ANALYSIS – The new shareholders, including the Meridiam investment fund, want to adopt a combative strategy to compete with Veolia.
The largest water supply contract in France expires at the end of 2023: it is that of Sedif, the Syndicat des eaux d’Île-de-France, which supplies more than 4 million inhabitants. Now owned by Veolia, it excites the desire of many players. including Suez. Because, in France, the takeover of the second by the first does not change anything. Suez, which is the heir of the Lyonnaise des eaux will continue to exist.
The two companies were far too powerful in France for the competition authorities to authorize an operation that would have led to the disappearance of one of them. Antoine Frérot was perfectly aware of this. So he had prepared a solution, namely the resale of a significant share of Suez.
The new Suez
After many twists and turns between August 2020 and April 2021, a consortium of buyers was formed, bringing together the Meridiam and GIP investment funds, as well as the Caisse des dépôts. The assets sold represent a turnover…