insideKENT Magazine Issue 30 - September 2014 | Page 158

BUSINESSNEWS

INTERNATIONAL DEAL TO BOOST
UK HIGH TECH GROWTH

Olivier Morel

FOOTHOLD FOR
FOOTWEAR COMPANY

International legal expertise
from law firm Cripps has
opened the way for a high
tech French company to
invest in the UK.
Environnement S.A,
Europe’s leading supplier of
environmental monitoring
equipment, has bought
Cambridgeshire-based
PCME Ltd, a specialist in
the development,
manufacture and supply of
continuous particulate

Legal firm Cripps has helped a young Parisian footwear brand launch in
stores across the UK.
Bobbies’ colourful, handmade loafers, boots, car shoes and slippers
for men and women first caught the eye of Paris’ well-heeled at Galeries
Lafayette and Printemps four years ago, and quickly expanded into the
continent, Asia, Middle East and Americas.
Thanks to strong online sales from UK customers, the company
decided to open its first retail venture outside of France and appointed
Cripps to advise on its first foothold in the high-end London market.
Bart Debray, head of Bobbies UK, said: “We selected Cripps to
represent us, given its unrivalled reputation in the retail market and the
expertise and experience the team has brought to this transaction.”
The team, led by Olivier Morel, head of international corporate
investment, and Ed Fowler, managing associate real estate, advised Bobbies
on their first lease for a store in Covent Garden, London.
“It was great to help a young French brand establish its first foothold
in the highly competitive UK retail market," said Olivier Morel. “London
represents a key positioning for such a fresh, colourful and vibrant designerled business.
“It can be very complicated when dealing with another country’s legal
system and, of course, in this case it helped that there were no language
barriers as I am French.
“We have over 25 years’ experience and have helped more than 300
international businesses in their UK ventures, so we're delighted to have
been able to help Bobbies with its expansion plans.”
Cripps has offices in Tunbridge Wells, Kings Hill, London and Sandwich.
www.cripps.co.uk

emission monitors for industrial processes.
The complementary strengths of the two businesses will enhance the
enlarged group’s global position, enabling it to offer a wide range of
advanced solutions to meet current and future environmental monitoring
requirements.
“As well as the complex legal documentation that needed completing,
there were also cultural sensitivities to manage. I am delighted we were
able to help steer this deal to completion, the most important to date for
Environnement S.A, a ¤55m turnover group, listed on the Paris stock
exchange,” said Olivier Morel, partner, head of international corporate
investment, who led the Cripps team.
Each entity will keep its own autonomy, retaining the current
management team and employees.
François Gourdon, president and founder of Environnement S.A, said:
"We're very enthusiastic about the opportunities we’ll be able to provide
to our worldwide industrial customers, and are grateful to Cripps for their
help in making this acquisition a success.”
The Cripps team advising the acquirer consisted of Olivier Morel,
Rachel Butler and Will Squires. Peter Watson, Prism Corporate Broking,
provided corporate finance advice to the seller, with taxation advice from
Mark Jackson of Rawlinsons and legal advice from Duncan Walker at
Greenwoods LLP.

ROYAL SEAL OF APPROVAL
FOR NEW £1.5M
MAIDSTONE EXHIBITION HALL
AT KENT EVENT CENTRE
The Duke of Kent has opened the new £1.5 million Maidstone Exhibition
Hall, underlining the Kent Event Centre’s position as one of the largest and
most flexible venues in the South East. The single span building is 44 metres
wide and 72 metres long, and can seat up to 4,000 people in theatre style.
The new hall near Maidstone was attracting bookings even before it was
completed – the Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce is staging its annual
Construction Expo there in October.
Kent Event Centre manager, Alison Wallington, said: “This investment
enhances the already excellent range of facilities. The hall has generated
a lot of interest from prospective customers and I’m confident it will enable
us to break into new markets in the years ahead.”
The hall was officially opened by the Duke of Kent, as guest of the
Kent County Agricultural Society, during the Kent County Show this July.
Ease of access by road and rail and the availability of hotels make the
Kent Event Centre a great choice for events. Facilities comprise the Clive
Emson Conference Centre (1,700 sq m), the John Hendry Pavilion (1,750sq
m) and the Astor Pavilion (151 sq m). There is also six major meeting rooms,
plus free parking for up to 10,000 vehicles. For details visit
www.kenteventcentre.co.uk or call 01622 630975.

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