quest-partners-q

GENEVA     TORONTO     MILAN

WHO WE ARE

Good is not good enough. We strive for excellence.

The Q in our logo represents the sail on the Bluenose, the celebrated Nova Scotia fishing and racing schooner built in 1921. the Bluenose is popular on both sides of the Atlantic for its agility.

The Bluenose epitomizes our approach. We are agile and bold because of the depth of our experience. Our partners bring more than 40 years of international, entrepreneurial, advisory and corporate experience to our engagements.

schooner-2

Overview

Quest Partners is an international business advisory group serving small and mid-sized corporate, institutional and individual clients.

With offices in Geneva, Toronto and Milan, we take on domestic, cross-border and global matters. Our multilingual capabilities include support and services in English, French, German, Italian and Arabic.

Since our foundation in 2000, we have developed particular expertise in the financial services, technology, construction, micro-mechanic, industrial equipment and luxury lifestyle sectors.

WHAT WE DO

Collectively, our management team has significant investment banking, private equity investing and operating experience that spans multiple decades and market cycles. To help our SME clients gain momentum, grow and get deals done, we keep a sharp focus on business realities, including the worldwide regulatory landscape. We apply our proven expertise, talent and experience to assist you in domestic, cross-border and international transactions and projects.

In this turbulent business environment, we are often called upon to advise on involve novel and complex issues. We are attuned and driven to create innovative solutions. In some cases, this sees us providing a strategic plan, recommending an investment in talent or developing a governance framework. In other situations, this may mean that we assist a portfolio company’s senior management team to articulate its broad strategic goals; facilitate a new business relationship; support financial management and planning; or provide direction on capital-raising activities and acquisition strategies.

Corporate Finance & Strategic Advisory

If you are considering a new direction, development or alternative for your business, we can help.

Whether you need a new business strategy or want to execute a major transaction, our approach is to work closely with you as a trusted advisor through the entire process. We carefully examine assumptions, corporate structure, geographic location, legal frameworks, capital investment requirements, human capital issues, timelines, risks and budgets. In our international work, we frequently help our clients to understand unfamiliar cultures, laws, taxes and other key aspects of doing business in foreign jurisdictions.

strategic-planning
qp-corporate-finance

In all of our work, we are geared to help you create sustainable value. Our expertise is global:

  • Strategy

  • Planning

  • Domestic, cross-border and international expansion

  • Succession arrangements

  • Distressed assets

  • Financial and operational restructuring

  • Turnarounds

  • Valuations

  • Fairness opinions

  • Equity and debt financings

Merchant Banking & Private Equity

We are known for our work on principal investments and private equity transactions. Our client sectors have included financial services, luxury lifestyle, construction, micro-mechanic and industrial equipment.

We work closely with our clients, partners and other participants in deals to structure, evaluate and execute investment opportunities. We create optimal structures for the execution of complex transactions that drive sustainable value.

Because of our deep operational experience, we may take an operational role within our portfolio companies, as appropriate. We combine our professional resources to bring the best of our experience to our companies.

merchant-banking-quest-partners
quest-mergers

Mergers & Aquisitions

A divestiture, merger, acquisition, reverse takeover, joint venture or strategic partnership can be the precise step that an organization needs to grow or reposition itself. We provide the full range of advice and services on such transactions – working on the buy side, sell side or on the behalf of another transaction participant. We are most active in the real estate, industrial technology, financial services and luxury lifestyle sectors, serving entrepreneurs, SMEs, family offices and financial institutions.

Our approach is to develop a complete understanding of our client’s business and competitive landscape. We examine all the issues that could influence the success of the outcome, from geographic locations, regulations, taxes and corporate structure to capital requirements, human resources, timelines, risks, budgets, assumptions and exit strategies. In cross-border and international M&As, we examine all of the applicable cultural expectations, laws, taxes and other business aspects.

In some transactions, we act as a principal investor, with a focus on balance sheet and cash flow optimization through restructuring or expansion. While remaining independent, we can syndicate acquisitions with other added-value investors.

WHAT WE LOOK FOR

Our clients’ successes are our successes. Through a thoughtful and selective investment process, we help you find and rest on the most promising opportunities – those that are driven by sustainable growth, supported with the best people, ideas, investors, shareholders and communities.

We favour friendly leveraged buyouts that do not require a liquidity event within the medium term. We like to buy and hold. Cash is used for growth and for strengthening the balance sheet. Only once the company is on solid ground are we comfortable distributing dividends.

quest-partners-vision
qp-transactions

Transactions

To date, we have executed more than 250 transactions and advisory engagements. Of these, more than 200 are equity and debt transactions valued at more than CHF 2 billion.

Using our own financial resources, we have completed 11 principal investments in European and Canadian industrial, financial services and lifestyle companies. Seven of these had realized exits with an over 40% internal rate of return.

Managing Partners

Together, we are an able crew, bringing more than 40 years of entrepreneurial, advisory and corporate experience to our engagements. Clients appreciate our collaborative and integrated approach. When appropriate, we seek the input and insight of special advisers in our global network of contacts, including financial experts (venture capitalists, private equity groups, investment banks and commercial banks) and operational experts (legal counsel, tax counsel, consultants and active investors). Please contact us to discuss working together.

GENEVA

Bassel Rabbat

Bassel is a senior advisor to SMEs and family offices, with significant expertise in international tax, financings and fund investments.

Read more

TORONTO

Bachir Rabbat

Bachir has more than two decades of international advisory experience, with a focus on creating, financing, monetizing and restructuring industrial and technology companies.

Read more

MILAN

Philippe Camperio

Philippe is a recognized advisor on finance, asset management and investment matters, with a special interest in assisting luxury lifestyle brands.

Read more

CONTACT

GENEVA

7 place Longemalle - 1204
Geneva
Switzerland

TORONTO

890 Yonge Street, Suite 1002
Toronto, Ontario M4W 3P4
Canada

MILAN

Via Sant’Andrea 5 - 20121
Milan
Italy