Bird & Bird advises Investec on acquisition of majority stake in Capitalmind businesses

This is a follow on investment by Investec, having previously acquired a minority stake in the Capitalmind businesses in 2021 and reflects the success of this investment. The Bird & Bird team had also advised Investec on this first round investment. 

Investec’s parent company, Investec plc, is dual-listed in London and Johannesburg. Investec’s banking business works with growth companies, institutions, and private equity funds, providing clients with capital, advice, and treasury risk management. Capitalmind is a leading European financial advisory firm working with family businesses and entrepreneurs, private equity and corporates. The investment by Investec in majority stakes in each of the three entities provides Capitalmind with connectivity to the United Kingdom, Ireland, Asia, and Africa; whilst Capitalmind connects Investec’s advisory business to most of Western Europe, including Germany, France, the Benelux countries, Scandinavia, and Switzerland. 

The firm’s international Corporate team was led by UK Corporate partner Clive Hopewell, whose team in London comprised newly promoted partner, Adam Meisels, Legal Director, Fiona McFarlane, senior associate Ed Reardon and associate, Francesca Mansell. The French investment was led by partners Anne-Cécile Hansson Lecoanet and Bertrand Levy assisted by senior associate Pierre Guigue and associate Gersende Rollet, the German investment was led by partner Dr. Kai Kerger who was assisted by Counsel Johanna Schindler and associate Simon Wolfheimer. The Netherlands investment was led by partner Michiel Wurfbain and partner and notary Rene Reiter. They were assisted by Olav Klaver, Counsel and Pauline Toet, senior associate. 

Charles Barlow, who leads Investec’s cross border corporate finance business, says: “Bird & Bird understand both the strategic significance of this transaction as well as having the pan-European expertise and bandwidth to execute it. Their support has allowed us to raise our investment in Capitalmind to a majority control position.”

Clive Hopewell, Head of the International Capital Markets practice at Bird and Bird said: “We were delighted to work with the Investec and Capital Minds team again, following Investec’s successful minority investment into the Capital Minds businesses in 2021. The three Capitalmind businesses have a leading presence in the corporate finance sector in their home markets of France, Germany and Holland and with Investec’s global presence and bandwidth, together, they provide a very exciting platform for growth internationally.”