PAI Partners has signed a definitive agreement to acquire a 75% majority stake in Looping Group from Mubadala Capital and Bpifrance. This transaction marks the fourth leveraged buyout for the group. The founding management team will retain a 25% minority interest and continue to lead the group’s ambitious growth strategy. The deal was supported by a 250 million euro unitranche financing package provided by Hayfin, representing a leverage multiple of approximately 4.5x EBITDA. The strategic rationale for the new partnership is to double the company’s size over the next five years through a combination of organic development and continued cross-border acquisitions, with a particular focus on strengthening the group’s footprint in Southern Europe.

Looping Group has undergone a major capital reorganization as the founding management team, led by the President and Managing Director, assumed majority control of the company. Mubadala Capital entered the capital as a significant minority investor to support this management-led buyout, while the previous majority shareholder, Ergon Capital, fully exited its position. Bpifrance, a long-standing partner, also participated in the transaction to maintain its support for the group’s development. The deal was conducted primarily as a private, bilateral agreement and involved a complete restructuring of the group’s existing debt facilities. The previous "first out-second out" financing was replaced by a substantial unitranche facility provided by Hayfin, which also included a dedicated line for capital expenditures. This new financial structure is designed to provide the group with the stability and liquidity required to pursue further international acquisitions and enhance the profitability of its existing leisure assets.

H.I.G. Capital has completed the acquisition of a portfolio of seven regional leisure parks from Compagnie des Alpes to form the newly established Looping Group. This transaction represents a classic corporate carve-out, as the seller sought to refocus its strategy on major international destination resorts and ski areas. The deal was structured to provide the target with full operational independence, led by an experienced management team drawn from the industry. The strategic rationale for the acquisition is to revitalize these regional assets through dedicated management focus and a significant multi-year investment plan aimed at enhancing the visitor experience and operational margins. This inaugural transaction serves as the foundation for a European "buy-and-build" platform, with the acquirer intending to use the group as a vehicle to consolidate the fragmented regional leisure park market through further acquisitions of similar high-potential assets.