International law firm Stephenson Harwood LLP has advised Groupe Les Echos-Le Parisien, a B2B marketplace, on the sale of the Go Entrepreneurs trade shows in Paris and Lyon and the National Forum of Associations and Foundations (FNAF), to EBRA Events, the event management agency of the EBRA Group (Est Bourgogne Rhône Alpes).
Groupe Les Echos-Le Parisien is a prominent media conglomerate in France, which reaches 25 million individuals monthly through its portfolio of 34 brands. The group offers a wide range of services for businesses, entrepreneurs, managers, and freelancers, providing practical content and solutions that address digital challenges such as branding, SEO, and media communication. Additionally, the company organises events for economic stakeholders, including the FNAF—a key event for the social and solidarity economy (SSE)—and the Go Entrepreneurs shows in Lyon and Paris, which have welcomed over 500 prominent figures, including entrepreneurs, artists, designers, and athletes, over the past 30 years.
EBRA Events is a national event agency with strong local ties, connected to the territories of the EBRA Group, the media division of Crédit Mutuel Alliance Fédérale and the largest press group in France, featuring nine regional daily newspapers.
"We are very pleased to support Groupe Les Echos-Le Parisien in this transaction, which demonstrates the firm's ability to support major groups in strategic investments and divestments," said Paris-based corporate partner Guillaume Briant.
The Stephenson Harwood team in Paris was led by corporate partner Guillaume Briant, with support from managing associate Ali Hilass and associate Ghita Filali. Further support on employment law was provided by partner Isabelle Dauzet and managing associate Victor Dehan, and partner Evelyne Bagdassarian, and managing associate Stéphane Raison on the tax aspects of the deal.
