The investment company creates two separate subsidiaries.
One is dedicated to real estate investments, the other to private equity operations, namely Capital Innovation and Capital Développement / Transmission. In terms of human resources, Florian DENYS takes over the management of all Private Equity activities, while Manon de BARJAC is appointed Investment Director for Capital Innovation.
Separate activities for greater clarity and agility
Until now, the Group has made most of its equity investments via Sofiouest SA, while real estate investments were made via a dedicated subsidiary (Socimmo). With the creation of the Innovation II subsidiary, all future investments in Capital Innovation and Capital Développement / Transmission will be managed by this same entity, reinforcing the objective of focusing on companies with a social, societal and environmental impact.
To date, Sofiouest has invested over €70 million in innovation capital, and nearly €40 million in expansion and buyout capital. In addition to its direct investments, Sofiouest occasionally invests in investment funds ( most recently in the European EdTech fund Educapital II).
"This new organization meets a triple objective: to give Sofiouest a genuine holding company role in charge of defining the Group's strategy, to clearly separate the Private Equity and Real Estate activities, and to gain in agility. It also provides an opportunity to develop Sofiouest's employees," explains Patrice HUTIN, Sofiouest's Chief Executive Officer.
Build, encourage and sustain a top-quality team
On the management side, Sofiouest announces two internal appointments: Florian DENYS, previously Investment Director for Expansion Capital/Transmission, becomes Director of all Private Equity activities - which include Innovation Capital and Expansion Capital/Transmission.
"Since June 2021, I've had the pleasure of setting up and developing the Expansion Capital /Transmission business. Sofiouest has been involved in four significant deals to date: two LBO deals in regional SMEs, and two Expansion Capital deals in companies in the Île de France region. Thanks to our new organization, we can now be more responsive and agile in the face of new opportunities in our dealflow. It is with great enthusiasm that I welcome this appointment and the prospect of taking charge of all Sofiouest's new Private Equity projects, with the aim of strengthening our presence in the market", declares Florian DENYS.
He will be supported in this task by Manon de BARJAC, promoted to Investment Director in charge of Sofiouest's Innovation Capital activity.
"I'm very honored by the trust placed in me by Sofiouest, a structure that gives itself the means to develop its teams," says Manon de BARJAC, who has managed around ten reinvestments totalling €10 million since her arrival. Most recently, she invested in the Educapital II fund and in the digital medical training platform Santé Académie. " Sofiouest's new structure will enable us to grow and support our existing holdings even more effectively, as well as new ones. I'm delighted to be part of this new phase.
Sofiouest will also be recruiting new staff in the short term to pursue its development.
