Xavier Norlain is a Private Equity and M&A partner, Head of the Paris office, and a member of the Firm’s Private Capital industry group.
Xavier brings longstanding experience advising leading investment funds and family offices on leveraged buyouts and growth capital transactions. He also regularly represents industrial and services groups on a broad range of corporate matters, including restructurings and M&A transactions. In addition, he has significant experience advising founders and managers on the negotiation of their status and remuneration, particularly in connection with transactions involving investment funds.
Xavier’s practice spans a wide range of industries, including technology, telecom, aerospace and defense, cybersecurity, healthcare, and childcare and homecare.
He is consistently recognized by Chambers and Legal 500 as a leading lawyer in Private Equity and M&A.
Publications
- Quoted in Les Echos Capital Finance “LBO, the end of golden years?”, December 2022
- Trends and Developments for Private Equity in France. Chambers Global Practice Guides, 2021
- L’attractivité du secteur de la profession d’avocat pour les femmes en question, La Semaine du Droit, Edition générale, n° 10, March 2021
- Introduction à la seconde édition du Guide Numérique. La Lettre des Juristes d'Affaires, 2019
- La Défense écartelée. Centre d’étude et de prospective stratégique, April 2017
- Les dernières tendances en matière de Capital Transmission et pratiques des « préemptives ». Les Echos Business, August 2016
- Principales tendances des pratiques M&A comparées seton la typologie de profil des opérateurs: Private Equity vs. Corporate. Les Echos Business, January 2016
- A favorable outlook in France. M&A Guide 2016, January 2016
Education
-
University of Paris II Panthéon-Assas, M.A.
Philosophy of Law
-
University of Paris XI, LL.M.
International Tax Law
- Lycee Pasteur, B.A.
Awards & Recognition
Chambers France: Private Equity: Mid-Market, 2025
The Legal 500 EMEA (France): “Private Equity: LBO” Leading Partner / Grand Avocat du Marché, 2025
The Legal 500 EMEA (France): “Mergers & Acquisitions”, Key lawyer, 2025
Best Lawyers in France: Corporate Law / Mergers and Acquisitions Law / Leveraged Buyouts / Private Equity Law, 2026 (recognized since 2017)
IFLR1000 (France): “M&A“, Notable practitioner, 2025
Business Today: Top 10 Influential Mid-Market Private Equity Lawyers in France, 2023
Option Droit & Affaires: “LBO transactions over 200 M EUR », 2025
Option Droit & Affaires: “M&A transactions over 200 M EUR », 2025
Leaders League (France): “M&A - Transactions exceeding €500 million”, 2024
Leaders League (France): “Mid-cap LBO transactions”, Leading, 2025
Languages
- French
- English
Matters
Recent Representations:
- Andera Partners in connection with the signing of a transformative transaction implementing a continuation fund and enabling the combination of Spherea with Averna.
- Bridgepoint Development Capital V (BDC V) on its reinvestment in Brevo.
- Bridgepoint Development Capital on the acquisition of Forward Global and Equativ.
- Bridgepoint Development Capital and Equativ on several acquisitions (Sharethrough; Kamino Retail) and its strategic partnership with Deutsche Telekom.
- Bridgepoint and Groupe Sinari on several acquisitions (Aplus Informatique and its financing; Antsway).
- Bpifrance on the acquisition of a minority stake in Softway Medical.
- Bpifrance on its reinvestment in ChapsVision.
- Carlyle on the acquisition of Neverhack and Ciril Group.
- Carlyle and Neverhack on the acquisition of Innovery.
- Carlyle and Envea on the acquisition of Asia Pacific Air Quality Group and Airmodus Oy.
- Circet founders and management team for their investment in Circet alongside ICG and Circet on multiple acquisitions (Salko-Bau (Germany); Isen Tiefbau AG (Switzerland); Alfatech Technische Aanneming BV and Alfatech Telecom B.V. ; Tele Media GmbH Service rund ums Telefon).
- Dentressangle on the sale of Infogene and on the acquisition of EDL.
- Epiktet Group on several acquisitions (Amelis; Mômji).
- FNB Private Equity on a strategic partnership with UI Investissement.
- FNB Private Equity on the acquisition of Nestlé’s baby food unit in France.
- Intermediate Capital Group (“ICG”) on its financing into Astek and its investment into Climater.
- LBO France on the sale of HMY Group.
- Marle Group and its shareholder Dentressangle on the acquisition of Nowak.
- PSG Equity and the founder of N2F for the sale of N2F to FTV.
- The management team and Eurodommages group in connection with its sale to Ascentiel.
- The management team of Caillau Group on acquisition by Montyon Capital.
Prior to joining Proskauer, Xavier’s representative matters include advising:
- Bridgepoint Development Capital on its investment in Sinari.
- The Carlyle Group on the acquisition of Prophecy (n/k/a as NeverHack) from its founder and IK Investment Partners.
- Bridgepoint Development Capital on its investment in Equativ.
- Prima Solutions Holding on the sale of Prima Solutions to TSS and of Prima XL and Prima Compliance to Duck Creek.
- The Carlyle Group on the acquisition of Lacour Group from its founder.
- Bpifrance, alongside Tikehau Capital and Tikehau Ace Capital, on its investment in ChapsVision.
- The Carlyle Group on the sale of ETC group to Cinven.
- Raise Investissement on its investment in Clinique des Champs-Elysées.
- FnB Private Equity on the acquisition of Mousline from Nestlé®.
- Sodexo Group on the sale of the Lido Parisian cabaret to Accor Group.
- Bridgepoint Europe on its sale of the HTL Group to Montagu.
- Eurazeo on the acquisition of Troy Lee.
- Sodexo on its sale of Crèches de France to Grandir.
- The shareholders of Vetone Group for its sale to IVC Evidencia.
- Eurazeo and the other shareholders of Bimedia on its sale to DPLV Software.
- Bpifrance on the sale of its minority investment in the Mirion group to a SPAC sponsored by Goldman Sachs.
- Abenex on its investment in the HTDS Group.
- Circet Group, its founders as well as the Management Team on its sale of Circet group to ICG.
- Eurazeo Brands on its majority investment in the UltraPremium Direct Group.
- The Carlyle Group on its acquisition of the Envea Group, from its founder and the public market.
- Metrics Capital on its minority investment in Saint Honoré Stockage.
- Marle Group, its shareholders IK Investment Partners and The Carlyle Group as well as the Management team on the sale of Marle group, to the family-owned holding company Dentressangle.
- The Carlyle Group on the sale of the Evernex Group to 3i Group.
- B&B Hotels group’s Management on the sale of B&B Hotels to Goldman Sachs by PAI.
- Andera Partners and Omnes Capital on the acquisition of the Spherea group.
- Bpifrance, alongside Towerbrook, Sagard and TAT, on its investment in Sabena Technics.
- Ardian on its acquisition of the Unither Group.
- Airbus group on the sale of the Cimpa group to Sopra Steria.