Activa Capital promotes two to partner

Activa Capital, a Paris-based mid-market private equity firm, has appointed two partners.  Christophe Parier, a director, has been promoted, while Thierry Célestin joins from Cinven, a UK-based private equity firm.

Parier joined Activa Capital in 2003 as an investment director,and was promoted to director in 2005. At Activa he has worked on transactions including the €120 million ($155 million) buyout of Delpharm, a pharmaceutical company, in 2006, and the €49 million deal for Françoise Saget, a consumer goods business, also last year.  Before joining Activa Capital, he worked with private equity firm 3i and Royal Bank of Scotland Private Equity, the bank’s private equity arm.

Célestin joins from Cinven where he was a principal responsible for investments in France. His recent investment experience includes the €416 million secondary buyout of Frans Bonhomme, a PVC pipes distributor, in 2000, and the sale of business publisher Aprovia to Carlyle in 2002.  Before joining Cinven in January 2003, he worked for five years in corporate finance at Lazard.

Earlier this month Activa Capital merged Materne, a French jams manufacturer, with its portfolio company Mont Blanc, a French cream dessert business.  Activa Capital bought Materne from private equity firm Lion Capital for an undisclosed amount. 

Activa Capital is an independent private equity firm specialising in French mid-market buyouts and growth capital investments. The firm is currently raising a €250 million fund, Activa Capital II.