Crédit Agricole S.A. and Coller Capital today announced an agreement for Crédit Agricole S.A.’s sale to Coller Capital of 100% of Crédit Agricole Private Equity (CAPE) and substantially all of the funds managed by CAPE and owned by Crédit Agricole Capital Investment Finance (CACIF), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Crédit Agricole S.A.
Crédit Agricole S.A.’s decision to sell CAPE forms part of a plan to optimise capital allocation and refocus the bank’s private equity activities on local business.
The sale will reduce Crédit Agricole S.A.’s risk-weighted assets by about €900 million. Crédit Agricole S.A. will continue to provide financing for SMEs through the private equity vehicles owned by the Crédit Agricole Regional Banks, as well as through IDIA, a Crédit Agricole Group partner that provides equity and quasi equity financing to agrifood companies and agribusinesses.