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Terre & Fils Investissement
Jean-Sébastien Decaux’s Paris-based private equity firm and foundation targets cultural diversity and wilderness preservation through buyout and...
Terre & Fils Investissement
Terre & Fils Investissement operates from Paris, France as a private equity firm targeting buyout strategies. Jean-Sébastien Decaux established the associated Foundation Terre & Fils, which directs its resources into cultural diversity and wilderness preservation. The firm’s website details a dual-axis grantmaking program: ‘Diversité culturelle’ backs local craftsmanship as a lever for cultural identity and social connection, and ‘Terre Sauvage pour le Vivant’ backs the understanding of the living world. The foundation’s board includes geographer-anthropologist Damien Deville and François Lemarchand, the founder of the Lemarchand Foundation. Investment activity is not publicly described. Ariane Vitou leads the foundation as Director, with Eric de Kermel serving as General Delegate for the biodiversity axis. No AUM, headcount, or transaction details are published on the site. The contact form invites project submissions for the foundation’s next call for proposals. No dated operational event from the last 24 months was verifiable. The firm’s architecture blends a private equity buyout manager and a philanthropic foundation under common leadership, a structure that allows for cross-pollination between investment discipline and mission-aligned grantmaking. The Decaux family’s broader business relationships — notably a shared surname with the founder of JCDecaux — remain unconfirmed as a wealth source.
General information
Firm type
Private Equity
Year founded
—
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
Europe
Country
France
City
Paris
Corporate office
Paris, France
Principals
Jean-Sébastien Decaux
Founder of Fondation Terre & Fils
Laure Lignon
Former Director General of Terre & Fils
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at Terre & Fils Investissement?
Jean-Sébastien Decaux founded the firm and the associated foundation. Laure Lignon previously served as Director General of Terre & Fils. Specific investment decision-makers, investment committee members, or deal-team names do not appear on the firm’s public-facing site.
How does Terre & Fils Investissement source proprietary deal flow?
The foundation’s website invites project submissions for its grant programs, but it does not describe any proprietary deal-sourcing network or co-investor club for the buyout arm. No financial intermediaries, incubators, or exclusive industry relationships are cited.
Is Terre & Fils Investissement a single family office or a private equity manager?
The firm is classified as a private equity asset manager by Altss research. The public website operates as a foundation, not an investment manager’s portal. It exhibits the profile of a buyout manager paired with a registered charitable foundation rather than a traditional single-family office.
Does Terre & Fils Investissement participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?
No information is available about the firm’s approach to fund commitments versus direct deals. The website contains no investor relations section, track record, or portfolio listing, making the breakdown between direct and fund investment impossible to determine.
What investment stages does Terre & Fils Investissement typically target?
The firm’s stated strategy is buyout. The absence of portfolio disclosures prevents confirmation of specific enterprise-value bands, preferred sectors, or geographic scopes within the private equity program.
How is Terre & Fils Investissement related to Fondation Terre & Fils?
Jean-Sébastien Decaux founded both entities. The foundation serves as the public-facing vehicle, publishing its board composition, program directors, and thematic axes. The investment manager’s operations, leadership, and assets remain separate on paper, but the entities share the founder and brand.
Where does the underlying wealth come from?
The firm does not disclose the origin of its capital. The founder’s surname overlaps with that of Jean-Claude Decaux, the late founder of outdoor-advertising giant JCDecaux, but no public statement confirms a connection, and Altss research has not verified any familial link.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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