Empowering Family Businesses: The Ardian Buyout Approach with Neopharmed Gentili
Growth stories
Empowering Family Businesses: The Ardian Buyout Approach with Neopharmed Gentili
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03 October 2024
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Private Equity
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Buyout
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Italy
Reading time: 2 minutes
Nicolò Saidelli
Advisor to the CEO on strategy and acquisitions, Member of the Executive Committee, Head of Ardian Italy and Co-Head of Buyout
Nicolò Saidelli joined Ardian in 2008 as a Director within the Buyout team based in Milan, with the responsibility of the Italian Investments. Prior to joining Ardian, he spent five years as a Partner with L Capital and Manager of its Italian office. He previously worked with GE Equity Italia, Salomon Smith Barney, Lehman Brothers, the Richemont Group, Canal Plus and Olivetti Group.
"Our mission is to identify thriving local companies and transform them to international players. To achieve this, we prioritize building close relationships with entrepreneurs and their families,” Nicolò Saidelli said.
Over the years, we nurture these connections with the ultimate goal of forming lasting partnerships.
Neopharmed Gentili: A successful family buyout in Italy
Through our partnership with Neopharmed Gentili, an Italian pharmaceutical company, we have supported the company’s growth since 2018.
A great example is our partnership with Neopharmed Gentili s.p.a, an Italian pharmaceutical company founded by Alessandro Del Bono and his family. In 2018, the Del Bono family chose Ardian to support their growth ambitions. Since then, Neopharmed Gentili has grown from €145 million in sales to over €310 million, achieving an impressive 45% EBITDA margin. We have facilitated six acquisitions and helped launch a €700 million bond to reduce debt costs, all of which have strengthened the company's financial health. The success of this partnership led to a deeper collaboration in 2022, as we work together to expand Neopharmed Gentili's reach across Europe.
Ardian understand the immense challenge an entrepreneur faces when selling their company.
“Once we made the decision, they immediately began to collaborate with us, ensuring the internal balance remained intact. Their support was unwavering across all aspects—technical, financial, and psychological. This comprehensive support is crucial when undertaking significant endeavors," Alessandro Del Bono added.
For the Buyout team at Ardian, focusing on family buyouts has proven a successful strategy, delivering exceptional returns and growth. We continue to seek out such partnerships to help businesses realize their global potential.
