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Freshfields advises Marlin Equity Partners on the signing of an agreement to complete growth equity investment in iBanFirst
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer (‘Freshfields’) has advised Marlin Equity Partners, a global investment firm, on the signing of an agreement to complete a growth investment in iBanFirst SA (‘iBanFirst’), a cloud-based, payment institution delivering solutions across borders, to fund product development, international expansion and M&A. Marlin Equity Partners will become the fintech company’s largest shareholder, replacing existing business angels and some of the company’s early backers.
iBanFirst delivers payment solutions through its specialist online platform for multicurrency transactions. As an alternative to the traditional bank offering, iBanFirst enables a payment experience and related package of financial services that address the needs of SMEs in their daily operations. The company’s self-serve B2B FX management platform facilitates the execution of B2B payments, FX and hedging transactions across industry verticals and geographies, that are faster, more user-friendly, and less expensive than traditional banking options.
Founded in Paris in 2013 by former bank executives and entrepreneurs, iBanFirst is a Belgian company, with operations in France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. The company will continue to focus on European expansion and is also actively pursuing strategic partnerships and M&A opportunities in the UK and elsewhere.
The completion of the transaction is subject to applicable regulatory clearances and other customary closing conditions.
The Freshfields team was led in Paris by partners Julien Rebibo and Nicolas Barberis, with assistance from Simon Dievart, associate. The corporate team also comprised Frédéric Elens, partner, Florence Goffin and Claire Langlois, associates, in Brussels. Regulatory advice was provided by principal associate Steffie de Backer from Brussels. Koen Vanlaer, counsel, advised on the financing aspects of the transaction in Brussels.
