– Sagard and Unigestion announced the combination of their private equity platforms, creating a global leader in middle market private equity investment solutions.
– The new platform will manage over $23 billion in private equity assets, offering enhanced geographical reach and product scope across primaries, secondaries, and co-investments to institutional and high net worth investors.
– Sagard will manage approximately $44 billion in assets post-closing.
– Unigestion’s non-private equity businesses are excluded, and Sagard’s other direct private equity strategies in France and Canada will continue to be managed separately.
– Unigestion brings a long track record of delivering private equity solutions to institutions, family offices, and other sophisticated investors through customized mandates and commingled funds.
– The combination will leverage Unigestion’s entrepreneurial culture, bespoke investment approach, and client-centric model while benefiting from Sagard’s broader global network and multi-strategy capabilities.
– Paul Desmarais III, Chairman and CEO of Sagard, said: “Unigestion, a firm with a long and successful history under the leadership of Bernard Sabrier, and a culture that is highly aligned with Sagard’s, brings deep investment expertise, strong investor relationships and formidable investment discipline.”
– Bernard Sabrier, Group Chairman of Unigestion, said: “This combination paves the way for a new growth chapter and will be first and foremost beneficial to our LPs. Sagard’s values and long-term orientation align closely with ours.”
– Bernard Sabrier will be Chairman of the new private equity platform, join Sagard’s Board as Vice Chairman, and the FAMSA foundation he chairs will become a significant shareholder of Sagard.
– Jonathan Tétrault, Managing Partner at Sagard, said: “This partnership will considerably accelerate our journey to become a global leader in middle market private equity. It also marks a key milestone in our strategic expansion across both Europe and Asia. I look forward to working with Christophe de Dardel and Mark Zuend, who will continue to lead Unigestion’s private equity business, in building out our combined platform.”
– The transaction is expected to close in early 2026, pending regulatory approvals.
– UBS acted as exclusive financial advisor to Unigestion; Lenz & Staehelin acted as legal counsel to Unigestion Private Equity Holding SA shareholders.
– PwC acted as financial due diligence advisor; Deloitte acted as tax advisor;
– McDermott Will & Emery, Schellenberg Wittmer, and Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP acted as legal advisors to Sagard.
