Cathay Capital invests in SeaOwl
May 4, 2020
Europe
Cathay Capital Private Equity, the first self-made global private equity firm and a leader in cross-border investment in Europe, China and the United States, today announces that it has successfully made an investment in SeaOwl, a leading provider of technical assistance, facility and ship management services to major oil and gas companies as well as to the French government. This investment is to be made through the Sino French SME and the Cathay Capital II funds in order to finance and support the group’s development plan and M&A initiatives on an international scale.
Founded in 2008 within the V.Ships group and becoming an independent entity in 2012, SeaOwl has already established itself today as a leader on the French-speaking market, nurturing excellent relationships with oil and gas companies and offering a diversified set of services across a growing number of geographies. Seaowl’s main activity, through its subsidiary Fortiori, is to provide technical assistance and facility management to its customers, including Total, Addax Petroleum, Perenco, GDF Suez and Vermillon among others. The group is also present in the ship management business segment and currently owns and operates three ships, which are contracted to the French government. Since 2014, the Group has also developed a complementary business line within the oil and gas and marine personnel training segment. Historically present in France, the group has successfully expanded its activities over the recent years across Southeast Asia and Africa, where SeaOwl has a particularly deep-rooted footprint.
Leveraging on Cathay Capital’s experience and ecosystem across three continents, SeaOwl intends to extend its service range and to accelerate its commercial development to become a global leader in the oil, gas and maritime service markets. This development will be partly achieved through the consolidation of a highly fragmented market, where there exist attractive opportunities in terms of business and geographic diversification. Going forward, the group will continue to pursue its business expansion in high-potential regions, such as wider Asia, the Middle East and South America, while consolidating its position in its historical markets.
Arnoult Gauthier, President of SeaOwl Group, said “We are convinced that Cathay Capital is the ideal partner to boost our international development and to help us to achieve our goals. With a specific investment model, a global presence and a renowned experience and expertise, Capital Cathay will provide us with invaluable support going forward to confront further challenges and opportunities, both within our core markets and further afield. ”
Mingpo Cai, President of Cathay Capital Private Equity, commented: “Cathay Capital intends to act as a value-added and useful partner in its collaboration with SeaOwl. On the road ahead, as the company enters a new stage in its development, we will work closely with the management with the overall goal of helping it to become a global leader. Cathay Capital’s investment teams will provide strategic resources and high-level advice to support the global expansion of SeaOwl and to widen the quality of its services and offering.”
About Cathay Capital Private Equity
Cathay Capital Private Equity, founded by Mingpo Cai and Edouard Moinet in Paris in 2006, is the leading global middle-market, private equity firm created by Entrepreneurs for Entrepreneurs. As an expert in creating value through cross-border investments in Europe, China and North America, Cathay Capital is fully dedicated to helping its portfolio company management teams focus on growth and succeed beyond their home base.
Cathay’s unique platform on three continents – and offices currently located in Shanghai, Beijing, New York and Paris – as well as its multicultural team including thirty investment professionals, enables the firm to locally accelerate cross-border growth strategies through its broad local ecosystems.
To date, Cathay Capital has invested in 40 companies across the world and completed 14 exits, with over 900 million Euros under management.
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