LionTree, a media and tech boutique advisory firm based in the US, has tapped French-Moroccan businesswoman Fatine Layt to head their new Paris office.
“I am excited for the chance to offer LionTree expertise to French clients while introducing LionTree’s global network to the incredible opportunities presented here in France and the EU,” Layt says.
An investment banker and entrepreneur, Layt has consistently been a valuable asset to any company she touches. Whether founding or joining, her financial acumen and intimate understanding of it has benefitted the business world of tech.
Fatine Layt, many-time CEO and founder, a perfect fit for LionTree
Layt has co-founded and headed as CEO multiple investment banking and corporate finance firms. These include CEPP, Intermezzo, Messier Partners, and Partanea, the last of which she sold to Oddo & Cie.
She became a managing partner at Oddo & Cie and oversaw multiple international mergers and acquisitions. These included mergers with Russian, French, and African businesses. Layt’s financial smarts also earned her a place on Bel’s Board of Directors and Audit Committee. She earned her place when she recommended that the cheese company not outbid Yoplait.
Layt currently serves on the boards of the Renault Foundation and its investment fund, the Groupe Fromageries Bel, and the France-Afrique Foundation. The latter fosters an economic and political relationship between France and Africa.
Connected to the arts and her Moroccan heritage
Layt was born in Casablanca, Morocco, to a French mother and Moroccan father. She studied in Sciences Po, the Paris Institute of Political Studies, and received her financial education through the French Society of Financial Analysts.
Apart from business, Layt supports the arts and even owns a farm in Morocco. A passionate cellist as a young woman, Layt’s love for the arts persisted into her adult life. She is the honorary chairman of the Circle of Patrons of the Parisian Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord, a group that helps keep the museum alive. She also owns a farm 15 km outside of Marrakesh that produces oranges, apricots, pomegranates, jams and olive oil. “My relationship with Morocco is very strong,” she says. “We cannot hide our roots…It’s a place that I love for its simplicity, love for the land.”
In addition to all of her high-level positions and hobbies, Layt is also a Knight of the French Legion of Honor – one of the country’s highest awards.
Fatine Layt to expand LionTree’s operations in the EU and France
LionTree, a “media-centric investment banking firm,” has advised some famous acquisitions, such as Verizon purchasing Yahoo. Nevertheless, as a “boutique” firm, they primarily focus on smaller deals and companies.
Based in New York, the company has expanded to several more locations, including London and Paris. “France has emerged as a home to vibrant digital and technical companies and innovation,” says LionTree founder Aryeh Bourkoff, “We look forward to support the country’s growing activity and to working closely with its talented entrepreneurs as they reshape the EU’s tech landscape.”
Layt will head this new office. As such, she will expand the firm’s services not just to France but throughout the European Union. “The EU represents a dynamic and attractive marketplace across both traditional and emerging TMT sectors,” says Jake Donavan, president of LionTree Europe.
Visit LionTree’s website here.
