About 21 Team Creating Value Investments Press Release Contacts

French Team

Gérard Pluvinet

Founding Managing Partner

Gérard Pluvinet founded 21 Centrale Partners, together with Alessandro Benetton in 1998. Prior to this he was the Managing Director and Chairman of Société Centrale pour l’Industrie which he joined in 1970. During his time at Société Centrale pour l’Industrie, Gérard Pluvinet undertook a number of operational roles in affiliated companies. In particular, he acted as CFO of L’Electronique Appliquée à la Mécanique (1972-73), CEO of Delachaux Niestlé Spes (1975-80), CEO of Centre d’Etudes et de Recherche des Minéraux Industriels (1979-86) and CEO of Méribel Alpina (1982-94). Gérard Pluvinet holds a Diplôme d’Etudes Supérieures in Law and Economics and is a graduate of the Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris.

François Barbier

Managing Partner

Close

Curriculum & Experience >>

François Barbier co-founded 21 Centrale Partners in 1998 together with Gérard Pluvinet and Alessandro Benetton. Prior to this, he had worked from 1988 as an executive alongside Gérard Pluvinet at Société Centrale pour l’Industrie. During this time, François Barbier also acted as CFO for Siaco, a printing company owned by Société Centrale pour l’Industrie. François Barbier is a graduate of the Ecole Supérieure de Commerce in Bordeaux and a member of Société Française des Analystes Financiers.

Henry Huyghues Despointes

Managing Partner

Close

Curriculum & Experience >>

Henry Huyghues Despointes co-founded 21 Centrale Partners in 1998 together with Gérard Pluvinet and Alessandro Benetton. Prior to this, he had worked from 1987 as an executive alongside Gérard Pluvinet at Société Centrale pour l’Industrie. From 1978 to 1987, he was responsible for financial and industrial audits, mergers & acquisitions and consolidation within CGE/Alcatel-Alsthom. Henry Huyghues Despointes holds a Diploma in Biology, a DECS and is a member of the Société Française des Analystes Financiers.

Antoine Pupin

Managing Partner

Close

Curriculum & Experience >>

Antoine Pupin joined 21 Centrale Partners in 2004. He brings more than 15 years of international experience, including 11 years in London and North America, working in industry (Aerospatiale & FastAero), private equity (Presbourg & Klesch Capital Partners) and investment banking (Arjil, Hambros, Salomon & BNP Paribas). Antoine Pupin graduated in aerospace engineering at the Ecole Nationale Supérieure d’Ingénieurs de Constructions Aéronautiques, and has a Bachelor’s in Economics and Social Sciences from the University of Toulouse and an MBA from the Thunderbird Business School

Stéphane Perriquet

Partner

Close

Curriculum & Experience >>

Stéphane Perriquet joined 21 Centrale Partners in 2001 after having spent five years with Siparex Private Equity between 1996 and 2001. Prior to this, he worked as Financial Controller at BFI-IBEXSA, a European electronics component group, and as an Auditor at KPMG. Mr. Perriquet graduated with a major in Finance from the Ecole Supérieure de Commerce in Rouen.

Jacques Rossignol

Partner

Close

Curriculum & Experience >>

Jacques joined 21 in 2008 with a five-year experience in private equity, mostly at Acto Capital / Finama Private Equity. Prior to this, he worked for seven years in Mergers and Acquisitions, first at BNP Paribas then at Goldman Sachs, in France and in the UK. Jacques graduated from Ecole Polytechnique and holds an MBA degree from Harvard Business School

Eustache Besançon

Principal

Close

Curriculum & Experience >>

Eustache Besançon joined 21 Centrale Partners in 2007. He has 14 years of experience in investment banking with HSBC and Lazard in France as well as Morgan Stanley in the U.K. He graduated from Insead and HEC and holds a master of law from Paris II University.

Regis Lamarche

Principal

Close

Curriculum & Experience >>

Régis Lamarche joined 21 Centrale Partners upon its foundation in 1998. Prior to this he worked from 1992 to 1998 as an Associate at Charterhouse Private Equity France. He began his career at Arthur Andersen where he was involved in financial & acquisition audits and asset valuations. Mr. Lamarche is a graduate of the Ecole Supérieure de Commerce in Bordeaux.

François Tranié

Principal

Close

Curriculum & Experience >>

François Tranié joined 21 Centrale Partners in 2006. Prior to this, he worked at BNP Paribas Leveraged Finance on LBO transactions from 2002 to 2006. He began his career at Price Waterhouse Coopers in audit and consulting. Mr. Tranié graduated from the Ecole Centrale Paris and has a Master of Finance from HEC and an MBA from Insead.

Vincent Menudier

Investment Manager

Close

Curriculum & Experience >>

Vincent Menudier joined 21 in 2004. Prior to this, he worked at AFIC, the French Venture Capital Association and as an Auditor at Fidus. Vincent Ménudier has a Master in audit and financial controlling from INSEEC and a diploma from DESS IAE in Nice and Marseille.

Xavier Payet

Investment Manager

Close

Curriculum & Experience >>

Xavier Payet joined 21 in 2008. Prior to this, he worked for the French Treasury, in the management of the state holdings in energy companies and worked on numerous transactions. He also worked as a consultant for Bain&Co, as an advisor for Private Equity Funds. Xavier Payet is graduated from Ecole Normale Supérieure and from Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées and holds an MBA from ENPC School of International Management.