DC Advisory advised Ergon Capital on the sale of Looping Group to Mubadala Capital

Background:

• Founded in 2011 after the spin-off of 7 leisure parks from Compagnie des Alpes, Looping Group (Looping) is a leading European operator of regional leisure parks
• Following the investment of Ergon Capital in 2016, Looping has experienced significant growth, notably driven by an active buy-and-build growth strategy with 4 successful acquisitions, including Zoo de la Flèche in 2017
• Looping today owns and operates a well-diversified portfolio of 15 leisure parks in 7 European countries
• Looping now enjoys a strong regional awareness and a loyal customer base, with around 4.6 million visitors per annum and over €110m of turnover

Process:

• Pursuant to unsolicited pre-emptive approaches, DC Advisory was mandated by Ergon Capital and the management team to conduct the disposal of Looping through accelerated bilateral discussions
• In parallel, DC Advisory secured several binding competitive financing packages for the transaction

Outcome:

• Ergon Capital and Bpifrance contemplated selling Looping to its management team alongside Mubadala Capital. Laurent Bruloy (Founding CEO) and Stéphane Da Cunha (General Manager) shall jointly control the group alongside Mubadala Capital and the rest of the management team
• Through this transaction, Mubadala Capital intends to accompany the management team in its pan-European growth strategy by both helping the group accelerate its organic growth, and supporting its external growth strategy
• This transaction illustrates DC Advisory’s expertise in managing highly customised transactions, including binding optimised financing packages, within an accelerated time frame
• It also strengthens its expertise in the travel and leisure space after DC Advisory’s recent involvement in the Siblu (outdoor accommodation) and Marietton (Havas Voyage) transactions