Simpson Thacher represented Ardian, Ares Credit funds and other lenders as senior unitranche lenders in connection with the acquisition of Rhétorès Group (“Rhétorès” or “the Group”) by IK Partners (“IK”). The transaction closed on May 5, 2026.
Ardian is a global private investment firm that manages or advises $200 billion across Europe, the Americas, Asia and Middle East, on behalf of more than 1,920 clients globally.
Ares is a leading global alternative investment manager offering clients complementary primary and secondary investment solutions across the credit, real estate, private equity and infrastructure asset classes. As of March 31, 2026, Ares had $644 billion of AUM, with operations across North America, South America, Europe, Asia Pacific and the Middle East.
Rhétorès, headquartered in France, is a fast-growing French independent financial advisor focused on high-net-worth individuals, providing a comprehensive range of financial savings and investment products, including life-insurance wrappers and access to premium asset classes including private equity, real estate and structured products.
IK is a European private equity firm focused on investments in the Benelux, DACH, France, Nordics and the U.K. Since 1989, IK has raised more than €20 billion of capital and invested in over 210 European companies. IK Partners supports companies with strong underlying potential, partnering with management teams and investors to create robust, well-positioned businesses with excellent long-term prospects.
The Simpson Thacher team included Hadrien Servais, Sophie Rezki, Eline Souffriau and Kacper Sztejter (Credit).