France Invest

France Invest
Name	France Invest
Type	Professional association
Founded	1984
Location	Paris, Île-de-France, France
Headquarters	Paris
Region served	France
Membership	Private equity and venture capital firms

France Invest

France Invest is the leading professional association for private capital in France, representing private equity, venture capital, growth capital, infrastructure, and real assets firms. It serves as a hub for interaction among stakeholders from the Paris financial district, Île-de-France, European institutions in Brussels, multinational asset managers, sovereign wealth funds, and global private equity networks. France Invest engages with policymakers in the Palais Bourbon, financial regulators such as the Autorité des marchés financiers, and supranational bodies including the European Commission and the European Investment Bank.

History

France Invest traces its origins to associations formed during the 1980s and 1990s when private equity firms in Paris, Lyon, Marseille, and Toulouse organized to address regulatory matters involving the Banque de France and the Ministère de l'Économie. During the 2000s expansion, members interacted with institutions like the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank to align French practices with global norms promoted by the Financial Stability Board. The association evolved amid landmark events such as the Maastricht Treaty negotiations, the introduction of the euro by the European Central Bank, and the post-2008 financial crisis reforms driven by the Basel Committee. In recent decades France Invest worked alongside actors including Bpifrance, the Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations, and the Autorité des marchés financiers to shape tax frameworks influenced by laws like the Dutreil provisions and the PACTE Act. Its history includes collaboration with trade unions, chambers of commerce such as the Chambre de commerce et d'industrie de Paris, and academic partners like HEC Paris, INSEAD, and ESSEC Business School to develop training programs.

Organization and Governance

The association is governed by a board composed of senior executives from leading firms headquartered in Paris, Lyon, and other French cities, including partners from strategy consultancies and law firms advising on matters related to the Conseil d'État and the Cour des comptes. Governance structures reference model statutes used by associations registered at the Préfecture de Police and coordinate with professional bodies such as the Association Française de la Gestion financière and the International Council of Private Equity and Venture Capital. Executive leadership engages with advisory committees on legal affairs, audit standards, and asset allocation, liaising with entities like KPMG, Deloitte, PwC, and EY for best practices. France Invest organizes annual assemblies, elects officers, and establishes ethics charters comparable to codes from the Fédération Bancaire Française and the Institut des Actuaires.

Activities and Services

France Invest provides industry statistics, benchmarking reports, and research produced in collaboration with academic centers such as Sciences Po, Université Paris Dauphine, and École Polytechnique. It offers professional development through seminars, conferences, and masterclasses featuring speakers from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the European Investment Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Economic Forum. The association runs networking events that connect members with institutional investors including pension funds like Agirc-Arrco, insurance groups such as Axa and Allianz, family offices, and sovereign wealth funds like the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority. It publishes guidelines on responsible investment aligned with principles advocated by the United Nations PRI, the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures, and the Climate Bonds Initiative. France Invest also curates lists of transactions with counterparts including investment banks such as BNP Paribas, Crédit Agricole CIB, Société Générale, and Lazard.

Membership

Membership comprises a wide array of private capital actors: buyout firms, venture capitalists, growth equity managers, infrastructure investors, and fund managers registered with the Autorité des marchés financiers. Members include domestic firms based in Lyon, Marseille, Lille, and Strasbourg as well as international managers with offices in Paris and Brussels. Institutional members encompass asset owners like Caisse des Dépôts, Bpifrance, and institutional investors from the Fonds de Réserve pour les Retraites, alongside service providers such as law firms (Gide Loyrette Nouel, Darrois Villey), accounting firms, placement agents, and advisory boutiques. The association liaises with university endowments, corporate strategic investors like Danone and Orange, and philanthropic foundations such as Fondation de France.

Advocacy and Public Policy

France Invest advocates on fiscal, regulatory, and labor issues with the Assemblée Nationale, Sénat, Conseil constitutionnel, and ministries including the Ministère de l'Économie et des Finances and the Ministère du Travail. It engages in consultations on directives and regulations from the European Commission, the European Securities and Markets Authority, and the European Banking Authority, contributing to debates on the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive, Solvency II, and taxation of carried interest debated in the Conseil d'État. The association collaborates with trade associations including MEDEF and Union des Industries et Métiers de la Métallurgie to influence industrial policy, supports initiatives by Bpifrance and the European Investment Fund to increase funding for startups, and participates in public-private partnerships with regional councils like Île-de-France Mobilités.

Funding and Financials

France Invest is funded through membership dues, revenue from events and publications, and sponsorships from financial institutions including BNP Paribas, Crédit Agricole, Société Générale, and international banks such as Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley. It receives project grants for research and training from partners including the European Investment Bank, the European Commission's Horizon programs, and national development agencies. Financial oversight follows standards used by nonprofit associations registered under French law, with annual budgets audited by major accounting firms and reported to members at general meetings. The association manages funds for initiatives in collaboration with investors, foundations, and public entities like the Caisse des Dépôts.

Category:Financial services Category:Organizations based in Paris Category:Private equity organizations