French/American businessman
Walter Butler is a French-American businessman. He is the founder of Butler Capital Partners , an investment and private equity firm.
Early life and education
Walter Butler was born in Brazil[ 1] to a Brazilian mother and an American father.[ 2] [ 3] He moved from Brazil to France when he was a child following his parents' divorce.[ 4]
Butler attended Instituts d'études politiques de Bordeaux where he received a Master of Law degree. He later attended ÉNA , an elite school for high-level civil servants, where he received a degree in 1980.[ 4]
He is a United States citizen.[ 1]
Career
After completing studies at the ÉNA , Walter Butler served from 1983 to 1986 as an Inspector of Finances at the French Ministry of Finances .[ 2] [ 3] From 1986 to 1988,[citation needed ] he was an advisor to the Minister of Culture and Communication François Léotard .[ 2] [ 5] In this position, he played a key role in the privatization of French television channel TF1 , working alongside Jean-Marie Messier .[ 4]
In 1988, he joined investment bank Goldman Sachs in New York.[ 1] From 1988 to 1990, he was executive director of Goldman Sachs in New York City, then London.[ 6] He has stated that his experience with the firm was where much of his business knowledge was formed.[ 7]
In 1991, he founded Butler Capital Partners , an investment fund and venture capital business.[ 1] [ 2]
Through Butler Capital Partners, Butler is known for his involvement with companies including Flo, Sernam, Ipsos, BDDP, PSG and Virgin.[ 7] Butler is also known for his role in the privatization of ferry company National Corsican-Mediterranean Co., SNCM , in 2006.[ 1] [ 8]
In 2008, Butler became a stakeholder in Virgin Megastores when Butler Capital Partners purchased a majority stake in Virgin Group from Lagardère .[ 9] [ 10]
In 2015, Butler led the acquisition of Isodev, an SME loan platform that had been liquidated earlier that year.[ 8] [ 11]
In 2018, Butler became the largest shareholder of Noerden, a Shanghai-based startup that manufactures smart watches and other devices.[ 3] [ 12]
References
^ a b c d e Tagliabue, John (6 October 2005). "A venture capitalist is shaking up France" . The New York Times . Retrieved 14 August 2018 .
^ a b c d "Qui est Butler Capital Partners, le discret propriétaire de Virgin Megastore?" . La Tribune (in French). Retrieved 14 August 2018 .
^ a b c "SNCM, Flo, PSG, Virgin... Walter Butler, le franc-tireur du sauvetage d'entreprise" . Challenges (in French). Retrieved 14 August 2018 .
^ a b c "Walter Butler, énarque et proche de Dominique de Villepin" . Le Monde.fr (in French). Retrieved 12 September 2018 .
^ "Inspection générale des finances : destins d'une élite d'Etat" . Le Monde.fr (in French). Retrieved 16 August 2018 .
^ "Walter Butler: Executive Profile & Biography" . Bloomberg L.P. Retrieved 11 October 2018 .
^ a b "Walter Butler Achat, vente, occasions..." Le Monde.fr (in French). Retrieved 12 September 2018 .
^ a b "Walter Butler tente de relancer Isodev" . Les Échos (in French). France. Retrieved 12 September 2018 .
^ "Virgin, nouvel échec de Walter Butler" . Le Monde.fr (in French). Retrieved 12 September 2018 .
^ "Qui est Butler Capital Partners, le propriétaire de Virgin ?" . BFM BUSINESS (in French). Retrieved 12 September 2018 .
^ "Walter Butler veut capitaliser sur la marque de prêts participatifs Isodev – Actualités Financements & Marchés" . L'AGEFI (in French). 5 May 2015. Retrieved 12 September 2018 .
^ "Les Start-Up Qui Célèbrent La Culture Et L'Art De Vivre | Forbes France" . Forbes France (in French). 14 February 2018. Retrieved 12 September 2018 .
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