Fabrice Cohen serves as a trusted advisor to prominent private equity investment funds, sovereign wealth and pension funds, industrial groups, and listed companies. He is managing partner of Ropes & Gray’s Paris office. Widely respected for his extensive experience in private capital, domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, and securities law, Fabrice counsels on all aspects of public and private M&A, as well as on corporate reorganizations.
Fabrice advises across a range of today’s most dynamic sectors, including aerospace and defense, technology, automotive, healthcare and life sciences, business services, and consumer and retail. He is recognized as a leading lawyer in private equity and M&A by Chambers Europe, Chambers Global and The Legal 500 EMEA, which describes him as “go-to for several high-profile corporates” and “especially formidable when it comes to M&A, securities law, private equity deals and reorganizations.” Clients further describe Fabrice as “clever, tactical and a good adviser,” “calm but firm in negotiations,” and “able to think out of the box and find solutions.”
Experience
Most matters completed prior to joining Ropes & Gray
Private Equity
- PAI Partners:
- On the acquisition of European Camping Group from Carlyle, Montefiore and Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan
- On the acquisition by European Camping Group of the Vacanceselect group from Permira
- On the acquisition of the Asmodee Group from Eurazeo and its subsequent disposal to Embracer
- On the acquisition of B&B Hotels from Carlyle and subsequent disposal to Goldman Sachs
- Permira:
- On the acquisition of Exclusive Networks from Cobepa, the subsequent IPO of Exclusive Networks on Euronext Paris, and the subsequent take-private alongside CD&R
- On the acquisition of the Vacalians group from 21 Centrale Partners and other co-investors, and its subsequent disposal to PAI Partners and its portfolio company European Camping Group
- On the French aspects of the acquisition of K-Way from BasicNet
- On the acquisition of the Provimi group from PAI Partners, its delisting and its subsequent disposal to Cargill
- Carlyle on the disposal of Sagemcom to Charterhouse
- Ares Capital on the acquisition and subsequent disposal of Laboratoire XO
- Triton on the acquisition of Fläkt Woods
- CDC International and Mubadala:
- On the acquisition of a shareholding in Galileo Global Education from Providence Equity Partners
- On the acquisition of a shareholding in Indexia (formerly SFAM) alongside Ardian
- Cinven:
- On the acquisition of SFR, Numéricable and Altice, and the subsequent disposal of the combined group to Carlyle
- On the acquisition of Eutelsat and subsequent disposal through IPO
- On the acquisition of Frans Bonhomme
- On the acquisition of Camaïeu
- CDC, Bpifrance and certain other reference shareholders on the IPO of Euronext, the acquisition of Borsa Italiana and the subsequent reorganization of the reference shareholders in Euronext
- Partners Group on several bid transactions
Mergers and Acquisitions
- The French State, as shareholder and board member of Engie, in connection with the sale by Engie of its stake in Suez to Veolia Environnement and the tender offer (OPA) of Veolia Environnement on Suez
- Pernod Ricard:
- On its acquisition of the rosé wine Château Sainte Marguerite, Cru Classé Côtes-de-Provence and subsequent successive build-up acquisitions in the rosé wine business
- On its joint venture investment in White Oak alongside Charlois et Compagnie
- L'Oréal:
- On the acquisition of the worldwide Mugler and Loris Azzaro perfume businesses from the Clarins Group
- On the acquisition of Atelier Cologne from its founders
- On the disposal of perfume producer Cosmeurop to Superga
- The Airbus group:
- On several major transactions, including the reorganization of its aerostructure business, the creation of the new Airbus Defense and Space division, the transformation of the listed top holding company into a European Company (SE), and the joint venture with Safran in the satellite launcher business
- On the acquisition of Vizada from Apax Partners and the subsequent disposal of the civil satellite business to Apax Partners
- On the sale of Vector Aerospace to Veritas Capital
- Nissan on the global reorganization of its operations in Europe, including the transfer of the distribution, homologation and after-sales businesses and the transfer of its R&D and vehicle manufacturing business activities
- Perenco on the acquisition of a 35% stake in Rougier Afrique International from Caisse des Dépôts et des Consignations du Gabon, and its strategic partnership with Rougier SA
- Europcar:
- On the disposal to Daimler of its shareholding in the joint venture Car2go
- On the acquisition of Fox Rent A Car Inc. and Fox Reservation Inc., the independent U.S. car rental group
- On the acquisition of Goldcar from Investindustrial
- dsm-firmenich on the acquisition of Adare Pharmaceutical from Adare Pharma Solutions
- Ipsen on the internal corporate reorganization of its activities and the separation of the consumer healthcare and specialty care business activities
- International Beverage on its acquisition of Larsen Cognac from the Anora Group
- CDC and CNP Assurances on their investment in GRTgaz alongside Engie, and the negotiation of the global shareholders agreement
- General Motors on the acquisition of a strategic stake in Peugeot SA and the entry into several commercial and supply agreements