Willkie advised Abénex on the structuring and fundraising of its flagship fund Abénex VI with a total commitment of €600 million. France-based Abénex received support from its long-standing investors, approximately half of which are established outside of the country.

Abénex VI follows Abénex V, also advised by Willkie, that reached a final closing at €425 million in 2017.

Abénex is a historical player in the small and mid-cap private equity market, specialized in growth and buyout transactions in Europe, both as a minority and majority shareholder.

A long-term investor, Abénex partners with entrepreneurs and founding families, and is focused on growth and operational optimization projects. Abénex typically invests in SMEs valued up to €50 million in small-cap and between €50 million and €300 million in mid-cap. Abénex also manages real estate funds. Willkie’s fund formation team was led by partner Nathalie Duguay and included associates Anthony Civico and Marie-Charlotte Inedjian.