There’s fewer brands like ours in the market and there aren’t many with this kind of global footprint. The growth opportunity for the brand in China could also attract investors from there.Īdded Christopher Tate, general manager of Zadig & Voltaire U.S.: “Zadig & Voltaire is not a brand built by a large group. Sources expect financial and trade buyers given the mergers and acquisitions market in the affordable luxury space is now buoyant as opportunities to invest in high quality brands are scarce. “We don’t want a multibrand partner,” Gillier said. The Zadig & Voltaire founder reportedly rejected offers from funds interested in acquiring the rapidly growing brand, including LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton - backed investment vehicle L Capital Management before the 2012 deal with TA. Gillier isn’t interested in a multibrand conglomerate as a partner. Two-thirds of the brand’s sales are done outside of France, in 40 countries. Asked if he’ll look for an investor in China, Gillier said, “Yes, why not.” The Zadig & Voltaire chairman is aggressively pursuing growth in Asia, particularly China, with a m idterm target to have one in every two customers come from either Asia or the Americas within five years. The deal is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
“We’re looking for someone that will bring strengths - it could be technology or production knowhow - to the company and understands what we’ll become in 10 years.” U.S.-based private equity and buyout firm TA Associates became a minority shareholder in 2012 when it acquired its 30 percent stake in the brand in a mezzanine investment worth 180 million euros, or $235 million. “There’s currently a landlord and minority shareholder,” Gillier said. Maybe we’d think of an IPO, but not these days.
“We have so much growth, we’re not thinking of an initial public offering,” Gillier said. Gillier declined to disclose the size of the investment he’s seeking, but said he has big plans for Zadig & Voltaire, including doubling the brand’s annual sales volume to 500 million euros in four to five years.