Duke Street bolsters sector expertise with a French spin

Duke Street Capital has appointed Rémy Sautter and Michel Jaouen to its advisory board in order to add further sector and market knowledge [as well as contacts] to its repertoire.

Advisory boards are populated with senior individuals with the kind of market knowledge that helps them deliver vital input on deal origination, investee company management and exit management.

Sautter is currently President and CEO of RTL Radio, one of France’s main radio groups. He was managing director and CEO of CLT-UFA from 1996 to 2000 and earlier in his career was CFO of HAVAS in 1983, before holding various senior positions in the CLT/RTL group.

Jaouen has over 40 years’ experience in the chemicals. Formerly the Deputy General Manager of the organic division of Pechiney Ugine-Kuhlman, he was also Deputy International Manager of Elf Atochem, the chemicals subsidiary of Elf Aquitaine.

Edmund Truell, Chief Executive of Duke Street Capital , commented: “Their significant track records in the media and chemical sectors, and knowledge of the French market, will further re-enforce Duke Street's ability to originate and execute deals in these core sectors.”

These appointments come at a time when the role and responsibilities of advisory boards at private equity firms is being increasingly debated: some institutional investors have been asking that advisory boards take a much more formal role in a fund's investment selection, monitoring and reporting processes.