Nicolas Beaugendre

Nicolas Beaugendre is a Partner at Ekkio Capital, a Paris-based independent private equity firm founded in 2001 and regulated by the French markets authority (AMF). He joined the firm in 2007 and, per company and third-party profiles, has spent roughly a decade-plus in investment roles alongside earlier experience in strategy consulting. He is a graduate of HEC Paris.

Before his investment career, Beaugendre spent about five years as a strategy consultant at the Boston Consulting Group (BCG). On the investment side, third-party sources (MarketScreener/Bloomberg) place him at ODDO BHF Private Equity SA as an Investment Director from 2007 to 2013, and at Ekkio Capital SAS as an Investment Director from 2013 onward — consistent with Ekkio's roots in the private equity team that predated the firm's current branding. As a Partner he participates in investment decisions and personally co-invests alongside the firm's portfolio companies.

Ekkio pursues a "buy-and-build" strategy, taking control or growth positions in SMEs and driving transformation through internationalization, industrial investment, and bolt-on acquisitions ("build-ups"). The firm reports a track record of roughly 35 buy-outs and more than 100 build-ups, and manages capital in the range of €160–250 million across its funds (Ekkio Capital IV closed at ~€161 million at the end of 2017). Beaugendre operates within this mid-market, hands-on, operationally intensive model — a materially different profile from an angel or seed investor.

On his own approach, Beaugendre offers the philosophy quoted on Ekkio's site: "Do what is useful, say what is brave, look at what is beautiful: that is enough to fill a man's life. And that's a good goal for an investor!"

• Invests through control buyouts and growth capital using a buy-and-build playbook — a platform acquisition followed by multiple bolt-on build-ups.
• Ticket size: €5–50 million of equity per deal.
• Target profile: French and European SMEs with €10–100 million in revenue that are facing a significant change of scale and need operational, strategic, and financial support.
• Sectors: four defined verticals — Tourism & Leisure, Health & Beauty, Security & Control, and Eco-Responsibility/Sustainability.
• Says yes to companies where Ekkio's sector and operational expertise (finance, IT, HR, business development, communication) plus its network of business leaders and public authorities can accelerate growth — the firm cites an average ~2x growth across holdings.
• Not a fit for pre-revenue startups or seed-stage founders; the firm backs profitable, established operating businesses.