goetzpartners strengthens its presence in the French market: Dominique Gibert, Patrick Gounelle and Jean-Louis Laurens as new senior advisors on board

31. Januar 2017

Press release

Paris, January 31st 2017 – Following a strong reinforcement of its French team during the last 18 months, goetzpartners, independent advisory firm focused on M&A, strategy and transformation, is proud to announce the hiring of three new senior advisors with the aim to reinforce its commercial reach and its expertise on all strategic and financial corporate issues.

Dominique Gibert, Patrick Gounelle and Jean-Louis Laurens, all prominent figures in the business community, together with Philippe Carli who remains Advisory Board Member, will support the successful development strategy implemented by goetzpartners in France during the last 15 years.

Thanks to their diversified backgrounds and expertises, these three senior advisors will enable goetzpartners to accelerate its development on the French M&A market and more broadly on all transactions initiated by corporates or financial investors.

Dominique Gibert will in particular bring his expertise on refinancing and debt restructuring transactions. He spent more than 20 years with Vivendi as Head of Financing, Treasury and Consolidation. He was in charge of most financing transactions performed by that group, and was involved in several key acquisitions (Havas, Seagram, Maroc Telecom, GVT,…) as well as disposals (NBC Universal, SFR, Activision,…) or IPOs (Nexity, Vinci, Veolia). He graduated from the Paris Institute of Political Studies (Sciences Po).

Patrick Gounelle spent his whole career with Ernst & Young, a group he joined in 1973 and later became Chairman of France, Southern Europe and Africa, between 1998 and 2010. Member of the Medef economic committee, Vice-President of PlaNet Finance, a NGO promoting microfinance, he also chaired the European Institute of Financial Regulation. He graduated from ESCP-Europe and chairs the ESCP-Europe alumni and the ESCP-Europe Foundation.

Jean-Louis Laurens started his professional life in investment banking, notably as founder and CEO of Samuel Montagu in France (HSBC group), then with Morgan Stanley and Dresdner Kleinwort Benson. He then joined Axa where he became Managing Director of Axa Investment Managers. Between 2009 and 2016, he was in charge of Rothschild group’s asset management activities. Vice-Chairman of Unibail-Rodamco’s Board, he has been appointed Ambassador of French Asset Management by the French Association for Asset Management (AFG). He graduated from HEC and holds a PhD in economics.

Philippe Carli will continue fostering the group’s development. After spending most of his career with Siemens where he was Chairman of Siemens France and Vice-President of Siemens Energy, Philippe Carli became CEO of Group Amaury in 2010 and up to 2016. He is a Board Member of Euler-Hermes and sits at the Board of the French-German Chamber of Commerce. He graduated from Supelec and Duke University (North Carolina).

Dr Stephan Goetz, Managing Partner and co-founder of goetzpartners, said:

"We are delighted that these prominent personalities are joining us to support the group’s activities in several key areas. This marks a new step in our development on the French market, a country where we have been active early on and where we will continue to expand. goetzpartners highly appreciates the expertise and industrial reach of these top level professionals."

Serge Prager, Managing Director of goetzpartners in France:

"I am very excited about the support of these new senior advisors who will contribute to goetzpartners, already strong in France with ten transactions performed in 2016. Their backgrounds are fully in line with our original approach combining financial expertise and strategic content, an approach fully valued by our clients. With their support, this unique market approach will be further developed and enhanced."

About goetzpartners

goetzpartners is an independent advisory firm for all key issues of entrepreneurial activity: Strategy, M&A, Transformation. With more than 300 professionals operating out of 14 offices in 11 countries, we advise clients worldwide in all key industries: Business Services, Energy, Financial Institutions, Healthcare, Industrials & Automotive, Retail & FMCG and TMT.

Established in France since 2002, goetzpartners has been advising there around 60 transactions, half of them crossborder. goetzpartners has in particular advised IK Investment Partners on the acquisition of I@D (first real estate on-line network in France), has been involved in Oddo’s takeover of German-based bank BHF, has advised Altis Semiconductor in its sale to German-based X-Fab, and Advent and Douglas in the acquisition of Nocibé as well as Wendel in the acquisition of Constantia Flexibles.

Press contact

Géraldine Dalban-Moreynas
Présidente, Agence Milbox
T : +33 (0)1 42 51 35 12
M : +33 (0)6 98 89 02 10
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Ines Bieger, goetzpartners
Director Marketing & PR
T + 49-89-290725-337
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