Transcription – ALLIANCE MARINE

Jean-Paul Roche, Chairman, CEO Alliance Marine

So Philippe, it’s been almost 15 years.

Philippe Klocanas, Co-founding Partner, Managing Director LBO expertise

Fifteen years, already?

Jean-Paul Roche

Since your first visit.

Philippe Klocanas

At the time, you were still with your automotive friends.

Jean-Paul Roche

With my automotive friends, that’s right. We already had a firm footing in the recreational marine sector. During that first visit, we felt there was a real connection. And about seven or eight years later, in 2015 or 2016, when we had decided to grow our business in Europe and were looking for a partner, it seemed natural to reach out to you.

Philippe Klocanas

Because, in fact, there were two things you wanted to do at the same time: open up new markets and open up your capital.

Jean-Paul Roche

That’s right.

Philippe Klocanas

An important step.

Jean-Paul Roche

It was an important step, a real challenge. And then the connection we had felt with you came to mind.

Philippe Klocanas

Sure.

Jean-Paul Roche

There was a feeling of mutual trust. And it was probably important that we reflected on that first visit.

Philippe Klocanas

Then we really built over the long term together, and that was really great.

Jean-Paul Roche

I think I tend to rely on my gut instinct. It could be due to age or experience.

Philippe Klocanas

Or temperament?

Jean-Paul Roche

Yes, maybe it’s my temperament. But it’s true that when we got in touch with your team, we immediately felt there was respect, that there was a supportive approach, a certain atmosphere.

Philippe Klocanas

I think that, for our part, we try to bring things to the table, but it’s not our aim to manage the firm for you. You know your markets and your industry inside out. And we would never claim to have that kind of knowledge.

Jean-Paul Roche

Of course, for you, it seems natural, but for us, when there’s a challenge on this scale, and it’s essential to bring in a partner, it’s very important to feel that we could have this connection. It was going to be a first for us, so we had fears of being saddled with a partner who’d be…

Philippe Klocanas

Overbearing?

Jean-Paul Roche

Overbearing, yes. Or intrusive.

Philippe Klocanas

That’s not our way, we’re never overbearing!

Jean-Paul Roche

It’s true that your teams aren’t intrusive. And it’s important to remember that we lived through Covid together.

Philippe Klocanas

That was a strange time.

Jean-Paul Roche

It was highly unusual, creating very specific challenges for a management team. I think we were all dealing with high levels of stress. And you never, ever added to our stress. We weren’t communicating with a shareholder, but with a genuine partner, facing the situation together.

Philippe Klocanas

But for me, when I look back on all that, I realize that what was so reassuring was the transparency in the way we worked, talking about things that were going well of course, but also about the ones that were going a bit less well sometimes. And it was this transparency that served us pretty well.

Jean-Paul Roche

Yes, I think we can say it served us pretty well. And even very well, actually.