International law firm Simmons & Simmons is strengthening its Paris office with the arrival of partner Cyril Fiat, who joins to relaunch and lead the firm’s fund formation practice within the Asset Management department headed by Ian Rogers. A recognised specialist in the structuring, formation and fundraising of investment funds, Cyril’s arrival follows that of Ermine Bolot-Massé in January and brings the number of partners in the Paris office to 34.
For nearly 20 years, Cyril has advised management companies and asset managers on the structuring and fundraising of investment funds in France and internationally, as well as institutional and private investors. He has extensive experience in establishing and raising private investment funds across a wide range of asset classes and strategies, including private equity, private debt, venture capital, infrastructure, real estate and funds of funds, and regularly advises investors on their commitments to these vehicles.
Cyril also advises on regulatory aspects of asset management and financial services, assisting management companies, investment firms and French and international financial institutions with their compliance with French and EU regulations. His practice includes sustainable finance matters, notably the SFDR, the EU Taxonomy Regulation and, more broadly, ESG requirements applicable to asset managers.
Commenting on his arrival, Cyril Fiat says: “Joining Simmons & Simmons means integrating an first-class international platform with a strong presence in the main fund domiciliation jurisdictions. This is a clear advantage for developing a market-leading fund formation practice in Paris. It also creates opportunities for strong synergies with the Regulatory, Real Estate, Tax, Finance and Transactional teams, whose reputation in the market is already firmly established.”
Jacques-Antoine Robert, Managing Partner of the Paris office, adds: “We are delighted to welcome Cyril to the firm. His arrival is fully aligned with our growth strategy in Paris and underlines our ambition to strengthen this strategic area. Cyril’s expertise significantly enhances our offering and reinforces our ability to deliver a genuinely full-service private equity platform, supporting clients across the entire lifecycle of their funds.”
Before joining Simmons & Simmons, Cyril was a partner at Dechert. He previously served as legal counsel to the World Bank’s pension fund in Washington DC, which manages approximately USD 27 billion in assets, and worked within the funds practices of leading international law firms. Cyril is also a member of the legal committee of France Invest.
