Nicolas Bombrun is a partner in the Paris M&A - Corporate practice.

He is a seasoned lawyer who focuses on and has extensive experience in French and international M&A and LBO transactions. He advises public and private companies as well as buy-out funds on complex and sensitive transactions, joint ventures and strategic alliances, both in France and internationally (notably in the US and in Asia). He also provides advice on corporate governance matters, in particular with respect to D&O liability. Nicolas Bombrun was recently involved in several high-profile French and cross-border transactions.

• International Chemical Investors Group (“ICIG”) on the acquisition of MSSA from Japanese chemical company Nippon Soda.
• Several French and foreign Private Equity funds, in connection with their 2021 bids and proposed acquisitions of French and international targets.
• Foreign Private Equity fund, in connection with its investment in French group Malteries Soufflet valued at €400 million, alongside with KKR, InVivo Group, BpiFrance Participations and Crédit Agricole.
• Perella Weinberg Partners (PWP), in connection with the cross-border merger of Peugeot S.A. with Fiat/Chrysler Automobiles, which gave rise to Stellantis, and with respect to the rendering of its fairness opinion to the Board of directors of French company Peugeot S.A.
• Altavia, a French company, in connection with its proposed bid on US listed (Nasdaq) company InnerWorkings Inc. in the context of an auction.  
• GL events, a French listed company, in connection with the obtaining from the French Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF) of a derogation to launch a mandatory tender offer as a result of one of the founders and main shareholders of GL events buying out a stake from another founder of the group and in the context of such transaction.  
• Several shareholders of French listed company SEB in connection with the sale of their minority stake.
• First Eagle Funds (U.S.) in connection with the sale of blocks of shares representing a 17.39% stake in French listed company Robertet.
• CCI Lyon Metropole – which is an entity part of the French State – in connection with the equity investment of 100 million € in emlyon (one of the leading French business schools) by private equity fund Qualium Investment and French State-owned bank Bpifrance, which is the first transaction of this nature in France.
• A sovereign wealth fund in connection with its minority investment in the Altice-SFR French telecom towers valued at €3.6 billion, alongside KKR which acquired a 49% stake.
• The shareholders of French Medtech company IMASCAP in connection with its 100% sale to U.S. global medical device company Wright Medical.
• First Eagle Funds (U.S.) in connection with the sale of French company Emin Leydier to Spanish group SAICA.  
• Japan Nuclear Fuel Ltd. (JNFL) in connection with its investment in French nuclear fuel cycle company, New Areva Holding (now called Orano), which is part of the €4.5 billion global restructuring of French nuclear energy group Areva.
• Bpifrance Participations in connection with the €2.425 billion acquisition of French and U.S. Identity & Security business Morpho by Advent International-led consortium from French listed aerospace company Safran.
• International Chinese premier hospitality group Jin Jiang (listed in Shanghai and Hong Kong) in connection with its investment in French global hospitality group Accor – Jin Jiang is now the largest shareholder of Accor.
• International Chinese premier hospitality group Jin Jiang (listed in Shanghai and Hong Kong) in connection with the €1.3 billion acquisition from Starwood Capital Group of French holding company Groupe du Louvre which owned approximately 1,200 hotels in 40 countries.
• IntercontinentalExchange, Inc. (ICE) in connection with the carve-out of the LIFFE Derivatives business from Euronext and in the context and preparation of the IPO of Euronext.
• General Electric in connection with a $2.7 billion transaction with Algerian energy company Sonelgaz, including a long-term joint venture for gas turbines in Algeria.
• International Chemical Investors Group (ICIG) in connection with the acquisition of industrial assets and companies in France and in Germany from international pharmaceutical group Clariant.
• Harmonic Inc. (listed on NASDAQ) in connection with the acquisition of Thomson Video Networks from private equity fund Edmond de Rothschild Investment Partners (EdRIP) and management of TVN.
• OrbiMed, a leading American-Chinese investment firm dedicated exclusively to the healthcare sector, in connection with its investment in Echosens SAS, a French high-tech company specializing in non-invasive diagnostic products and services for hepatology.
• Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) in connection with the purchase of formally-listed French company Alti SA, a leading French technology services company, from French private equity fund CM-CIC and mezzanine fund IDI.
• Eurazeo, a French private equity listed fund, in connection with its acquisition of a stake in I-Pulse, Inc., a U.S. high-technology company with assets in various jurisdictions including in the US and France, developing and commercializing high-pulsed power solutions which have multi-sector and cross-industries applicability, in particular in the energy, mining and oil industries.
• Qatar Investment Authorities (QIA) in connection with a strategic alliance between the State of Qatar and NYSE-Euronext, which acquired a 20% stake in Doha Securities Market.
• Mubadala, Abu Dhabi’s largest sovereign wealth fund, in connection with the proposed purchase of one of Paris’ landmark hotels from private equity fund Starwood Capital.
   

Publications:

• Interview published in La Tribune on the Veolia/Suez affair: «Veolia's takeover bid: Suez protests against an AMF filing notice» on 9 February 2021.
• Opinion published in Les Echos: «Could the Carrefour affair have happened elsewhere? » on 2 February 2021.
• Interview published in L'Opinion on shareholder activism: «Suez, Lagardère, Unibail, Danone... happy as an activist in France» on 20 January 2021.
• Revue Trimestrielle de Droit Financier (RTDF n°2 – 2020, September 2020) : « P to P transactions in France, Main legaland practical issues and impact on the 2020 financial crisis ».
• Les Echos 9 April 2020 : « M&A: Return of the MAC clauses? »
• Interview on shareholder activism: « For target companies, it's no longer enough to think like an activist, you must act like an activist » alongside Rich Thomas, Managing Director in Lazard’s Shareholder Advisory group, where he leads the European practice published in Option Finance on November 2019.
• Les Echos 13 November 2019 : « Shareholder activism: does the Woerth-Dirx report give an appropriate answer? »
• Revue Trimestrielle de Droit Financier (RTDF n°1 – 2019, March 2019) : « Development of shareholder activism: how to anticipate  an activist campaign? » 

Professional Activities:

• Speaker at a roundtable on activist funds organized by Option finance on 5 November 2019.
• Speaker at IBA (International Bar Association) conferences on M&A, including at the 7th IBA European Corporate and Private M&A Conference 2019 in Paris on February 7-8, 2019.
• Speaker at the conference organized in partnership with Rothschild & Co and Deloitte « International mergers and acquisitions: a growth driver. How can SMEs / ETIs act and participate in successfully?» on 17 October 2018.
• Lecturer at Université Panthéon-Sorbonne (Paris I): Master 2 Droit financier.

Awards & Accolades

• Recognized in the 2024 edition of Best Lawyers in France for Corporate Law / Mergers and Acquisitions Law / Private Equity Law / Private Funds.
• According to The Legal 500 EMEA, “Nicolas Bombrun has assisted us on complex corporate law matters and has managed these matters exceptionally well. He is responsive and knowledgeable, with a commercial approach” adding that “Nicolas Bombrun and the team are always very available and have the great ability to manage expectations of foreign and French customers, and to adapt to their needs.” (2023)
• According to Chambers Europe, “He has this ability to understand what the client wants to achieve, including the unsaid, and to make any advice a valuable contribution to the strategy.”, “What I appreciate about him is his great knowledge of our industry and our constraints as well as his knowledge of the international business and legal environment.” (2023)
• Nicolas Bombrun is recognized as “Highly Regarded” for Investment funds, Private Equity and M&A in France by IFLR1000 (2022)
• According to Chambers Global, Nicolas Bombrun is described as a "seasoned legal expert and skillful negotiator with creative thinking and dedication to his work and clients." (2021)
• According to Legal 500 EMEA, "Nicolas Bombrun offers commercial and client-focused advice on ad hoc projects." (2020)
• According to Chambers Global , one satisfied client says: "He has for me all the talents and qualities that a business lawyer must have: technicality, precision, sense of negotiation, listening to our needs and great availability," before going on to add that Bombrun is "very agile in editing and is always very quick to find solutions." (2020)
• According to Chambers Global Nicolas Bombrun is lauded by clients as "an excellent negotiator with strong business acumen; he is a highly valuable adviser." (2019)
• According to Chambers Europe, Nicolas Bombrun "is always capable of finding solutions to complex issues in a timely and efficient manner. He is pragmatic, efficient and sensitive to our needs." (2018)
• According to Chambers Global (2017) : "He has everything we're looking for: negotiation skills, ability to untangle complex issues and versatility. He is very international and always eager to find pragmatic solutions." Also, "He knows M&A inside out and is an excellent negotiator." (Chambers Europe 2016)
• According to Chambers Global, Nicolas Bombrun is praised by clients for his ability to "always propose creative solutions." (2016)
• According to Chambers Europe (2015), clients describe him as "everything you need from an M&A lawyer," while another states: "it’s perfect working with him - he's always very responsive and he works night and day." He is described by Chambers Global as an expert handling "a combination of domestic and international M&A, public offerings and private placements of securities." (2015)
• In Chambers Europe, a client commented "he is a very talented lawyer. I've worked with a lot of lawyers around the world – he is one of the best." (2013)