21 Centrale Partners has teamed up with Philippe Ligier to bring together Automobiles Ligier and Microcar in order to build a European market leader in “licence free” cars.
The transaction has been completed since the advice of Automobiles Ligier’s and Microcar’s respective works councils and the required competition clearances have been obtained.
The operation will enable to implement a common expansion strategy while preserving the identity and the independence of both brands. The project involves the current managers: Philippe Ligier becomes the CEO of the newly-formed group with the support of François Ligier and Philippe Thill, COO of respectively Automobiles Ligier and Microcar.
Both brands will be jointly present at the Mondial de l’Automobile - Paris Porte de Versailles - from the 4th to the 19th of October 2008 and will expose their forthcoming range of urban electric vehicles.
Gérard Pluvinet, Founding Managing Partner and François Barbier, Managing Partner of 21 Centrale Partners declared: «We are very pleased to partner with Philippe Ligier to build a European market leader in “licence free” cars. This operation implies a significant potential for the development of both companies, in France and internationally, based on considerable complementarities ».
Philippe Ligier, CEO of Automobiles Ligier, commented: “21 Centrale Partners gave us the opportunity to restructure the capital of our company and to organize the acquisition of Microcar. Along with this new financial but also industrial majority shareholder, we take a new step in the development of our company. We are confident about the outcome».
The transaction has been completed since the advice of Automobiles Ligier’s and Microcar’s respective works councils and the required competition clearances have been obtained.
The operation will enable to implement a common expansion strategy while preserving the identity and the independence of both brands. The project involves the current managers: Philippe Ligier becomes the CEO of the newly-formed group with the support of François Ligier and Philippe Thill, COO of respectively Automobiles Ligier and Microcar.
Both brands will be jointly present at the Mondial de l’Automobile - Paris Porte de Versailles - from the 4th to the 19th of October 2008 and will expose their forthcoming range of urban electric vehicles.
Gérard Pluvinet, Founding Managing Partner and François Barbier, Managing Partner of 21 Centrale Partners declared: «We are very pleased to partner with Philippe Ligier to build a European market leader in “licence free” cars. This operation implies a significant potential for the development of both companies, in France and internationally, based on considerable complementarities ».
Philippe Ligier, CEO of Automobiles Ligier, commented: “21 Centrale Partners gave us the opportunity to restructure the capital of our company and to organize the acquisition of Microcar. Along with this new financial but also industrial majority shareholder, we take a new step in the development of our company. We are confident about the outcome».