Astorg Mid Cap to acquire Barkene, a leading multi-specialist B2B technical services platform

Founded in 2018 by Richard Weihart with the support of Montefiore, Barkene has established itself as a leading multi-specialist provider of mission-critical technical services, built from the ground up under Richard Weihart’s leadership. The Company operates a differentiated model combining technical expertise, operational excellence and strong local footprint, combined with national coverage and a high level of repeat, service-driven activity supported by long-term relationships with a diversified base of blue-chip clients across sectors.

With close to 800 employees across 39 branches, Barkene operates in a large and resilient market, supported by structural drivers including regulatory requirements, compliance standards, technology upgrades and recurring service demand. Backed by Montefiore and driven by Richard Weihart and his team, the Company has executed a strong buy-and-build strategy – completing and integrating 16 strategic acquisitions across France and reaching over €110 million in revenue in 2025. Today, Barkene is one of the leading multi-specialist platforms in France, with capabilities to drive further consolidation and deliver long-term growth. 

Building on Barkene’s established platform and strong fundamentals, Astorg will partner with the management team to further accelerate the company’s expansion, with a focus on disciplined M&A execution and platform scaling across France. In parallel, Astorg will support the business in further enhancing operational performance and capturing scale benefits, drawing on its extensive experience in business services. 

Richard Weihart, Founder and CEO of Barkene, said:

“We are determined to continue growing Barkene and further scale our platform. Building on solid foundations established with Montefiore, who have been a true sparring partner from day one and helped build Barkene into what it is today, we are excited to now join forces with Astorg. Their comprehensive understanding of the sector, combined with their entrepreneurial and hands-on approach, will help us deliver on our growth roadmap in this next chapter. Together with Astorg and our teams across the country, we will accelerate Barkene’s development and strengthen our position as a leading national multi-specialist platform.”

Jérôme Triebel, Partner and Head of France and Benelux, Mid-Cap at Astorg, added: 

“Barkene is a prime example of the high-quality, mission-critical platforms we seek to back in the Business Services sector, combining resilient end-markets, strong positioning, and clear buy-and-build potential. The pre-emptive nature of this transaction reflects Astorg’s distinctive deal-making approach and deep sector expertise, underpinned by the knowledge, relationships and conviction that enable us to originate and execute proprietary opportunities. With our entrepreneurial mindset to partnering with management teams, we look forward to working closely with Richard Weihart and his team to scale the business and accelerate its next phase of growth.”

Lionel de Posson, Partner and Head of Mid-Cap at Astorg, concluded:

“This transaction underscores the strong momentum in our Mid-Cap strategy, with three deals completed across three geographies over the last nine months, including recent investments in Attikon in Germany and IPL in the UK. It also represents our ninth investment in Mid-Cap I, with our portfolio delivering over 20% revenue growth and c.30% EBITDA margin in 2025, reflecting our selective approach partnering with high-quality companies. In parallel, we have been reinforcing our local footprint, notably through the expansion of our Mid-Cap team in Paris last year, in addition to our presence in London and Frankfurt. This combination of multi-local reach, deep sector focus and team strengthening is key to sourcing and executing high-quality proprietary opportunities across Europe.”

*ENDS*

The transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals and is expected to close in the coming months.

Astorg was advised by Scalene Partners (M&A), Hogan Lovells and Kirkland & Ellis (legal and tax), A&M (financial and tech), Bain & Company (commercial), WTW (insurance), S-RM (cyber) and ERM (ESG).