Acquisition of Go Sport by Hermione People & Brands and Wingate

On December 20, 2021, Hermione People & Brand, the retail arm of the FIB Group, organized the acquisition process of the GO SPORT Group. To carry out the operation, the group surrounded itself with the investment bank Wingate. This acquisition is an opportunity for the group, which wishes to develop its network in the territory and offer local services to consumers.

Hermione People & Brands, a subsidiary at the service of the success of the FIB Group

The FIB group, Financière Immobilière Bordelaise was founded in 1990. It is a group specialized in commercial real estate as well as in the distribution sector. To date, the group has no less than 5,500 employees. Over the years, the group has positioned itself as one of the leaders in investment, asset management, development and valuation of wealth. The group owes its success in particular to a remarkable real estate and hotel activity. The group owns the Grand Hotel de Bordeaux. In addition, the group also owes its success to its subsidiary Hermione People & Brands, which is the retail branch. It is led by Wilhelm Hubner, the former CEO of Auchan Retail and Samuel Alimi who is the vice president of Hermione People & Brands.

The subsidiary has development ambitions and a limitless appetite. Indeed, Hermione People & Brands operates in various sectors of selective distribution. It operates in the world of department stores, toys, ready-to-wear, sportswear and sports. Among the brands in its portfolio are La Grand Récré, Camaieu, Gap, and GO Sport. The acquisition of GO Sport is the subsidiary’s latest acquisition. In particular, it was encouraged by the investment bank Wingate. The latter has experience in the industrial and financial backing of specialist companies. At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, she intervened in the rescue of the Naf Naf brand.

Go Sport articles de sport
Hermione People & Brands pursues its networking strategy throughout the country

The group’s ambitions to offer local services to consumers.

After acquiring La Grande Récré and Camaieu, Hermione People & Brands acquired Go Sport. This acquisition takes place in an economic context punctuated by the impact of the health crisis on consumption. In this context, Hermione People & Bran relies on the powerful, high-potential, interconnected and phygital brand meeting. It must be said that COVID-19 has given a boost to the phygital phenomenon. According to a study by Rakuten Intelligence, between March and April 2021, “Click and collect” orders saw an increase of no less than 202%.

Thus, the subsidiary acquires different brands but which come together to meet a common ambition. They are aimed in particular at all families. The group’s strategy is to put consumers at the heart of the growth strategy. In this sense, the group will pursue its external growth projects by having a brand less than 20 kilometers from each French person. The objective is to double the fleet of the group, which already has 1300 points of sale on all its brands. With the acquisition of Go Sport, Hermione People & Brands, the group will be able to continue to develop its network in the territory with 160 points of sale. In addition, this acquisition will allow the group to expand its international presence with 40 points of sale. An acquisition that represents 1600 employees and a turnover of about 500 million euros.

Sources:

“Never 2 without 3! After the Grande Récré and Camaieu, the investment bank Wingate supports the retail branch of the FIB group, Hermione People & Brands, in the acquisition process of the GO SPORT Group” Wingate, press release of 20 December 2021
Physical commerce: the future will be Phygital!” Haptic Media, Article of April 26, 2021

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