French-Swiss private equity manager Altaroc expanded its operations into the Benelux region, the firm announced on Tuesday 17 September 2024. The expansion into Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg is part of Altaroc’s strategy to broaden access to private equity investments across the region.
Founded in 1972, Altaroc is one of Europe’s oldest private equity firms and has raised over €1.2bn from 7,000 private investors in the past two years, it said. The firm aims to make private equity funds, traditionally reserved for large institutional investors and wealthy families, available to private investors. Through its platform, Altaroc provides a portfolio of vintage private equity funds, with a minimum investment of €100,000, drawn incrementally over five years, averaging €20,000 per year.
Altaroc’s entry into the Benelux region is set to benefit private banks, independent asset managers, family offices and pension funds, the firm said in a press statement. According to the company, approximately 45% of its funds are invested in North America, 45% in Europe and the remaining 10% spread across Asia and other regions. Sectorally, Altaroc prioritises software, healthcare and business services.
The company’s leadership emphasised the strategic importance of the Benelux expansion in its announcement. Thibault Delbarge, recently appointed as the head of Altaroc's Benelux operations, shared his optimism about the venture. “I am delighted to be part of Altaroc’s ambitious project to democratise private equity and to further develop in the Benelux the work already done by the management company’s teams in France and Switzerland,” Delbarge stated. He noted that the region holds substantial growth potential.
Frédéric Stolar, co-founder and managing partner of Altaroc, expressed his confidence in the Benelux expansion, attributing much of it to Delbarge’s experience and expertise in the local market. Stolar further explained that the opening of the Benelux office is a key step in the company’s broader international strategy, following the Swiss office launch earlier in the year.