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Florac is a private equity firm founded in 2009 and chaired by Marie-Jeanne Meyer,
historic shareholder and former officer of the Louis Dreyfus Group.

Company Overview

Meyer Louis-Dreyfus family

The Meyer family is a branch of the Louis-Dreyfus family, the historical shareholders of the Louis Dreyfus Group.

The Louis Dreyfus Group was founded in 1851 and expanded across multiple business lines (energy, commodities trading, real estate, telecom, apparel, etc.) by employing high-quality people, identifying opportunistic acquisitions, and focusing on growth. Today, with over 22,000 employees in more than 90 countries, the Group is one of the agricultural commodities trading leaders with annual revenues exceeding $65 billion.

Florac was founded in 2009 by Marie Jeanne Meyer Louis-Dreyfus, her husband and her three children: Camilla, Ilona and Léopold. The firm was founded on the same principles and values as the Louis Dreyfus Group and seeks to invest the Meyer family’s funds in private equity.

Florac

Florac is an investment vehicle wholly owned by the Meyer family and whose purpose is to exclusively invest the family’s funds.

Florac is an evergreen structure which aims to grow the family’s assets over the long term and is not focused on current income or dividends.

The Meyer family seeks to partner with entrepreneurs with ambitious strategic projects to foster the emergence of national and international leaders.

 

Philosophy and Focus

Focus on sectors with long-term growth prospects

Our strategy is focused on capital appreciation rather than income generation.

Building lasting partnerships with families, entrepreneurs and management teams

Florac aims to build sustainable partnerships with best-in-class management teams that invest alongside us in their businesses.

Florac’s investment strategy is characterized by a strong involvement in the companies in which we invest, without interference in day-to-day management. Florac views its role to be taking part in strategic decisions, supporting management in structuring their company, assisting with strategic initiatives and acquisitions and utilizing our networks of contacts and advisors to support management.

Focus on a limited number of investments

Our disciplined investment strategy aims to develop a limited number of partnerships in order to support our portfolio companies and to participate wisely in the decisions which are key to the company’s future.

Florac’s investment approach is not based on portfolio investment statistics. Each investment is considered as a stand-alone investment. There are no pre-set limits as to sector concentration, size, etc.

 

A sustainable and permanent connection between Meyer / Louis-Dreyfus family members and their partners

Léopold Meyer and Camilla Meyer-Winkler are the primary contacts of Florac’s strategic partners. They are represented in the governance and supervisory bodies of Florac’s portfolio companies.

This direct link between family members and strategic partners guarantees:

 

Investment Criteria

Tailored investment structures

As a single family office, Florac is organized to act swiftly and efficiently, and hence, takes a very flexible approach to structuring investments. Florac can partner with financial firms, families or management teams with solutions ranging from the injection of growth capital to the acquisition of minority or majority stakes to full LBOs.

Characterized by an “evergreen” structure, Florac is a committed and supportive shareholder whose medium- to long-term investment horizon can adapt to our partners’ constraints and our portfolio companies’ growth objectives.

Florac can leverage a broad network of leading senior executives and experts able to enhance international expansion. Members of Florac's independent Strategic Committee bring their industrial and financial expertise to portfolio companies’ advisory and supervisory boards with a view to assist management in achieving their key objectives.

 

Sectors

Diversified sector base

Geographical Focus

Europe (France, Belgium, Italy and Switzerland) and the U.S.

Investment Type

Growth capital, recapitalization, LBO, MBO

Governance

Control acquisition, shared control investments or minority investments – must have board representation

Investment Size

$20-80m (U.S.)
€20-100m (Europe)

Investment Horizon

Flexible

Governance and Organization

Governance

Florac is presided over by Marie-Jeanne Meyer and run by her son Léopold Meyer.

Investment opportunities pursued by the investment team are submitted to the Strategic Council for review.

The decision process is swift and commitments can be made on a compressed timeline.

Florac’s owners are Marie-Jeanne Meyer and her three children: Camilla Meyer-Winkler, Ilona Maintigneux and Léopold Meyer.

Strategic Council – Independent members

Investment Committee