About us
ABOUT US
Our identity
Pechel Industries Partenaires is an independent management company specializing in equity investments in unlisted companies and a subsidiary of Sparring Capital (www.sparringcapital.com) since September 2021. Thus, Pechel benefits of the resources and support of Sparring Capital.
We invest in French SMEs selected for their potential and work closely with their management teams to accelerate their growth and support their transformation in a sustainable performance rationale integrating human and environmental factors. As an expert in supporting small and medium-sized companies, we assist them with the experience and resources we have built up during the numerous operations we have carried out since the creation of Pechel Industries Partenaires, more than 20 years ago.
We are convinced that the human factor is at the heart of the success of our operations. Our approach is based on a close partnership with management teams and a shared vision of the development project. We take the necessary time to identify the challenges of the companies we support and to create a relationship of trust based on transparency, professionalism and availability.
Since its creation, Pechel Industries Partenaires has raised over €550 million from leading French and international investors, most of them being institutional investors. We have invested in more than 40 companies.
Beyond searching for high-level financial performance, we believe that value creation must be a part of a long-term perspective that includes social progress and reduction of environmental impacts.
Our company was one of the first private equity firms in France to integrate environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues into its investment policy, thus adopting a socially responsible investor approach.
PECHEL INDUSTRIES PARTENAIRES
The team
Denis Catz
Partner (ReG Fund)
Partner of the Growth team, Denis joined Pechel as CEO in 2022 coming from Sparring where he was a Partner in the Transaction team. From 1996 to 2001, he worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers in Paris (Audit and Transaction Services). Previously, he worked for an auto financing company in Switzerland.
Denis is a graduate of the ESSEC.
Sandra Pezet
Partner (ReG Fund)
Partner of the Growth team, Sandra joined Pechel in March 2022, having previously worked for 6 years within the transformation division at Elsan Group (leading player in the healthcare sector in France). From 2006 to 2013, she was an investor at Natixis PE and Gimv France. Prior to this, she worked as a consultant for Ernst & Young (Transaction services / restructuring).
Sandra is a graduate of the ESSEC.
Jean Gore
Partner (Pechel IV)
Senior Advisor (ReG Fund)
Jean is one of the co-founders of Pechel and he became its executive chairman in January 2017. He gained a broad business experience at Worms & Cie and Trianon Finance. Between 1991 and 1993, he was Managing Director of the Bagajavion Group. Jean was the administrator (2005-2009), co-president of the capital development commission and president of the deontology commission of France-Invest.
He is a graduate of HEC Business School.
Philippe Renié
Partner (Pechel IV)
Senior Advisor (ReG Fund)
Philippe Renié joined Pechel in 2012. He started his career at Alcatel group (USA and Egypt). After an experience at Boston Consulting Group & Cie, he joined Eurosuez. In 1997, he participated in the creation of SG Capital Europe, where he managed the Paris office until 2009, before joining Industries & Finances.
He is a graduate of Telecom Paris and holds an MBA of INSEAD. He is also a former auditor of the IHEDN (Institut des Hautes Etudes de Défense Nationale).
Charlotte Allard
Sustainability Officer
Charlotte joined Sparring Capital in March 2023 as Sustainability Officer.
Charlotte started her career in investment banking (Groupama Banque, Degroof Petercam) and then
in Private Equity (M80 Partners) where she developed a fine understanding of the issues and value
creation drivers in SMEs.
With several sustainability training and experiences in the associative world (Fresque du Climat,
Atelier 2tonnes), Charlotte has built expertise in climate and sustainability issues for companies.
Charlotte graduated from EDHEC Business School.
Anne Lafont Chief Financial Officer
Anne Lafont joined Sparring Capital in January 2022, after 17 years as General Secretary for Pechel. Prior to this, Anne has worked for Apax Partners.
She holds a Diploma in Accounting and Financial Studies (DECF)
Romane Parent
Analyst
Romane joined Sparring Capital / Pechel in February 2022 after an internship within Sparring Capital. She also had a previous experience in Private Equity at Apax Partners Development.
Romane is a graduate of EM Lyon Business School.
The sustainable performance experts
Eric Desgages Operational performance expert
After multiple experiences in renowned industrial groups (Alcatel, Valeo, NEC) in R&D, Industrialisation, Methodologies and heading Production departments, Eric founded Pop in 2006 with the aim of developing Sustainable Lean implementation (Lean Durable©) for SMEs located in Loire Valley, and to support them in their search for operational performance by making humans the core of the organisation.
Eric holds a Master in Innovation from Arts et Métiers.
Frédéric Stoll Operational performance expert
After a career started in the automobile sector, Frédéric joins Steelcase Group as an industrial management operational then Beneteau Group in order to structure the excellence operational program. In 2011, he joined Eric Desgages at Pop and implement the innovative “POP School” project, which is a training centre that enables to train managers to use sustainable performance tools.
Frédéric is graduated from UTC and holds a Masters from Essec in Management and Supply Chain.
Nathanaël Westphal Sustainibility Expert
Nathanaël joined Sparring Capital in May 2021. He has been working with companies as a CSR and Sustainable Development consultant since 2016, and teaches on CSR/Energy/Climate issues in Master Degree at ESAM.
Nathanaël is graduate of Science Po Aix and MBA of the IGS group.