Lionel Dechmann, Regional Chair of the firm's Finance Department in Europe and partner in the Finance Department of the Paris office of Latham & Watkins, advises clients on acquisition finance, corporate finance, refinancing, and debt restructuring.

Lionel draws on extensive experience to guide financial institutions, investment funds, and large industrial groups on all aspects of:

  • Refinancings
  • Leveraged finance
  • Workouts

Lionel's experience includes representing:

  • Main Capital Partners on the acquisition of Trace One, a SaaS provider in product lifecycle management and compliance software
  • Seven2 on the acquisition of a majority stake in HRK LUNIS, a leading independent wealth management platform in Germany
  • Bridgepoint in connection with the:
    • Syndicated TLB cov-lite financing of the acquisition of Kereis, a European leader in multi-channel insurance brokerage
    • Financing of the public tender offer (public-to-private transaction) for Esker and related squeeze-out
    • Financing of the acquisition of LumApps
    • Financing of the acquisition of Medipartenaires and Medipole Sud Santé
    • Financing of the acquisition of HTL Biotechnology
    • Financing of the acquisition of Spartfin (Empruntis)
    • Financing of the acquisition of Evoriel (Nexity Service)
  • Astorg in connection with the:
    • Syndicated cov-lite financing relating to the acquisition of Solina, and additional facility raised for financing the acquisition of the Saratoga business
    • Syndicated TLB cov-lite financing associated with pre-placed second lien private notes relating to the financing of the acquisition by Astorg of Nemera
    • Private debt refinancing, including a cov-lite unitranche notes facility and an acquisition/capex notes facility, to refinance France-based medical devices manufacturer Nemera’s existing financial indebtedness
  • The MLAs in connection with the senior secured cove lite TLB and high-yield bond financing for Clayton, Dubilier & Rice’s (CD&R’s) bid to acquire a 50% controlling stake in Opella, the consumer healthcare business of Sanofi
  • JP Morgan, Natixis, and certain other MLAs in relation to the bank/bond refinancing of the existing debt of Biogroup, with a €1,450 million TLB, €800 million senior secured notes, and €250 million senior notes (i.e., €2,500 million total financing), and further implementation of incremental facilities and of tap SSNs
  • JP Morgan and BNP Paribas in relation to the SSRCF/SSNs financing of the acquisition of THOM Group by Goldstory (controlled by Altamir)
  • BNP Paribas and certain other MLAs in relation to the syndicated TLB cov-lite financing relating to the acquisition of Trescal by OMERS
  • JP Morgan in relation to the bank/bond (SSRCF/SSN) financing of the acquisition of SMCP by Shandong Ruyi alongside KKR
  • Société Générale in relation to the debt refinancing of InfoVista controlled by Apax (Seven 2) and simultaneous acquisition of US group Empirix alongside reinvestment of Toma Bravo
  • JP Morgan in relation to the syndicated TLB cov-lite refinancing of the existing debt of TSG controlled by HLD
  • JP Morgan in relation to the bank/bond (TLB/SSN) refinancing of the existing debt of House of HR, with pari passu cov-lite TLB/RCF/SSN issuance
  • CACIB, Goldman Sachs, Natixis, and Nomura in connection with the syndicated TLB cov-lite financing relating to the acquisition and then debt refinancing of Ceva
  • Ardian in connection with the:
    • Syndicated cov-lite financing relating to the acquisition and then debt refinancing of Prosol Gestion
    • Financing of the acquisition of Groupe Inula
    • Financing of the acquisition of Laboratoires Anios
    • Financing of the acquisition of Staci
  • Bain Capital in connection with the SSRCF/SSN financing of the acquisition of the furniture and decoration brand Maisons du Monde
  • EQT in connection with the:
    • Syndicated cov-lite TLB financing relating to the acquisition of Colisée
    • Bank/bond financing (TLB/SSNs) relating to the investment by a group of investors including EQT and PSP Investments, in Cerba HealthCare
  • TA Associates in connection with the:
    • Financing of the acquisition of DL Software
    • Financing of the acquisition of Odéalim by an investment vehicle co-controlled by TA Associates and Ardian
    • Financing of the acquisition of Valoria
    • Financing of the acquisition of Solabia
  • ICG in connection with the syndicated cov-lite financing relating to the acquisition of Domus VI
  • Mediawan in connection with the refinancing of the existing financial indebtedness of the group
  • BC Partners in connection with the bank/bond (SSRCF/SSNs) financing of the acquisition of iQera
  • Laboratoire Juvisé Pharmaceuticals in connection with the syndicated cov-lite TLB financing of the purchase price regarding the acquisition of the worldwide commercial rights of a medicine and refinancing of the existing debt
  • Certain MLAs in connection with the:
    • Refinancing of the existing debt of Groupe Inseec held by Apax (Seven 2)
    • Refinancing of the existing debt of Marlink held by Apax (Seven 2)
  • Marathon Asset Management in connection with the refinancing of Foraco International SA’s existing debt
  • Fraikin group on the debt and equity restructuring of the French-headquartered trucks leasing business, Fraikin Group, and representing Fraikin Group and its shareholders in the post-restructuring merger between Fraikin and Via Location
  • The steering committee of:
    • Term loan B lenders in relation to the signing of the lockup agreement and related restructuring of the Casino group, a French leading food retailing group, with a turnover of more than €30 billion and more than 200,000 employees worldwide
    • Term loan B lenders in connection with the restructuring of Parkeon
    • €1.4 billion TLB lenders in the €8 billion financial restructuring (including a c. €5 billion of debt-to-equity swap and €1.2 billion of new money injection) of the Casino group

Bar Qualification

  • Avocat (Paris)

Education

  • Postgraduate Degree Contracts and Property Law (DEA), University of Paris I (Pantheon-Sorbonne), 2004
  • MBA, HEC Paris, 2003
  • Postgraduate Degree Business and Tax Law (DESS), University of Paris I (Pantheon-Sorbonne), 2003

Languages Spoken

  • French
  • English