Press release
Paris, 6 October 2022
Omnes Capital invests in Castor et Pollux as part of a sponsorless mezzanine financing transaction
Levine Keszler advised Omnes Capital
The management of Castor & Pollux has chosen Omnes Capital, through its Mezzanis 3 fund, to support them in the restructuring of their capital. Arranged by Omnes, this transaction is structured through mezzanine financing and a capital injection, enabling the management team, comprising Lucille Pheulpin, Elodie Denaeyer, Noé Melon, Deborah Boussidan and Raphaël Braud, to become the company’s largest shareholder group.
Founded in 2010, Castor & Pollux is an independent digital communications consultancy that supports its clients in the design and implementation of their brand strategy. Building on organic growth and the signing of major new contracts, the group has developed a comprehensive offering, diversifying its services with new entities, including a production studio and an expert placement agency. The group advises many large French groups and growing mid-sized companies and currently has nearly 65 employees.
Omnes, with the support of the two founders who will continue to accompany the company, will support the current managers in this new phase for them and the company by providing human and financial resources. The management team wishes to continue its development by signing new accounts and diversifying into new sectors.
This transaction is the 14th investment of the Omnes Mezzanis 3 fund.
Lucille Peulphin, President of Castor & Pollux: ‘We are very pleased to have completed this transaction with Omnes. We were fortunate to find a financial partner who immediately understood our challenges and shares our vision of entrepreneurship. We also share common values that will enable Castor & Pollux to continue to grow independently but with the support of a solid financial partner capable of supporting our growth ambitions.’
Benoît Faguer, Investment Director, Omnes: ‘Convinced by the expertise and cohesion of the teams, we are very pleased to support Castor & Pollux and its management team in this new phase and to enable certain key executives to significantly increase their shareholdings. This investment is also an excellent opportunity to invest in a market driven by strong demand. Companies need to change the way they communicate in the digital age and reposition their brands to meet new consumer expectations, which favour, for example, eco-responsible brands that combine business with the environment and sustainable development.’
Camille Delibes, Head of Private Debt, Omnes: ‘We are particularly pleased with the environment in which we were able to carry out this sponsorless transaction. The philosophy of promoting teams and involving all employees in the success of the company’s project are factors that particularly motivate us when choosing the projects we support. And our financing offer is particularly well suited to supporting this type of approach.’
Levine Keszler advised Omnes Capital on this transaction.
Omnes advisors:
Levine Keszler (Serge Levine, Nicolas de Courtivron, Aude Manzo-Keszler, Benjamin Briand and Anne-Sophie Guilbaud): legal due diligence, structuring, contractual aspects, corporate matters and financing of the transaction
Cazals Manzo Pichot Saint Quentin (Bertrand de Saint Quentin and Louise Nicolle): tax due diligence
BRL Avocats (Nicolas Czernichow, Bastien Nicolini and Bamdad Razavi Nazer): social due diligence
BDO (Alban Cabanis and Thomas Sarragot): financial due diligence
Grant Thornton (Bertille Crichton and Clémence Lestra): ESG due diligence
Castor & Pollux advisors:
DDA & Co (Alain Sitbon, Victor Humberdot and Florian Charrière)
Legal advisors (Faustine Paolluzo, Antoine Le Roux, Ronan Lajoux and Clémence Darné-Lajoux)
Advisors to the founders:
Ollyns (Annabelle Tieffine and Camille Pedrini)
Advisors to Arkéa:
SH Legal (Yann Beckers): senior financing
About Omnes
Omnes is a leading private equity and infrastructure investor. With more than €5 billion in assets under management, Omnes provides companies with the capital they need to grow through its three core businesses: Venture Capital, Growth & Buyouts and Infrastructure. Omnes is 100% owned by its employees. Omnes is committed to ESG issues. It has created the Omnes Foundation for children and young people. The company is a signatory to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI).
For more information: www.omnescapital.com
About Castor & Pollux
An independent, creative and committed digital communications group founded in 2010 by Stéphane Clousier & Julien Cocquerel. Its one-stop-shop offering covers all advertisers’ needs: from strategy to production, including content creation and the placement of experts in media buying.
Its clients come from all industrial sectors: Electro Depot, Coface, Enedis, WWF,
Suez, Engie, BNP Paribas, Lacoste, Jacquet-Brossard, Bjorg, Septodont, Edenred, INA, Ferrero, Pierre Fabre, Allianz, Gilead, Eau de Paris, Société Générale, La Poste, LG Electronics, Corsair, Puig,
Ubisoft, and more.
For more information: www.castoretpollux.com
The full press release is available in the attached file(fr).
