CAPZA – a private investment platform specialising on small and mid-caps – has acquired, alongside Bpifrance, a minority stake in the Coutot-Roehrig group, a specialist in inheritance genealogy.
The purpose of this operation is to support the group’s growth, both organic and external, and to establish its leadership in the sector worldwide.
Founded in 1894, Coutot-Roehrig’s core activity consists in identifying heirs in the context of successions, a profession of “long-term” investigator (from a few months to a few years, in France and across the world).
In its more than 120 years of existence, the Coutot-Roehrig group has accumulated one of the largest private digital databases in the world. The 285 employees of the group (genealogists and lawyers) are able to leverage these vast resources with highly competitive reactivity and efficiency, standards for which the group is well-known.
With its global network of correspondents spanning 47 branches (including 12 abroad and one exclusive correspondent in Poland), the group is de facto the European leader in probate genealogy and generates over EUR50 million in sales.
CAPZA, which is leading this transaction, has chosen to support the group’s CEO, Guillaume Roehrig, who remains the majority shareholder, by investing in the company in capital and mezzanine to support its development strategy. With the entry of its new partners, the group will accelerate its growth by positioning itself as a vector of consolidation in France and abroad, and by diversifying its activities to the management of dormant assets in collaboration with banking and insurance institutions.
“We are thrilled to participate in the development of this fascinating profession that Guillaume Roehrig and his team have carried out with such talent. Our goal is to help this 125-year-old family business become the world leader in inheritance genealogy. We are very excited to contribute to the future expansion of Coutot-Roehrig,” says Benoit Choppin, Co-Head France Flex Equity at CAPZA.
“By partnering with CAPZA in this operation, Bpifrance is reaffirming its commitment to support and assist managers, particularly family ETIs, in their growth projects and thus to participate in the creation of French global leaders. We are also especially proud to participate in the first capital opening of the Coutot-Roehrig group,” adds Johanne Destrés, Investment Director at Bpifrance.
“We are delighted to welcome CAPZA and Bpifrance as partners of Coutot-Roehrig to support us in a new stage of the company’s development in France and abroad. We plan to maintain our sustained rate of organic growth whilst pursuing an ambitious acquisition strategy,” says Guillaume Roehrig, Chairman and CEO of Coutot-Roehrig.
