JLA, a recognized leader in accounting and business consulting, is joining forces with the Rydge Conseil group.
This transaction, led by Carmine Capital, enables JLA’s shareholders—including Jean-Christophe Ayllon and Julien Molina—to benefit from a structured environment and operational synergies, while ensuring the long-term sustainability of their entrepreneurial vision.
This sale reflects the desire of all shareholders to join forces with an industry partner capable of providing shared support functions and enhanced investment capacity. It offers management the opportunity to refocus on their core business—client relations and business development—while securing the group’s growth trajectory.
A value-creating partnership strategy
In a rapidly evolving industry, this merger allows JLA to leverage Rydge Conseil’s capabilities while retaining its unique identity. The transaction was structured to align the interests of all stakeholders, notably through the implementation of mechanisms for reinvestment in the new entity.
Founded in 1998, the JLA Group is an accounting, auditing, and business consulting firm that has been supporting the leaders of small and medium-sized businesses for over 25 years with their accounting, tax, labor, and management challenges.
Based in Paris and Bordeaux, JLA relies on a team of approximately thirty experienced professionals, recognized for the quality of its client relationships, its hands-on approach, and its long-term commitment to the executives it supports.
Prior to joining the Rydge Conseil group, JLA generated revenue of nearly €5 million, confirming a trajectory of sustained growth and solid operational performance in a consolidating sector.
Rydge Conseil is a rapidly growing accounting and consulting firm structured around a service platform designed to provide long-term support to business leaders through a comprehensive and integrated range of services.
The group is developing a model based on the pooling of support functions, the deployment of high-performance digital tools, and the creation of commercial synergies among its member firms, while preserving the entrepreneurial autonomy of local teams.
Amid industry consolidation, Rydge Conseil is pursuing a growth strategy centered on partnering with firms that share common values: operational excellence, quality of service, and a long-term vision.
In this transaction, Carmine Capital played a key role by supporting JLA’s shareholders across all strategic, financial, and human resources aspects of the process.
The team structured a selective competitive process, engaging various types of buyers: accounting firms, consolidation platforms, and players in related industries seeking a comprehensive “one-stop-shop” offering. This approach positioned JLA as a strategic asset capable of creating value within a coherent industrial strategy.
Beyond optimizing the valuation, Carmine Capital focused on preserving the entrepreneurial balance of the management team and securing the terms of integration. Its role as an intermediary fostered a fluid and constructive dialogue between the parties, ensuring the completion of a transaction aligned with the long-term ambitions of JLA’s management.
Carmine’s guidance helped us gain a better understanding of our group and our strategic goals, and paved the way for a successful closing.
We were able to meet with all market players—both industrial and financial—and understand their differing business models and immediate or long-term perspectives. We engaged in discussions with confidence regarding the process and its personal and professional implications for our team and our clients, as our goal was to envision our future within the acquiring group. We were fortunate to receive several offers, so we were able to make an informed choice with the team’s support, allowing us to refocus on our initial aspirations.
We are satisfied with the support provided by Carmine’s team and with this merger, which fully meets our initial specifications.
Jean-Christophe Ayllon and Julien Molina, Executives at JLA
Seller: JLA
Dirigeants : Jean-Christophe Ayllon, Julien Molina
M&A Advisory: Carmine Capital
Anne-Laure Saint Marc Girardin, Xavier Langlois, Guillaume Mercier
Selling lawyers: Lawways
Hortense Rouvier, Laura Pallavicini
Buyer: Rydge Conseil
Executive: Alain Berthoud
Buyer Due Diligence: Eight Advisory
Pierre-David Forterre
Buyer’s lawyers: Jeausserand-Audouard
Antoine Dufrane, Juliette de Moussac
