Quilvest Private Equity, the private equity arm of the Quilvest group, has acquired a majority stake in GEDH from Platina Equity Solutions, together with CEO Amin Khiari. Financial terms of the transaction have not been disclosed.
GEDH is a French network of higher education schools dedicated to communication, arts management and journalism which operates three well-known brands across six campuses located in France (Paris, Lyon, Bordeaux and Lille), New York and Shanghai. Founded in 1961 and headquartered in Paris, GEDH has over 3,000 students and an alumni base of over 20,000. In recent years, the business has undertaken an ambitious reorganisation and revitalisation plan and is now well-positioned to pursue its growth strategy focused on expanding both in France and into international markets, organically and through acquisitions.
Quilvest will continue the development of GEDH in France and will use its global network to support the company’s expansion abroad. Under the new ownership, GEDH will also continue to look to diversify its educational offering, while maintaining its strong culture of education delivered through a combination of theory and practice, by professors with a deep grounding in professional industries. Thomas Vatier, Partner at Quilvest Private Equity, commented: “We are pleased to announce our investment in GEDH (the second this year in France after software editor Eudonet in February). We see GEDH as a key player in a highly attractive and strategic sector. We are excited to partner with CEO Amin Khiari and to continue building on the progress that has been made to date. Over the next years, we intend to further support the growth, both in France and abroad, of the company’s portfolio of renowned brands, staying true to its DNA of long tradition and constant innovation.”
Khiari says: “Thanks to the hard work and dedication of GEDH’s entire team, and to the support of former owner Platina Equity Solutions, we have successfully boosted the growth of GEDH’s programs over the past few years, both in qualitative and quantitative terms. At this stage of our development, it was extremely important for us to identify the right partner to support us in this next phase of growth. Having considered a number of parties, we are delighted to have partnered with Quilvest Private Equity, which stood out both because of its international reach and the quality of its team.”
Jérôme Girszyn and Charles Dubar at Platina Equity Solutions, says: “We are proud of the academic modernization of GEDH’s schools, their improved growth and the success of the initiatives launched by the new management team that joined at the time of our investment. These successes highlight the uniqueness of Platina’s investment strategy. We are convinced that with Quilvest’s shareholder support and the continued leadership of the current management team, the group will successfully pursue its ambitious development, serving its students as well as their future employers.”
Quilvest Private Equity was advised by Eurvad Finance, a French independent M&A advisor with strong expertise in higher education (recent deals include AD Education, Mediaschool, Elysées Alternance, IPF, Sup santé).
