Here are 8 of the most active M&A boutiques in France

You're probably familiar with the investment banks Lazard and Goldman Sachs, which regularly top the M&A rankings in France. But behind these major players are a host of smaller structures that are no less active. In this article, we take a look at some of the most active M&A boutiques in France.

Read more : Finance internships: Spring insight, summer, off-cycle, graduate

Bryan, Garnier & Co France

Presentation : Founded in 1996 by American Shelby Bryan and Frenchman Olivier Garnier, Bryan, Garnier & Co is an independent investment bank dedicated to growth companies. It provides a full range of services, from growth financing to mergers and acquisitions, which sets it apart from other, often highly specialized, investment banks. It is also the first independent investment bank to focus on European companies in the healthcare, energy and new technologies sectors. Bryan, Garnier & Co also brings its expertise to bear on NextGen consumers.

Main professions :

• Financial advisory (M&A and financing)
• Research (publication of notes on tech-related sectors or listed companies)

Team : 200 professionals

Offices : Paris, Londres, Munich, Stockholm, Oslo, New-York.

Financière de Courcelles

Presentation : Founded in 1928, Financière de Courcelles is an independent investment bank specializing in the mid-cap segment. It advises companies and their shareholders on mergers & acquisitions and financing solutions.

Main professions : M&A, equity transactions, LBOs, asset valuation, wealth engineering. The bank also advises companies on the implementation of financing solutions, particularly in the context of fund-raising.

Team : 45 professionals (35 in France)

Offices : 7 offices in France

Oaklins

Presentation : Born of the merger between Aelios Finance and certain members of the M&A International alliance in 2016, Oaklins France is one of the world's leading independent mid-market investment banks.

Key figures : The bank has completed over 400 transactions since its creation.

Main professions :

• M&A
• Growth Equity & ECM (for equity financing)
• Debt Advisory (advice on debt financing)
• Corporate Finance Services (e.g. valuations, due diligence)

Team : 32 professionals in France (850 professionnals in the world)

Offices : Paris, Lyon et Toulouse. Oaklins dispose de 60 bureaux basés dans les principales places financières du monde (Londres, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, ect.)

Houlihan Lokey France

Presentation : Houlihan Lokey is a global investment bank specializing in mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, financial restructuring and valuations.

Main professions :

• M&A consulting
• Financial consulting
• Financial restructuring.

Team : 30 professionals in France

Offices : Paris. Other international offices (Londres, Benelux, Dubaï, Frankfort, Madrid, Manchester, Milan, Munich, Stockholm, Tel Aviv, New-York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Beijing, Singapore…).

KPMG Corporate Finance France

Présentation : KPMG CF is a mid-market M&A advisory firm specializing in equity transactions, financing advisory and valuation.

Key figures :

• Leader in transaction volume in 2022 (Fusions & Acquisitions Magazine)
• 200 deals closed between January and December.

Main professions : M&A advisory, financing advisory (project, PPP, LBO, debt restructuring), valuation

Team : 30 professionals in France

Offices: Bordeaux, Lille, Lyon, Marseille, Montpelier, Nantes, Nice, Paris, Strasbourg, Toulouse…

Clairfield International France

Presentation : Founded in 2004 by 5 European and American structures, including intuitucapital in France, Clairfield International is a benchmark in mid-market investment banking, serving a broad spectrum of entrepreneur- and family-run businesses, private equity and French multinational groups. The company is ranked among the top mid-market M&A advisory firms in France.

Main professions : Mergers & Acquisitions, LBOs, business and asset valuations, private placements, business and asset valuations, restructuring

Team : 27 professionals in France

Offices : Paris, Marseille, Nantes

Cambon Partners

Presentation : Founded at the end of 2003, Cambon Partners is an independent M&A boutique specializing in growth companies (mostly small/mid cap) and in the tech sector. Cambon Partners is involved in all stages of a company's life cycle: venture, growth capital, LBO and M&A.

Key figures : Cambon Partners is a very active M&A boutique, completing between 50 and 70 deals a year. Its strong growth has made it the benchmark investment bank for growth companies in France.

Main professions :

• Sale to a strategic buyer
• Sale of a majority or minority stake to an LBO or growth equity fund
• Venture capital or expansion capital fundraising
• Refinancing or raising bank or bond debt
• Acquisitions

Team : 50 professionals

Offices: Paris, Londres, San Francisco and Beijing.

Sycomore Corporate Finance

Presentation : Founded in 2012 by 3 investment bankers (Olivier Barret, Pierre-Arnaud de Lacharrière and François Vigne), Sycomore Corporate Finance is a top-tier boutique specializing in corporate finance.The investment bank advocates absolute independence and a strong commitment to its customers.

Key figures :

• 70 billion euros - the cumulative value of transactions since the company was founded.
• 80 transactions advised since launch

Main professions :

• M&A (advising companies on mergers and acquisitions).
• Management Advisory (advising management on LBO transactions).
• Capital Structure & Financing Advisory (advising companies on the choice of their financial structure).

Team : 30 professionals

Offices : Paris

Read more : How to maximize your chances of getting an M&A internship ?