Gfi Informatique sells its Canadian operations to Investissement Québec and Capital régional et coopératif Desjardins

On March 8, 2012, Gfi Informatique completed the sale of its 62.4% holding in GFI Solutions and its subsidiaries to Investissement Québec and Capital régional et coopératif Desjardins, in association with the existing minority shareholders, i.e. management of GFI Solutions and Solidarity Fund QFL. The transaction is a part of Gfi Informatique’s strategy of refocusing its activities and provides Gfi Informatique with $75 million, or about €56 million, of which €46 million was received at closing and the balance in 18 months. Gfi Informatique is a major player in value-added IT services and software in Europe, and occupies a strategic position in its differentiated approach to global firms and niche entities. With its multi-specialist profile, the group serves its clients with a unique combination of proximity, sector organization and quality industrial solutions. The group has more than 8,490 employees and had 2011 revenues of €618.1 million. Gfi Informatique is listed on the Paris Euronext. A leader in the Canadian IT industry, GFI Solutions specializes in the design, implementation, integration, and support of business software solutions, in the development of e-business solutions, and in electronic payment, professional, and technical IT services. Fasken Martineau acted as legal counsel to Gfi Informatique with a team that included, in Canada, Frédéric Boucher, Jean Michel Lapierre, Robert Paré and Rebecca McLeod (corporate / M&A), Gilles Carli (tax), Jean-Philippe Mikus (intellectual property), Martin Racicot and Francis Trifiro (banking), and Douglas New (competition), and, in France, Ginette Leclerc (corporate).