BDGS Associés
BDGS Associés fields ‘a high-level team with exceptional legal technique combined with leading transactional experience’. The group acts for CAC 40 companies as well as state-owned companies and investors. The firm has strong credentials in public and private M&A transactions as well as corporate reorganisations, and recently advised on high-profile deals across various sectors and industries (internet, renewables, transport, telecoms, finance). It is also the go-to-firm for high-end work involving the public sector with Jean-Emmanuel Skovron an expert in this area. Skovron jointly heads the practice alongside the highly regarded Marc Loy, Antoine Bonnasse and Youssef Djehane. Other key names include Thomas Méli, Lucile Gaillard , François Baylion, Jérôme du Chazaud and David Andréani.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- ‘High-level team with exceptional legal technique combined with leading transactional experience.’
- ‘Team members are highly qualified and are top of the class legal practitioners. They are truly more than just legal advisers but business partners. They are very strong in connecting all the business aspects to the legal matters.’
- ‘Marc Loy is very experienced and always find solutions and is reassuring. David Andréani offers innovative proposals to difficulties.'
- ‘Jean-Emmanuel Skovron stands out for his interpersonal qualities and intimate understanding of top business issues and top of the class legal expertise. David Andréani stands out for his exceptional combination of top legal expertise and financial skills. ’
- ‘Thomas Méli has a very good understanding of clients’ constraints and excellent ability to find secure and innovative legal solutions, even in complex or even contentious situations.’
- ‘Jérôme du Chazaud is a brilliant young partner.’
- ‘Lucille Gaillard is competent, available, caring in complex matters that required a political and strategic approach beyond simple technical competence.'
- ‘Jean-Emmanuel Skovron is particularly innovative, agile with a detailed understanding of the issues and business, associated with unfailing kindness and benevolence. ’
Key clients
- ADEME Investissement
- Bouygues Telecom
- Bpifrance
- Butler Industries
- Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations
- Canal+
- CMA CGM
- Crédit Agricole Assurances
- ENGIE
- Evolis
- Icade
- La Banque Postale
- Louis Dreyfus Armateurs
- LOV Group
- Paprec
- Publicis
- Sagard
- SNCF
- Sopra Steria
- Thales
Work highlights
- Advising Icade on the sale of its stake in Icade Santé.
- Advising LBP on the reorganisation of LBP’s insurance branch.
- Advising Crédit Agricole Assurances (Predica) on the transfer of all assets and liabilities attached to Predica’s retirement business to another affiliate of CAA.
Lawyers
Hall of Fame
The lawyers at the very top of the profession, widely known and respected by peers and clients for their longstanding involvement in market-leading work.
Hall of fameBDGS Associés
Partner specialising in public and private mergers and acquisitions focusing on transactions involving listed companies (takeovers, public offers) and cross-border transactions. He also advises on shareholder disputes and, more generally, securities law. Recent work includes advising: Engie on the sale of the Equans group to Groupe Bouygues following a highly competitive bid process, the sale of its stake in Suez to Veolia, and the sale of its subsidiary GDF International’s majority stake in Engie EPS to Taiwan Cement Corporation and the subsequent mandatory public offer; La Banque Postale (LBP) on the creation of a large listed financial group notably via its acquisition of Groupe BPCE’s stake in CNP Assurances, followed by a public offer and squeeze out of the remaining shares of CNP Assurances; Media-Participations on its acquisition of La Martinière Groupe; Total on its acquisition of a minority stake in Eren Renewable Energy; EDF on its partnership with Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations regarding RTE; and Compagnie Financière Martin Maurel on its merger with Rothschild & Co.
Rising stars
BDGS Associés
Senior associate specialising in cross-border mergers and acquisitions (listed and unlisted companies), joint ventures, capital market transactions and international arbitration. Recent work includes advising: Coty Inc. on its dual listing on Euronext Paris; Thales on the sale of its ground transportation systems business to Hitachi Rail; Diageo on its voluntary delisting from Euronext Paris; Crédit Agricole Assurances (Predica) on its acquisition in consortium with Vauban Infrastructure Partners of 45% of Bluevia Fibra from Telefónica and its acquisition in consortium with Engie of Eolia Renovables from Alberta Investment Management Corporation (AIMCO); and Richemont on its joint venture with Alber Elbaz in AZfashion.
Leading individuals
BDGS Associés
Partner specialising in mergers and acquisitions focusing on State investments and transactions concerning the public sector (listed or unlisted). Through this practice, he has developed an in-depth understanding of the banking and infrastructure sectors. Recent work includes advising: La Banque Postale (LBP) on the creation of a large public financial group via its acquisition of Groupe BPCE’s stake in CNP Assurances, followed by a public offer and squeeze out of the remaining shares of CNP Assurances, its sale of 40% of AEW Europe and 45% of Ostrum Asset Management to Natixis Investment Managers (Groupe BPCE) and the renegotiation and renewal of distribution and management agreements between LBP and Groupe BPCE; SNCF on its recapitalisation via a EUR 4 billion share capital increase; the French State (Agence des Participations de l’Etat and Direction Générale du Trésor) on the reorganisation of Bpifrance (the French public investment bank); Paprec on the takeover of Dalkia Wastenergy; Covéa on the sale of its 20% stake in Caser Seguros to Helvetia; Aéroports de Paris on the structuring of its share capital and regulatory consequences of its privatisation; and EDF on its partnership with Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations regarding RTE.
Next Generation Partners
BDGS Associés
Partner specialising in mergers and acquisitions and restructurings of both listed and unlisted companies, as well as joint ventures. Recent work includes advising: Coty Inc. on its dual listing on Euronext Paris; Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations (CDC) on the creation of “New Suez” by a consortium composed of Meridiam, Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) and Group CDC, constituted from the assets acquired from Veolia and Suez in the context of Veolia’s public offer for Suez; Bouygues Telecom on several notable joint ventures (in particular with Cellnex, Phoenix Tower International and Vauban Infrastructure Partners) in order to deploy and operate fiber optic and 5G networks in France; Sopra Steria on its acquisition of CS Group, listed on Euronext Paris; the French State on the recapitalization of Air France-KLM; Sagard on its acquisition of ADIT; Publicis on its joint venture with Carrefour in the media retail sector; French Tech Souveraineté on its acquisition of a stake in EuroAPI and Biose Industries; ADIT in the context of acquiring control of DCI from the French State and Sofema; Bpifrance in the context of its investment in Qair; GTT in the context of Engie's exit from its capital; and Safran on its public offer for Zodiac Aerospace and their subsequent merger.
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Antoine Bonnasse, Youssef Djehane, Jean-Emmanuel Skovron, Marc Loy