane marks a significant step in the latter's strategy of growth and diversification in the French insurance market. Through this transaction, Santiane aims to expand its market footprint and enhance its product offerings, leveraging UGIP Assurances' expertise in wholesale insurance broking and its network of partner brokers. The deal is expected to generate significant synergies, enabling Santiane to accelerate its growth and consolidate its position as a leader in the French insurance market. The investment thesis relies on the potential for UGIP Assurances to contribute to Santiane's revenue growth and profitability, while also enhancing its market position and competitiveness. By partnering with UGIP Assurances, Santiane intends to build a leading player in the French insurance market, with a strong focus on customer satisfaction and innovation.

KKR is acquiring insurance broker April from CVC Capital Partners for EUR2.3 to EUR2.4 billion, representing 15 times its projected 2022 EBITDA. The deal is highly profitable for CVC, which valued April at EUR900 million three years ago, representing a 2.5-fold increase in value.

Ardian won a competitive auction process (beating HG Capital and Cinven) to join TA Associates in a co-control consortium. Both sponsors hold equal stakes and governance rights. The transaction was financed via an unitranche debt provided by Arcmont. Under TA Associates' ownership since 2018, the group increased its revenue fivefold. The new strategic plan aims to triple the company's size through 10% annual organic growth and an aggressive M&A strategy targeting new verticals (commercial real estate, construction) and geographic expansion in France and potentially internationally.

Charterhouse Capital Partners has acquired a majority stake in Siaci Saint-Honore from Ardian. Under the new structure, the management and employees took control of the capital, with Charterhouse acting as the lead financial partner. Ardian, the previous majority owner, retained a minority position to support the group's continued international expansion. The transaction was structured to ensure the broker's independence by favoring financial sponsors over strategic industrial bidders. The strategic plan focuses on aggressive external growth across Continental Europe, Asia, and Africa, supported by recent industrial partnerships.

Abenex acquired a majority stake in Leader Insurance, succeeding LT Capital. The deal valued the group at approx. The transaction aimed to support founder Yoann Chery in his ambitious "buy-and-build" strategy to diversify into health, protection, and new geographic markets (DROM-COM).

BlackFin Capital Partners entered into exclusive negotiations to acquire a majority stake in Cafpi. The transaction allows for a family reorganization: the founder fully exits, while his brother reinvests alongside the management team. BlackFin secured the deal via a preemptive offer, beating out competitors like Cerberus and Santiane (backed by Latour Capital) in a process managed by Cambon Partners. The acquisition is financed by a unitranche debt representing approx. 4.0x EBITDA. The strategic roadmap focuses heavily on digitalization (currently only 7% of business comes from the web) and product diversification (savings, home insurance).

Meilleurtaux acquired 100% of Active Assurances, enabling the exit of financial sponsors Activa Capital and Bpifrance, as well as the founding management team. This strategic acquisition marks a shift in Meilleurtaux's business model: previously a simple comparator (lead generator) in auto/health insurance, the group now becomes a full-stack broker capable of selling, issuing, and managing contracts directly. The deal also strengthens its B2B wholesale brokerage capabilities through Active Assurances' subsidiary, Wazari.

Latour Capital has successfully finalized the acquisition of a majority stake in the share capital of the target from its previous institutional sponsor, following a highly competitive auction process. This strategic transaction represents a significant milestone in the broker's evolution, marking its transition into a new phase of institutional scaling. The strategic rationale for the move centers on the acquirer’s objective to leverage the target’s unique digital-native distribution model, which demonstrated exceptional resilience and performance during period of global market volatility. By incorporating new institutional backing, the organization reinforces its ability to accelerate its organic growth and explore potential buy-and-build opportunities in the fragmented insurance brokerage landscape. The partnership is designed to maintain the leadership of the existing management team while providing the financial depth required to enhance technical operational depth in digital customer acquisition. This integration facilitates the further professionalization of the firm’s wholesale division, providing the strategic resources required to navigate the evolving regulatory environment for individual health insurance in France. The move solidifies the group’s standing as a primary enabler of digital transformation in the insurance services sector.

Ardian acquired a majority stake in Finaxy from Equistone Partners Europe, which had owned the group since 2014. The transaction was valued at an Enterprise Value of €160 million, representing an aggressive multiple of approximately 14.5x EBITDA. To secure the asset in a competitive process managed by Lazard, Ardian submitted a preemptive offer that outpaced other finalists such as Parquest Capital and Abénex. The transaction is financed by a senior debt package provided by a pool of banks, representing approximately 5.0x EBITDA. Founder and CEO Erick Berville remains at the helm, maintaining a significant equity stake to drive the next phase of consolidation and organic growth.

Silver Lake acquired a majority stake (~70%) in Groupe Finizy (Meilleurtaux) from Goldman Sachs Private Equity. The transaction was executed outside of a formal auction process, pre-empting a sale that was initially planned for March 2020 but halted due to the COVID-19 lockdown. The management team, holding ~30%, reinvested in the new structure. A governance transition occurred simultaneously. The deal was initially equity-funded by Silver Lake.