Bimedia lbo with Omnes Capital, Idinvest

Local retail software and hardware vendor Bimedia completes primary LBO

Bimedia, which was founded in 2002 in the French department of Vendée, at La Roche-sur-Yon, provides retail software solutions and terminals to over 6,000 local bakeries, magazine shops, convenience stores and other merchants. What makes Bimedia different is that it also sells telephony, online payment and digital advertising services to the members of its network.

The objective of the transaction is to enable Bimedia to expand its network by proposing its services to a broader range of local merchants in France and abroad. The management team, led by the company’s chairman and CEO, Olivier Kimmerling, will take over from its founders, Jean-Baptiste Pondevy, Dominique Chabot, Antoine Lacoste, Philippe Lévesque and Thierry Michel, the first three of whom will remain invested. Bimedia has 120 employees and posted revenue of 135 million euros in 2014.

Eric Rey, Partner at Omnes Capital: "We were impressed by the professionalism and innovativeness of Bimedia’s management. Its partnerships with advertisers, telecom operators, and fintechs make Bimedia an indispensable bridge between online commerce and local merchants."

Guillaume Teboul, Senior Advisor and Partner at Cambon Partners: "This deal attracted a lot of interest and negotiations were conducted with several potential strategic buyers. In the end, it was Omnes and its co-investors who were selected to help Bimedia achieve its growth objectives in France and abroad."