Present in France for 20 years, who is the American fund CD&R, future owner of Doliprane?

On Monday morning, Sanofi formalized its decision to sell to CD&R 50% of Opella, its subsidiary of non-prescription medicines (which produces in particular Doliprane), vitamins, minerals and food supplements whose enterprise value reaches around 16 billion euros and that owns 115 brands around the world. .

Sanofi will remain a shareholder with around 48%, while the French public investment bank Bpifrance should acquire a stake in Opella of “1 to 2%”.

In a press release on Monday, CD&R believes that “there are significant opportunities to reinforce Opella’s leadership and accelerate its growth,” in order to “create a French global champion of consumer health,” according to Eric Rouzier, head of of the European Health division. of the American fund and also associates.

One of the pioneers of private equity.

Created in 1978, CD&R – initials of its founders Gene Clayton, Marty Dubilier and Joe Rice – is one of the pioneers of private equity, which consists of investing in companies that are not listed on the stock market, to support their development. several years, and then resell them obtaining a capital gain.

Unknown to the general public in France, the fund has invested since its creation in more than 110 companies in North America and Europe, mainly in the industrial, financial services, healthcare, distribution and technology sectors.

$57 billion in assets under management in its portfolio

CD&R had a total of $57 billion in assets under management in its portfolio at the end of 2023. A much lower amount than its American counterparts KKR or Blackstone, private equity giants.

In France, its first investment dates back to 2004, in Rexel, the specialist in the distribution of electrical equipment. That same year the fund also bought the French group Veolia Culligan, a US water treatment subsidiary.

Other investments will follow in French companies, in the services company Spie, in the inspection group Socotec and also in Mobilux, parent company of the furniture brands But and Conforama.

The fund remained in the capital of Rexel for nine years, eight years in that of Spie, it has been present since 2019 in Socotec and since 2016 in Mobilux, a period significantly longer than that practiced on average in the private equity sector.