Business transfers

Mar 2020

The SFEIR Group steps up its growth with support from Andera Partners and a reinvestment by UI Gestion.

Customers and counterparties

After a first management buyout phase supported by UI Gestion in 2017, the SFEIR Group is completing a new transaction with support from Andera Partners, which is investing through its ActoMezz mezzanine fund.

This transaction will allow the management team led by Bruno Le Forestier and Didier Girard to increase their stake in the group’s capital while leaving the majority stake to the long-time shareholder, former CEO Pierre Dalmaz. This capital increase is the result of an all bond investment by Andera Partners. UI Gestion is reaffirming its support for the group by remaining a shareholder.

Based in Neuilly-sur-Seine, the SFEIR Group is a neo-digital services company and a leading French provider of IT developers for businesses. The group employs 600 people, including 550 developers, who help nearly 250 customers of all sizes and from all sectors with their digital transformation. The group anticipates nearly €64 million in turnover in 2020 compared with €36 million in 2017. Its goal is to again double in size over the next five years.

Founded in 1985, since 2012 SFEIR has specialised in making high-level expert developers available in response to businesses’ growing demand for qualified resources specialised in the complex issues relating to the transformation of their business model using digital tools. Today, SFEIR is recognised as a market maker that is able to address the strategic needs of companies – particularly large accounts – by delivering cutting-edge technological solutions that are distinctive, disruptive and create value.

The investment made by Andera Partners and UI Gestion gives SFEIR the means to continue its change of scale and strengthen its positioning as a key player in the market. This is the 16th investment by the ActoMezz III professional private equity fund (FPCI), which closed in July 2017.

“We are delighted to have Andera Partners by our side, and very proud of the confidence expressed by UI Gestion, which continues to support us in our development. This transaction strengthens the SFEIR Group’s self-reliance and our agility in a highly consolidated market. SFEIR is an entrepreneurial endeavour that aims to help companies create value through digital technology. To do this, we deliver the latest methods and practices of Silicon Valley pure players to our customers to help them understand constantly evolving technologies”, said Bruno Le Forestier and Didier Girard, SFEIR’s managers.
“In addition to the group’s excellent track record and unique positioning, what won us over was the entire management team’s enthusiasm regarding SFEIR’s growth prospects”, said Stéphane Bergez, Partner at Andera Partners and Head of ActoMezz.
“SFEIR’s business plan is remarkable for two reasons: first because it is based solely on natural growth, and secondly because its aim is to be able to deploy high-level consultants and master the latest technological skills for innovative projects”, said Pierre Dalmaz.
“Further support for SFEIR’s growth plans was obvious for UI Gestion, given the premium positioning of the services provided which easily meet market demand, its ability to scale its organisation, and the quality of its management team”, stated Antoine Bertin, Investment Director at UI Gestion.

Associate members