Investor services group IQ-EQ has acquired Conseil Expertise & Synthese (CE&S), an independent accounting business based in Paris.
The acquisition, IQ-EQ's second this year, enables the firm to offer a more extensive suite of funds, corporate and private wealth services in France.
Led by Jean-Noël Servans and three other senior partners since 2010, CE&S offers accounting, tax, payroll and corporate secretarial services to fund managers, entrepreneurs, corporates and high-net-worth clients. The acquisition will create a 75-person team in France.
France represents a strategic growth market for IQ-EQ – it is the fourth largest private equity market in the world and the second highest recipient of European foreign direct investment.
The CE&S business will be integrated with IQ-EQ's existing businesses in France – Equitis and Peru & Partners – but it will initially retain its existing brand identity.
Bruno Noyon (pictured), Managing Director, France, commented: "The acquisition of CE&S leaves us well positioned to take advantage of the market opportunity available.
"The longstanding commercial relationship between Equitis and CE&S means we have an excellent understanding of how we can work together to offer a range of services across all three segments."