CMS BFL advises the management of Courtepaille

CMS Bureau Francis Lefebvre advises the management of Courtepaille as to an LBO with Fondations Capital

Courtepaille has announced the signature of an LBO with Fondations Capital, which will become the majority shareholder in the company. The management, led by Philippe Labbé, Chairman, and more than 200 employees will also acquire shares.

The acquisition will be debt-financed, through a private bond issue fully underwritten by Intermediate Capital Group. This mechanism is being used for the first time in France and will give the group flexibility for development.

Completion is expected to take place during Q1 2011, subject to authorisation from the Competition Authority.

Courtepaille, which has over 3600 employees, 222 restaurants, 15 million customers per year and a turnover of €280m, is the second largest table service restaurant company in France.

The management of Courtepaille was advised as to the legal and tax aspects of the transaction by CMS Bureau Francis Lefebvre, through Phillipe Rosenpick (partner), Alexandre Delhaye and Cécile Leclerc in relation to the Corporate issues, and Lionel Lenczner (partner) and Anne-Sophie Rostaing in relation to the tax issues.

The purchasers were advised as to the Corporate issues by Bredin Prat & Associés (Sébastien Prat, Pierre-Henri Durand, Florent Mazeron and Cécile Airault) and the vendors by SJ Berwin (Thomas Maitrejean , Guillaume Rémy and Fanny De La Porte des Vaux).

For further information, please contact :
CMS Bureau Francis Lefebvre
Florence Jouffroy / Tel: +33 1 47 38 40 32
Laetitia Mostowski / Tel: +33 1 47 38 40 74