The Services sector covers the consumer retail industry, professional distribution, building materials and construction, business services, the IT/Telecom sectors and the services industry.

PAI has built extremely strong expertise in the Retail sector. The Firm’s buyout investments include Vivarte (the leading specialist retailer of footwear and clothing in France), Gruppo Coin (the market leading apparel retailer in Italy), Cortefiel (the #2 clothes retailer in Spain) and Kwik-Fit (the European leader in automotive fast-fit services). In addition, members of the PAI team have gained valuable sector experience through investments made while managing Paribas’ portfolio. These include investments in market leading companies such as GIB/Brico (DIY), Carglass (windscreen repair), Lapeyre (wooden products for housing) and Camaïeu (fashion clothing). PAI has a strong knowledge of the professional distribution industry through investments such as the buyout of Frans Bonhomme (the leading distributor of plastic tubings and fittings for building and civil engineering in France) and the investment in Point P (a retailer of building materials and a subsidiary of Poliet).

PAI’s buyout investments in the Building Materials and Utilities sectors include Xella (a worldwide leader in buildings materials), Monier (formerly Lafarge Roofing) (the world leading supplier of pitched roofing products), Saur (a major player in water distribution, sanitation and waste management in France) and Gerflor (PVC flooring). In addition, members of the PAI team were responsible for managing stakes in Poliet (a European leader in the manufacture and distribution of building materials that also controlled Weber & Broutin (industrial mortar) and Terreal (roofing tiles)), Eiffage (one of the largest European construction companies), Sogepag (car parks) and Cofiroute (private motorway company).

PAI also has significant experience in the energy sector, which includes the buyout of Antargaz (#2 distributor of LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) in France) as well as the management of Paribas’ prior investments in the energy sector, including a controlling position in Coparex (petroleum exploration and production).

In the Business Services industry, PAI’s buyout experience includes Spie (a multitechnical services company specialising in electrical, mechanical and HVAC engineering, energy and communication networks) and Elis (a European leader in textile rental). The Firm also has general sector expertise through the management of Paribas’ investments in the contract catering business (Sogeres and Elior), and in the transportation and logistics sector (STEF-TFE and Via GTI/Keolis).

PAI has built expertise in IT services by creating, as the founding shareholder, two very large IT groups, Atos Origin and Sema Group, and in the telecom sector, through investments in Neuf Cegetel, Bouygues Telecom, Equant and Versatel.