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Georges Balit

Georges Balit

Counsel, Corporate & Financial Services
Paris Paris gbalit@willkie.com gbalit@willkie.com +33 1 53 43 46 65 +33 1 53 43 46 65

Georges Balit is counsel in the Corporate & Financial Services Department in the Paris office. He focuses on domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, private equity including leveraged buyout transactions and growth equity transactions, and general corporate law matters. He acts for French and international investors and corporate clients.

Georges has been recognized by PBV Directory 2022 as a “Corporate M&A Specialist” in France.

Georges is fluent in French and English.

 

Experience

M&A TRANSACTIONS

Georges’ representative M&A transactions include advising:

  • EMG, a portfolio company of PAI Partners, on its combination with Gravity Media, creating one of the world’s largest broadcast technology and production companies
  • Onoré (f/k/a Boncolac), a portfolio company of Waterland, on its acquisitions of Mag’M, Proper Cornish, Cakesmiths and So Mochi
  • Waterland Private Equity on its acquisition of Alphitan,  the French provider of maintenance of electronic components and motorization equipment used in industrial processes
  • CMA CGM on its US$ 2.3 billion acquisition of Fenix Marine Services, one of the largest US port terminals
  • CMA CGM on its long-term strategic air cargo partnership with Air France KLM Group
  • CMA CGM on its acquisition of GEFCO, a European leader in automotive logistics
  • Lagardère on the sale of Lagardère Sports, its leading global sports marketing firm, to H.I.G Capital
  • Ateliers de France on its acquisition of Sinnex, an Austrian group specialized in yacht interior design
  • Consort NT and the management team on the owner buyout of the Consort group
  • Flex-N-Gate on its acquisition of seven European plants from France-based Plastic Omnium
  • Pomona on its acquisition of eight concession holders within the Relais d'Or Miko network (exclusive distributor of Unilever premium brand ice creams in France)
  • Latécoère, a tier 1 partner to major aircraft manufacturers, in the restructuring of its short and medium-term financial debt
  • Kiloutou on its acquisition of Most Location
 

PRIVATE EQUITY TRANSACTIONS
Georges’ representative private equity transactions include advising:

  • PAI Partners on the acquisition of a majority stake in Alvest, the leading global provider of airport ground support equipment

  • Insight Partners on its majority investment in Cosmo Tech, a market leader in AI Simulation software

  • Insight Partners in its Series B investment in European cybertech firm Filigran

  • Weinberg Capital Partners on its acquisition of a majority stake in Semip-Codechamp, through its Eiréné fund dedicated to security and defense
  • Cafés Legal on its sale to FnB Private Equity
  • Waterland Private Equity on its acquisition of a minority stake in COGEP
  • Waterland Private Equity on its acquisition of Onoré (f/k/a the Boncolac group)
  • Weinberg Capital Partners on the sale of its majority stake in Realease Capital, the leading independent pure-player of the equipment leasing market in France, to Qualium Investissement
  • Aquiline Capital Partners on the fundraising of Pledg, a French fractional payment solutions company, and on the subsequent sale of Pledg to Crédit Agricole Consumer Finance (Sofinco)
  • GHO Capital Partners LLP on its investment in Sanner Group, a leading global supplier of active packaging solutions
  • Searchlight Capital Partners on its acquisition of Flowbird, a global market leader in parking management solutions, from Astorg Partners
  • Weinberg Capital Partners on the sale of its majority stake in Résilians, the leading independent provider of in-kind damage repair services in France
  • Searchlight Capital Partners in connection with a €55 million Series B funding round in EasyMile, a leader in driverless vehicle software and solutions
  • Qualium Investissement on the sale of its majority stake in IMV Technologies to Montagu Private Equity
  • IK Investment Partners on its acquisition of a stake in Questel, a global leading provider of intellectual property information and management software and services
  • Qualium Investissement on its sale of residential furniture provider Sogal group to Intermediate Capital Group (ICG)
  • The founder of Ateliers de France Antoine Courtois and the management team on the investment of RAISE Investissement and IDI in Ateliers de France, alongside the historical shareholders, Tikehau and Bpifrance
  • Ardian on its acquisition of lighting fixture provider SLV group
  • Elliott Management in a $115 million round financing for Sigfox, provider of a cellular network dedicated to the Internet of Things, as well as its subsequent equity fundraising round
  • The Carlyle Group LP on French aspects of its re-acquisition of vehicle parts supplier AxleTech International from General Dynamics Corp.
  • PAI Partners on its acquisition of European audiovisual services provider Euro Media Group
  • Ateliers de France group's founders and management in the investment made by Qualium Investissement
 

Credentials

Education

Université Paris I - Panthéon-Sorbonne, Master 2 Droit des Affaires et Fiscalité, 2010 HEC, Majeure Stratégie Fiscale et Juridique Internationale, 2010

Bar Admissions

Paris, 2013