AU Group, a brokerage and advisory firm specializing in credit and political risk management and in working capital financing, announces the acquisition of Meurice Assurance-Crédit and GESCO, two independent brokerage firms recognized for their expertise in managing non-payment risk. This dual transaction is part of the “Driving New Excellence 2029” strategic plan that the family-owned group has been pursuing for several years.
Analysis by Auris Finance experts, mergers and acquisitions and financial engineering advisory.
Meurice Assurance-Crédit, founded in 1998, and GESCO, established more than thirty-five years ago, are two independent firms led by Jean-Cyril Meurice. Both firms advise companies and negotiate tailored credit insurance solutions on their behalf to secure customer credit, both in France and for exports, with a client portfolio made up primarily of SMEs and mid-sized companies (ETIs).
Two historic credit insurance firms join the group
This dual acquisition allows AU Group to build on more than thirty years of experience and expertise in credit insurance developed by the two firms. The group is thereby strengthening its presence among small and medium-sized enterprises and mid-sized companies across France, leveraging the local roots of Meurice Assurance-Crédit and GESCO.
Clients of both firms will continue to benefit from personalized, tailor-made service, with gradual support from AU Group’s local teams. This combination also gives them access to the group’s full range of working capital financing solutions, particularly factoring, as well as bonding and political risk coverage.
A transaction driven by a shared vision of family entrepreneurship
Louis Bollaert, CEO of AU Group, emphasizes that this dual acquisition must above all be meaningful for all stakeholders, with the complementary expertise and shared vision around the family dimension, expertise, and quality of service forming the foundation of this combination. Jean-Cyril Meurice, chairman of Meurice Assurance-Crédit and GESCO, for his part speaks of a natural synergy with AU Group, with both groups sharing values that place people at the heart of their activities.
External growth built on the group’s family roots
AU Group has supported companies across all sectors of activity since 1929, in France and internationally. An independent company with 100% family-owned capital, the group today brings together more than 310 experts present in around fifty countries.
This dual transaction illustrates AU Group’s strategy of growth through targeted acquisitions, aimed at consolidating its close proximity to French SMEs and ETIs while broadening the range of solutions available to their leaders. It also reflects a broader trend observed in the credit insurance brokerage market, where several historic independent players are joining national or international groups to support their business transfer while preserving their local roots and the trust built with their clients.
In a context where managing accounts receivable and securing trade receivables remain central concerns for SMEs and ETIs, the integration of Meurice Assurance-Crédit and GESCO allows AU Group to expand its territorial footprint while preserving the local proximity that characterized both firms.
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