THE INDEPENDENTS acquired by TOWERBROOK & BANIJAY GROUP

EMZ Partners has successfully organized a management-sponsored buyout to support the founders of Yuri & Neil in their acquisition of majority control of the group. This strategic operation marks the beginning of a new expansion cycle for the agency, which has demonstrated a remarkable growth trajectory since its inception five years ago. To adequately capitalize this transition, a senior debt facility was arranged and fully subscribed by a banking pool consisting of Caisse d’Epargne Île-de-France (CEIDF), Société Générale, and CIC

Adevinta ASA is being acquired by Blackstone Inc. and Permira Advisers LLP in a joint transaction announced in November 2023. The deal follows a competitive process that concluded after the companies received regulatory clearance in key jurisdictions. Closing is anticipated in the fourth quarter of 2023, subject to customary closing conditions and final shareholder approvals. The acquisition results in a change of control from eBay Inc., which previously held a significant stake. The transaction aligns with Blackstone’s objective to expand its exposure to high‑margin digital platforms that generate recurring advertising revenue

This transaction represents a renewed leveraged buyout where the incumbent private equity majority shareholder reinvests through its latest flagship fund to maintain absolute corporate control. The operation is executed in seamless alignment with the founding executive and the broader management team, who remain deeply involved in the capital structure. This strategic capital reorganization provides renewed stability and enhanced financial capabilities without altering the existing governance. The primary rationale underpinning this renewed partnership is to aggressively accelerate the company's geographic expansion through a balanced combination of robust organic growth and targeted external acquisitions

Lavazza announced the acquisition of 100% of the share capital of MaxiCoffee, France’s leading coffee‑focused online and multi‑channel platform, with a view to strengthening its position in the French market and expanding its e‑commerce footprint. The transaction is structured as a full‑control purchase, with Lavazza becoming the majority owner while current founder and Chairman Christophe Brancato retains a minority stake and continues to lead the company at the operational level. Lavazza’s rationale is to embed a leading French multi‑brand coffee retailer within its own international network, thereby gaining instant scale in B2C and B2B channels and accelerating its digital presence without diluting MaxiCoffee’s established business model

Hardloop completed a EUR3 million funding round to accelerate the development of its technological platform and support its European expansion. The round was led by historical investors Seventure Partners and SGPA, alongside a pool of Business Angels and banking partners (Banque Palatine, LCL, Societe Generale). A key component of this transaction is the opening of the company's capital to its employees, allowing the first wave of staff to become shareholders alongside the founders.

Societe Generale Capital Partenaires (SGCP) invested EUR1.5 million into the holding company of Groupe LAFRETO. This capital injection is strategically aimed at reducing the group's seasonality exposure. Historically dominant in winter sports, the group has set a target to balance its revenue stream to a 50/50 split between winter and summer activities (leveraging its Golf and Water Sports divisions). The funds will also accelerate international expansion—currently, only the Glisshop brand has a significant footprint outside France (35% of sales) in markets like the UK, Germany, and Spain

The acquisition of CarNext by Constellation Automotive Group creates a leading European digital used car marketplace, selling more than 2.5 million cars annually for a Gross Merchandise Value of €21bn. The combination of CarNext and Constellation expands the group's vertically integrated C2B, B2B, and B2C marketplace model across seven major European countries, allowing the group to reach unmatched scale. The addition of CarNext's proprietary data analytics and historic European used car transaction data will give Constellation an edge in terms of data and technology excellence

Permira Funds has completed a strategic investment in Adevinta ASA, acquiring approximately 125 million shares from eBay Inc., which corresponds to a 10.2 % ownership stake. The transaction, announced on 14 July 2021, is scheduled to close in the fourth quarter of 2021 pending regulatory clearance and customary closing conditions. The share purchase forms part of eBay’s broader divestiture of its classifieds business, and the minority equity position aligns with Permira’s focus on technology and online marketplaces; Dipan Patel, Permira Partner and Head of Consumer, will join Adevinta’s Board of Directors following closing

This transaction is a public-to-private leveraged buyout. The newly formed consortium, acting in concert, signed a binding investment protocol to execute a simplified tender offer aimed at acquiring all outstanding floating shares and delisting the target from the stock exchange. The complex operational structure involves the incoming private equity firm directly acquiring a significant minority stake in the listed entity, coupled with a simultaneous direct equity injection and share purchase within the historical owners' overarching holding company

Insight Partners is acquiring a minority equity stake in iad International. The transaction was announced in February 2021 and follows a competitive sale process led by Lazard and JP Morgan. Existing shareholders including IK Investment Partners, Five Arrows Principal Investments, Naxicap Partners and the company’s founders will retain significant ownership after the closing. The deal is structured as a full‑equity purchase, with the possibility of subsequent unitranche financing to fund future growth