Guillaume Thaovikham
Guillaume Thaovikham expands the Bordeaux team of Widoowin CF and becomes the new Director in charge of customer relations and partners in Bordeaux.
Guillaume Thaovikham
An international profile
From New Caledonia, Guillaume Thaovikham is now back in Bordeaux, where he spent 3 years before graduating from KEDGE Business School. A globetrotter at heart, he lived for ten years in China, particularly in Shanghai. He just returned from a trip of several months in Latin America where he learned Spanish, as well as English and Mandarin.
Rewarding experiences
Guillaume Thaovikham has 10 years of experience in international business and intercultural organizations. He has worked for more than 3 years in a consulting and recruitment company where he held the position of Head of sales for mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore. Widoowin is not unknown to him. He already did a 7 month internship during his previous stay in Bordeaux as Sales Business Development.
Federating a network of customers and partners
Today, Guillaume oversees managing the relationship with clients and partners in the South-West region and internationally. He is the main contact for SME and ETI managers, as well as for partners composed of chartered accountants, asset management consultants and insurers. Guillaume works jointly with the Corporate Finance Director and the System Data & Middle Office Associate of the Bordeaux Consulting Center. His purpose is to feed the M&A System™ software package and to offer the best counterparties for each file.
Céline Poulain
05 57 99 88 18
celine.poulain@widoowin.fr
Thanks to more than 30 years of experience in the banking, insurance, international business development and investment sectors, Laurent Dorpe has held senior positions in the world of finance, notably within the Edmond de Rothschild bank in France and Asia. Today CEO and founder of M&A System™, he joins forces with Widoowin CF, an independent French M&A advisory boutique, backed by the Widoowin Financial Advisory Group. This alliance gives birth to Widoowin CF Asia, based in Hong Kong, and is also materialized by WCF taking a stake in M&A System™.
In addition to mastering all aspects of international finance, Laurent Dorpe has extensive knowledge of Asia, where he has been operating since 2004. He worked mainly in Shanghai and Hong Kong until 2018, when he settled permanently in Hong Kong. This experience will be invaluable for developing Widoowin CF’s business in this region and for cross-border operations.
Laurent Dopre, CEO of M&A System™️
Before joining the Edmond de Rothschild Group, Laurent Dorpe was Managing Director of Personal Financial Services at American Express Bank in Paris, before becoming Global Head of Sales for these services and also Commercial Director of CORTAL, the first online bank in France. He joined Banque Edmond de Rothschild in 2000 (LCF Rothschild) to create and manage e-Rothschild, a pioneer in online private banking, until 2003. He then served as Chairman of Edmond de Rothschild Asia Limited in Hong Kong and founded and managed Edmond de Rothschild Private Equity China based in Shanghai. Laurent Dorpe is also a serial entrepreneur: founder of Easy Life Services in Shanghai, of Club 1888 in Hong Kong and of Caution Directe in France.
Very involved in the world of mergers and acquisitions since 2013 and passionate about information systems, Laurent Dorpe has conceptualized and developed a unique solution for the digitalization and modernization of this business. This gave birth to the company M&A System™ of which Laurent Dorpe is the CEO and founder. His ambition: to revolutionize and democratize access to the M&A world.
Laurent Dorpe’s decision to partner with Jean-Baptiste David and Mario Da Silva, the co-founders of Widoowin CF, stemmed from his desire to deploy his company M&A System™ more widely, particularly its eponymous solution, which he also designed.
This expert software is presented as a CRM dedicated to the M&A business, but also as a tool for managing mandates and monitoring transactions. Associated with a Partners program, M&A System™ opens the doors of M&A to the players in the accountancy and savings industry (chartered accountants, auditors, insurers, wealth and asset managers).
A complete device that projects the world of mergers and acquisitions into a new era and comes to meet the dual ambition of Widoowin CF: to expand internationally, with the opening of a first subsidiary in Hong Kong, but also to make the transition to the digitization of corporate networks and the digitalization of the M&A business.
By welcoming Laurent Dorpe on board, the financial advisory boutique, specialized in M&A, becomes in turn a shareholder of M&A System™. The 3 managers now aim to develop, especially in France, the software, and the associated Partners program, in order to invite companies and professionals of the figure to embrace the opportunities around M&A. Widoowin CF thus hopes to sign 200 mandates per year in the medium term and convince 1,000 partners to commit to its side by 2025.
“I began working on the development of the M&A System™ back in 2018. The software, at the heart of the system, aims to maximize M&A transaction opportunities by automating the matching of supply and demand. Around it, I initiated a Partners program that I now want to deploy more widely, in order to benefit as many companies and finance professionals as possible. To do this, I was looking for a solid player in Europe and, more particularly, in France. The agreement with Jean-Baptiste David and Mario Da Silva, co-founders of Widoowin CF, was immediate. We share common values and a common vision of M&A and its evolution. Our ambitions are aligned, and we are looking forward to launching, initially in France, our Partners program around the M&A System™ technology from next November” says Laurent Dorpe, CEO of Widoowin CF Asia and CEO & Founder of M&A System™.
Widoowin CF is a company composed of M&A experts, created by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs. The Widoowin CF team accompanies managers at all stages of their professional life, whether they are in development or in a phase of transfer. Widoowin CF attaches great importance to the entrepreneurial project and wishes to help companies to manage their transition in the best conditions for their clients and in the interest of the common good. Its missions require important resources in terms of information brought by M&A System™, but also in terms of human resources. Its teams of experts are present in proximity, in each of its consulting centers, to best support the operations entrusted to them.
Annabel Verrier : 06 24 37 32 01 / annabel@be-rp.fr
Sarah Hachemi : 06 15 45 80 39 / sarah@be-rp.fr
Backed by the Widoowin financial advisory group, Widoowin CF is an independent M&A and Corporate Finance advisory boutique. Created by recognized professionals in the sector and specializing in advice on disposals and acquisitions, fundraising and joint ventures, Widoowin CF is now associated with Laurent Dorpe, designer and founder of the M&A System™, and is opening its first office in Hong Kong. This merger is an opportunity to launch a brandnew Partners program, in order to make the M&A profession accessible to companies, entrepreneurs, as well as to figure and savings professionals.
Jean-baptiste David, CEO of Widoowin CF
Widoowin CF is headed by Jean-Baptiste David, who has 15 years of business development experience with Pastel & Associés and LCF Rothschild. Building on its success in France, Widoowin CF now wishes to become a key player in the merger and acquisition sector and develop its brand internationally. For this, the transition to the digitization of business networks and the digitization of the profession are essential.
Laurent Dorpe, founder of M&A System
Based in Hong Kong and Shanghai since 2004, Laurent Dorpe has more than 30 years of experience in the banking, insurance, international business development and investment sectors. Former Chairman of Edmond de Rothschild Asia Limited in Hong Kong and former CEO and founder of Edmond de Rothschild Private Equity China, he is also the CEO of M&A System™ and the designer of the eponymous software. The latter was designed with the aim of developing a new approach to the M&A business, particularly in the context of its digitalisation. Laurent Dorpe has, in recent years, tested a new business model based on the creation of a network of Partners.
With the aim of developing M&A System™ on a larger scale, particularly in France, Laurent Dorpe approached Widoowin CF. The agreement with the co-founders, Jean-Baptiste David and Mario Da Silva, was immediate. Their entrepreneurial DNA, as well as a sharing of values and vision, make it possible today to achieve their common ambitions. The creation of Widoowin CF Hong Kong and the association of Widoowin CF in M&A System™ took place simultaneously, in July 2022, to finalize the development and design of the software, the launch of which is scheduled for November 2022.
M&A System™ is expert software for the M&A business, designed to optimize contact management and transaction workflow. It is both a CRM dedicated to this very specific business, as well as a tool for managing mandates and monitoring operations. M&A System™ is also equipped with a decision support function that allows to submit M&A mandate opportunities in a few clicks. The objective of this software is to develop a business model and a different approach to the M&A business, but also to make it accessible to as many people as possible. M&A System™ is also a tailor-made tool for digitizing networks, which opens the doors of merger and acquisition to new players. It offers, in fact, the possibility of managing and connecting a network of Partners, making accessible to entrepreneurs, professionals (wealth management advisers, accountants or even insurers), as well as to their customers, thousands of investors and financial institutions from all sectors.
Widoowin CF’s project with M&A System™ is to develop traditional M&A codes by:
Widoowin CF aims to unite a large number of professionals (chartered accountants, auditors, insurers, wealth and asset managers), who have no answer to provide to their clients in terms of M&A operations. The latter submit on the M&A System™ the opportunities for mandates for the sale, acquisition or fundraising of the companies they represent. They take care to provide all the information necessary for the evaluation of the file; this operation only takes a few minutes thanks to a standardized process.
This first step makes it possible to improve the flow of information and to qualify the real opportunities. When a mandate is signed, the Widoowin CF teams then manage, on behalf of their Partners, all the phases of a transaction for their clients. Of course, they undertake to strictly respect the property of their Partners’ customers, as well as the confidentiality of the information entrusted to them.
For their part, the Partners receive a referral fee for any mandate signed with one of their clients, to which is added a success fee for each transaction concluded. Beyond simplifying their access to the dealmaking market, digitizing and monetizing their network, this system strengthens their position as experts with their customers. The benefit is obvious: not only do the professionals provide a solution to their clients who wish to carry out an M&A operation, but they are also developing their activity in a new vertical, thanks to an expert and trusted partner. Widoowin CF thus hopes to sign 200 mandates per year in the medium term and convince 1,000 Partners to commit to its side over the next 3 years.
“The arrival of Laurent Dorpe in the Widoowin CF team, as well as the relevance of his M&A System™ tool, will allow us to make M&A accessible to entrepreneurs in all sectors, as well as to professionals who are currently far from it. This positioning, as well as the choice to be a pioneer in the transition to the digitization of corporate networks, will make Widoowin CF a must in the M&A sector in the future and will allow us to develop our brand internationally,” says Jean-Baptiste David, Chairman of Widoowin Group and Co-founder of Widoowin CF.
Widoowin CF is a company made up of M&A experts, created by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs. The WCF team supports entrepreneurs at all stages of their professional life, whether in development or in a transfer phase. WCF attaches great importance to the entrepreneurial project and wishes to help companies manage their transition in the best conditions for their customers and in the interest of the common good. Its missions require significant resources in terms of information provided by M&A System™, but also in terms of human resources. Its teams of experts are present locally, in each of its advice centers, to best support the operations entrusted to them.
Jacques Falières, Ancien Expert-Comptable et commissaire aux Comptes, fonde en 2005 le Cabinet Trans-Missions pour accompagner les PME et PMI dans leurs problématiques de cession. Avec un taux de réussite proche de 100%, une cinquantaine d’entreprises ont trouvé́ des acquéreurs industriels, financiers et repreneurs.
Jacques Falières, Fondateur Trans-Missions
Laurent Lesdos, Associé Trans-Missions Toulouse
Pierre Lajouane, Associé Trans-Missions
Après 25 années passées dans le groupe BPCE, dont une grande partie de sa carrière dans le capital investissement, Laurent Lesdos s’associe à Jacques Falières en 2014 pour diriger le cabinet Trans- Missions de Toulouse, et accompagner les dirigeants et actionnaires de PME dans leurs projets.
Cette même année, Pierre Lajouane rejoint Trans-Missions en tant qu’associé au cabinet de Bayonne, après 23 ans dans le développement de son propre cabinet d’Expertise dédié à l’accompagnement des dirigeants de PME, notamment sur des problématiques de cession et d’acquisition.
Ces nouvelles associations permettront d’apporter une complémentarité des expériences au sein des régions Nouvelle-Aquitaine et Occitanie.
En 2022, Jacques Falières cherche à se rapprocher d’un autre cabinet afin de transmettre sa marque, son réseau, ses références et son savoir-faire, et intégrer une nouvelle équipe en tant que consultant associé : « Il était primordial pour moi de m’associer à un cabinet en toute confiance et ayant les mêmes valeurs que celles de Trans-Missions®. Widoowin Corporate Finance a su faire ses preuves dans le milieu du M&A, par ses ambitions et le respect de ses engagements. » souligne Jacques Falières.
De son côté, la filiale conseil en Fusion Acquisition du groupe Widoowin avait pour aspiration de renforcer ses effectifs afin de développer son offre dans le grand sud-ouest.
Ayant toujours promu l’intelligence collective, les dirigeants de Widoowin Corporate Finance ont toujours discuté et échangé avec leurs confrères de la place. C’est ainsi qu’un projet de rapprochement émerge entre les dirigeants des deux cabinets. « Nos projets sont à la croisée des chemins en cette année 2022. » témoigne Thomas Fertin, Directeur Associé de Widoowin Corporate Finance : « En effet, Jacques Falières souhaite transmettre son expérience et sa marque a une équipe dans l’air du temps, et de notre côté nous avons soif du savoir-faire et des connaissances des associés de ce cabinet historique. De plus, la marque Trans-Missions® est connue des acteurs économiques et des dirigeants aquitains et nous souhaitons capitaliser sur cette expérience. Nous sommes heureux et fiers d’avoir convenu d’un accompagnement de Jacques Falières de 3 à 5 ans et nous sommes ravis de l’accueillir au sein de notre équipe. ».
Cette fusion permet à Widoowin Corporate Finance de renforcer son développement en Nouvelle-Aquitaine, mais aussi de s’implanter en Occitanie.
Initialement créé en 2009 par Mario Da Silva et Jean-Baptiste David, le groupe Widoowin comprend aujourd’hui 3 entités :
Widoowin Gestion Privée consacre son expertise financière aux particuliers et professionnels dans la gestion de leur patrimoine et leur stratégie d’investissement
• Widoowin Corporate Finance accompagne le dirigeant dans la gestion de son entreprise et dans les opérations d’acquisition, de transmission et de levée de fonds
• Widoowin Cross Asset Solutions propose des solutions aux décideurs financiers afin d’optimiser leurs excédents.