ABOUT SELIM SOUISSI
Selim Souissi is a seasoned corporate lawyer with over two decades of experience in Luxembourg and France. As Partner and Head of the Corporate & M&A practice at VANDENBULKE, he leads high-stakes cross-border transactions in private equity, mergers and acquisitions, refinancing, management buy-outs, and patrimonial structuring.
Selim advises on complex corporate deals, including drafting shareholder agreements, incentive packages, and structuring securitization vehicles. He also supports clients in regulatory compliance and governance matters under Luxembourg corporate law.
He holds two Master's degrees: one in International Business Law from Université des Hauts-de-France, and another in Contract Law from Université de Savoie. He is admitted to the bars of Luxembourg and Paris.
Previously, Selim spent 14 years as a Partner at a Magic Circle firm in Luxembourg. He also gained early legal experience in France before joining VANDENBULKE in May 2024, along with two colleagues, to strengthen the firm's corporate, M&A, and private equity capabilities.
FIRM PROFILE
Established in 2005, Luxembourg-based VANDENBULKE is an independent boutique specializing in Corporate/M&A, Finance, and Investment Funds. Operating with a compact team of highly qualified professionals, the firm delivers partner-led, responsive, and pragmatic legal advice, embodying the motto "quality is not scalable".
VDB Law's core offerings include secured and structured finance, fund formation, private equity, joint ventures, corporate governance, and cross-border transactions.
The integrated team operates fluently in English, French, and German, underpinned by deep market insight in Luxembourg's financial centre.
The firm is consistently ranked by leading directories such as IFLR1000, Chambers Europe, Legal 500, and The Lawyer European Awards as a top-tier adviser in banking, M&A, and investment funds.
DEAL REPORT:
RAJA Group, a leading European distributor of packaging, supplies, and equipment, has acquired 100% of RETIF Group from Verdoso. RETIF is a French company specializing in shopfitting equipment and supplies for retail stores.
This acquisition enhances RAJA's presence in the European retail market, expanding its customer base and adding a network of 88 retail locations, including 66 in France, 15 in Spain, and others in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. RETIF, headquartered in Nice, generated €121 million in revenue in 2023 and employs 460 staff. The company also operates a distribution center in Valence and several e-commerce platforms, serving more than 300,000 customers.
Negotiations began on July 30, 2024, and following approval from employee representatives and the French Competition Authority on August 14, the transaction was completed.
RAJA Group, an independent, family-owned French company founded in 1954, operates in 19 countries, with 4,500 employees, and serves over 2 million customers. The group generated revenues of €1.7 billion in 2023.
VANDENBULKE, a Luxembourg-based law firm, advised RAJA on the Luxembourg legal aspects of the deal. The team, led by Selim Souissi (Partner) and supported by Jérémy Da Silva Reis (Senior Associate) and Dalva Girard Teixeira (Associate), conducted due diligence and ensured compliance with local regulations.
Selim Souissi commented:
"We were proud to support RAJA Group in this strategic acquisition, offering tailored advice on Luxembourg M&A and corporate issues. Our cross-border experience helped ensure a smooth and effective outcome."
