What Ceres Partners does

Ceres Partners is a boutique financial advisory firm headquartered at the Hôtel de la Marine, 4 rue Royale, in the 8th arrondissement of Paris, France. The firm positions itself as a "conseil en opérations de haut de bilan" advisor, operating through two French legal entities — PH&Co (SAS, €100,000 capital) and JLPC (SAS, €1,000 capital) — and serving corporate clients on three interconnected service lines: Fusions & Acquisitions (transaction structuring, due diligence support, deal execution), Levées de Fonds (capital raising and financing structuring), and Restructurations Financières (debt restructuring, turnaround advisory, crisis management).

The firm is led by two named partners — Jacques LE PAPE and Pascal HERVE, both titled "Associé" — who personally deliver client engagements. Headcount is reported at two named partners with a total of approximately six people. The firm has no disclosed proprietary technology, no digital products, and no AI/automation components; service delivery is entirely partner-driven and relationship-based, relying on professional networks and referrals rather than broad marketing. The go-to-market is sales-led and direct, targeting enterprise/corporate clients in France.

Ceres Partners generates revenue through advisory fees on M&A, fundraising, and financial restructuring mandates, likely structured as project-based or retainer engagements typical of boutique advisory firms. No pricing, customer references, deal track record, or revenue figures are publicly disclosed. The firm reports no external institutional investors, no parent company, no funding rounds, and no partnerships or alliances in the available data.

Name

Ceres Partners

Legal name

PH&Co

Website

https://cerespartners.fr

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ceres Partners is a Paris-based boutique financial advisory firm serving corporate clients on M&A, capital raising, and financial restructuring mandates, led by two partners (Jacques LE PAPE and Pascal HERVE) operating through two SAS entities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Advisory Fees: Revenue generated from providing high-value financial advisory services including M&A transactions, fundraising, and financial restructuring engagements. Likely project-based or retainer arrangements typical of boutique advisory firms.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Ceres Partners is a Paris-based boutique financial advisory firm providing conseil en opérations de haut de bilan (advisory on high-value financial operations). The firm delivers three interconnected service lines: Mergers & Acquisitions advisory (transaction structuring, due diligence support, deal execution), Capital Raising (fundraising, investor relations, financing structuring), and Financial Restructuring (debt restructuring, turnaround advisory, crisis management). Services are delivered directly by the two founding partners to corporate clients.

Product overview

Ceres Partners operates as a financial advisory firm offering a unified service portfolio focused on high-value financial operations (conseil en opérations de haut de bilan). Their core advisory services encompass three interconnected areas: Fusions & Acquisitions (M&A advisory), Levées de Fonds (capital raising), and Restructurations Financières (financial restructuring). The firm is led by two partners, Jacques LE PAPE and Pascal HERVE, operating through two legal entities (PH&Co and JLPC) headquartered in Paris.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mergers & Acquisitions Advisory (Fusions & Acquisitions) Advisory on M&A transactions for corporate clients, including transaction structuring, due diligence support, and deal execution support. Targeted at companies undertaking mergers, acquisitions, or divestitures.
• Capital Raising Advisory (Levées de Fonds) Advisory on capital raising for corporate clients, including equity and debt fundraising, investor relations, and financing structuring. Targeted at companies seeking capital to support growth, acquisitions, or balance-sheet needs.
• Financial Restructuring Advisory (Restructurations Financières) Advisory on financial restructuring, including debt restructuring, turnaround advisory, and crisis management. Targeted at companies facing financial distress or seeking to optimize their capital structure.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves3 records

Broad incumbents

• Lazard: Global financial advisory and asset management firm with a strong Paris practice. Overlaps with Ceres Partners on M&A and restructuring mandates in the French market, but serves larger transactions and offers full advisory breadth.
• DC Advisory: International mid-market M&A advisory firm with significant Paris presence. Overlaps with Ceres Partners across M&A, fundraising, and restructuring mandates for mid-sized French corporates, but operates at much larger scale with global reach.
• BNP Paribas (Corporate Banking Advisory): Major French banking group with a substantial M&A and capital markets advisory franchise. Overlaps with Ceres Partners across M&A, capital raising, and restructuring mandates for French corporates, though at a different scale and with integrated balance-sheet capabilities.
• Rothschild & Co: Global advisory house with deep French roots and a major Paris office. Competes with Ceres Partners for French M&A and restructuring mandates but at the larger end of the market with a much broader service portfolio.

Direct peers

• Eight Advisory: Paris-headquartered boutique specializing in financial restructuring and corporate finance advisory. Directly comparable to Ceres Partners' financial restructuring service line and French mid-market client focus.
• Cambon Partners: Paris-based boutique M&A and capital markets advisory firm serving mid-market French corporates. Highly comparable to Ceres Partners in service offering (M&A, fundraising, restructuring) and boutique senior-partner-led model.
• Transparence Group: French boutique M&A advisory firm serving mid-market corporates and SMEs. Comparable to Ceres Partners in size, French geographic focus, and senior-partner-led advisory delivery model.
• Oaklins: International boutique M&A advisory with operations across Europe including France. Comparable to Ceres Partners in mid-market M&A and capital raising focus, though with significantly broader geographic coverage and partner network.
• Clipperton: Paris-based boutique advisory firm focused on tech and digital M&A and capital raising. Comparable to Ceres Partners as a French boutique M&A advisor, though specialized by sector.

Regional players

• Advising SAS: French independent advisory firm providing M&A, fundraising, and restructuring services to SMEs and mid-market companies. Comparable to Ceres Partners in service scope and target client segment within France.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cerespartners

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ceres Partners