Coyote, the French GPS and speed-radar detector company, announced a leveraged buyout by its two founders | CMS Bureau Francis Lefebvre Coyote founders board

Coyote, the French GPS and speed-radar detector company, announced a leveraged buyout by its two founders, Fabien Pierlot and Jean-Marc Van Laethem, backed by HLD.

The deal sees the exit of 21 Centrale Partners – which had initially planned to take the company public – and the TV show host, Arthur. The founders now hold 80% of the capital, with HLD holding the rest.

The press estimates Coyote to be worth 120 million euros. The American fund Farallon partially financed the transaction for the founders. The deal will result in a change of management, with Fabien Pierlot replacing Didier Quillot at the company’s helm. The aim of the buyout is to continue Coyote’s expansion in its historic markets in France and Belgium, strengthen the group’s European presence, especially in Italy, Spain, and Germany, and support the provision of innovative services related to connected cars and insurance.

The Coyote founders were advised by Dentons, with Emmanuel Scialom, partner, and by CMS Bureau Francis Lefebvre with François Charpail, partner, Corinne Reinbold in tax, Jean-Eric Cros, partner, and Thomas Hains and Matthias Le Pan in corporate.

HLD was advised by Weil Gotshal & Manges, with Alexandre Duguay, partner, Jonathan Bay in corporate, Cassandre Porgès, counsel, and Yaëlle Cohen in financing.

21 Centrale Partners was assisted by De Pardieu Brocas Maffei, with Jean-François Pourdieu, partner, and Stéphanie Gérard.

Arthur received assistance from Bayle & Hasbanian, with François Bayle, partner.

Herbert Smith Freehills advised Farallon, with Hubert Segain, partner, Laure Bonin, Christopher Theris, counsels, and Foucauld Prache.

For more information, please contact:

• Nicolas Merigeau, NewCap
  nmerigeau@newcap.fr
  +33 1 44 71 94 98
  
• CMS Bureau Francis Lefebvre
  Florence Jouffroy, Marketing and Communication Director
  Laetitia Mostowski, Communication Manager
  florence.jouffroy@cms-bfl.com, laetitia.mostowski@cms-bfl.com
  +33 1 47 38 40 32 / 40 74