Key Takeaways
- • Ropes & Gray advised Ares Management as lender in the financing of Charterhouse Capital Partners' acquisition of Batibig, a leading French B2B provider of emergency building repairs, maintenance, and renovation services.
- • Charterhouse will partner with Batibig's co-founders Charles and Justin Bignon, who will remain in leadership roles as the firm pursues buy-and-build expansion across France and internationally, with ambitions to establish a pan-European platform.
- • The transaction demonstrates continued private equity activity in European mid-market services, with structured financing from Ares Management supporting Charterhouse's acquisition strategy in the fragmented French building services sector.
- • Ropes & Gray's finance team, led by partner Thierry Arachtingi and associate Jessim Djama, structured the lender-side financing for the acquisition.
Summary
Ropes & Gray has advised Ares Management as the lender in connection with Charterhouse Capital Partners' acquisition of Batibig, a prominent French B2B platform providing emergency building repairs, maintenance, and renovation services. The transaction underscores continued private equity acquisition momentum in European service businesses, particularly in fragmented markets where consolidation opportunities remain substantial.
Batibig serves a highly diversified client base primarily composed of co-ownership trustees (syndics de co-propriétés) and property managers across France. The company operates in a sector characterized by fragmented competition and significant geographic expansion potential, creating the strategic foundation for Charterhouse's buy-and-build approach. Charterhouse, one of Europe's longest-established private equity firms, structured the acquisition to retain operational continuity and founder alignment, with Batibig's co-founders Charles and Justin Bignon continuing to lead the business alongside the new ownership.
Charterhouse's stated objective is to leverage its demonstrated expertise in executing acquisitions and geographic expansion to strengthen Batibig's presence across France and internationally, with the explicit ambition of building a pan-European leader in building services. The financing structure, supported by Ares Management's capital, reflects confidence in both the underlying business fundamentals and the execution capability of the acquiring sponsor and management team.
The transaction was executed with support from multiple legal advisors. Ropes & Gray led the lender-side financing work, with the engagement directed by finance partner Thierry Arachtingi and supported by associate Jessim Djama. Complementary counsel included Mayer Brown on acquisition structuring, along with local advisors Freshfields and Moncey Avocats, reflecting the multi-jurisdictional complexity typical of cross-border European mid-market transactions.
Batibig serves a highly diversified client base primarily composed of co-ownership trustees (syndics de co-propriétés) and property managers across France. The company operates in a sector characterized by fragmented competition and significant geographic expansion potential, creating the strategic foundation for Charterhouse's buy-and-build approach. Charterhouse, one of Europe's longest-established private equity firms, structured the acquisition to retain operational continuity and founder alignment, with Batibig's co-founders Charles and Justin Bignon continuing to lead the business alongside the new ownership.
Charterhouse's stated objective is to leverage its demonstrated expertise in executing acquisitions and geographic expansion to strengthen Batibig's presence across France and internationally, with the explicit ambition of building a pan-European leader in building services. The financing structure, supported by Ares Management's capital, reflects confidence in both the underlying business fundamentals and the execution capability of the acquiring sponsor and management team.
The transaction was executed with support from multiple legal advisors. Ropes & Gray led the lender-side financing work, with the engagement directed by finance partner Thierry Arachtingi and supported by associate Jessim Djama. Complementary counsel included Mayer Brown on acquisition structuring, along with local advisors Freshfields and Moncey Avocats, reflecting the multi-jurisdictional complexity typical of cross-border European mid-market transactions.
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