After completing an intermediate closing at € 525 M, BNP Paribas Agility Capital, a management company created and operated by BNP Paribas Principal Investments, the entity in charge of investments for BNP Paribas own account, held a final closing at € 739 M, exceeding its € 600 M target.
‘We are delighted with this successful outcome and thank all of our European institutional investors and family offices for their trust. This fundraising, beyond our objective, demonstrates the interest in BNP Paribas Agility Capital's investment strategy and the team's expertise. We will continue to target 10 to 15 new investments per year to support the growth of non-listed European midcaps.‘ said Christophe Lenouvel, Head of BNP Paribas Principal Investments and Chairman of BNP Paribas Agility Capital.
By launching BNP Paribas Agility Capital in 2020 and committing 50% of the fund, the Bank offered for the first time its institutional and family offices clients the opportunity to join its private equity direct investment strategy, successfully deployed for more than 12 years on behalf of BNP Paribas through its Principal Investments team.
This strategy is characterised by a high diversification and flexibility on instruments (minority equity, preferred equity, subordinated debt/mezzanine...), types of transactions (including on the secondary market) and sectors of activity, in close collaboration with private equity funds when they are majority shareholders of the companies concerned. Based on a thorough analysis and rigorous selection of the companies supported, this agile approach allows to adapt to the economic context and the financial structure of each of them, but also aims at supporting the long-term growth of these companies.
BNP Paribas Principal Investments manages the Group's portfolio of listed and non-listed investments in companies whose business is not linked to the one of the Bank, with a view to supporting the growth of European midcaps and value creation in the medium to long term. In Private Equity, the team has several missions. It specialises in providing support for transmission and development projects of non-listed European companies by taking minority equity stakes or through private debt financings. The team also participates in financing the economy through its commitments to private equity funds. As part of the commitments made by BNP Paribas during COP 21 to support the energy transition, BNP Paribas Principal Investments is also in charge of building and managing a €100M portfolio of minority interests in innovative companies linked to the energy transition.
BNP Paribas Agility Capital SAS, 100% owned by BNP Paribas, is a portfolio management company authorised by the French “Autorité des Marchés Financiers” (authorisation number GP-19000036) and is composed of the members of the current team of BNP Paribas Principal Investments in order to manage the BNP Paribas Agility Fund which will continue the direct investment activity and strategy and is aimed exclusively at professional investors.