Mercialys and Initiative France Join Forces to Support the Regeneration of Local Retail
PARIS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Regulatory News:
Mercialys (Paris:MERY), one of France’s leading real estate companies, and Initiative France, the leading non-profit network for entrepreneurial financing and support, are joining forces to support the regeneration of the regions and their retail stores.
A national partnership agreement was signed on March 16, 2021 by Vincent Ravat, Mercialys’ Chief Executive Officer, and Guillaume Pepy, President of the Initiative France network. It sets out the shared commitment by both of these organizations to support, through close synergies with local and regional authorities, economic development in the regions by making it easier to start up businesses and particularly retail stores.
Mercialys will be making a commitment alongside local Initiative France associations close to its 51 shopping centers in mainland France and overseas territories.
This collaboration will enable people setting up and buying out stores, or with plans to do so, to:
- benefit from comprehensive support and advice from experienced professionals;
- access financing with interest-free “loans on trust”, without any personal guarantee, granted by their local Initiative association;
- develop at the heart of their regional economic ecosystem;
- meet with franchise networks;
- access retail premises under preferential conditions.
The aim is to encourage new dynamics in the retail world by promoting proximity, diversity and authenticity.
“This partnership with Initiative France builds on what we are and what we do: a real estate company established in the regions and taking action for their development. Our business is retail and we believe, more than ever during these times of partial desocialization, in the societal stakes involved with consolidating the French ecosystem of stores, very small businesses and SMEs that make up our cities.”
Vincent Ravat, Mercialys’ Chief Executive Officer
“Supporting entrepreneurship and harnessing retail trends to help drive the regeneration of city centers are two essential features of our actions benefiting the regions. Today, the need for reassurance and links with consumers is at its highest: they are in favor of buying local, organic produce, diversity and authenticity. The health crisis and the lockdowns have accelerated these trends. Mercialys’ engagement alongside our network will help regenerate interest in retail throughout France, while providing more effective support for all of these dedicated creators who would like to launch their project in this sector.”
Guillaume Pepy, President of Initiative France
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This press release is available on www.mercialys.com
About Initiative France
Initiative France is the leading non-profit network to provide financing and support for business creators, buyers and developers. The network has a strong local presence, with 214 associations across France and French overseas territories. They welcome entrepreneurs, assess their plans, fund them with interest-free unsecured “loans on trust” and accompany entrepreneurs, enabling them to benefit from support from other business leaders and access to a local business network.
In 2019, Initiative France supported and financed the creation or buyout of 18,164 businesses, with around 50,000 jobs created or saved. The network has awarded 208 million euros of “loans on trust” to entrepreneurs, enabling them to secure 1.569 billion euros from their banking partners. The rate of survival for the businesses supported is 92% after three years.
29% of the businesses supported are retail stores (28% startups, 32% buyouts and 24% initial growth), which is the most widely supported sector across the Initiative France network.
Learn more about Initiative France at www.initiative-france.fr
About Mercialys
Mercialys is one of France’s leading real estate companies. It is specialized in the holding, management and transformation of retail spaces, anticipating consumer trends, on its own behalf and for third parties. At December 31, 2020, Mercialys had a real estate portfolio valued at Euro 3.3 billion (including transfer taxes). Its portfolio of 2,138 leases represents an annualized rental base of Euro 173.9 million. Mercialys has been listed on the stock market since October 12, 2005 (ticker: MERY) and has “SIIC” real estate investment trust (REIT) tax status. Part of the SBF 120 and Euronext Paris Compartment B, it had 92,049,169 shares outstanding at December 31, 2020.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements regarding future events, trends, projects or targets. These forward-looking statements are subject to identified and unidentified risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results anticipated in the forward-looking statements. Please refer to Mercialys’ Universal Registration Document available at www.mercialys.com for the year ended December 31, 2020 for more details regarding certain factors, risks and uncertainties that could affect Mercialys’ business. Mercialys makes no undertaking in any form to publish updates or adjustments to these forward-looking statements, nor to report new information, new future events or any other circumstances that might cause these statements to be revised.
Contacts
Mercialys contacts:
Analysts / investors – Alexandre Leroy
Tel: +33 (0)1 82 82 75 63
Email: [email protected]
Institutional relations – Stéphane Girard
Tel: + 33 (0)6 64 65 87 50
Email: [email protected]
Initiative France contacts:
Laëtitia Guittard
Tel: +33 (0)6 76 13 71 55
Email: [email protected]
Melinda Montbrun
Tel: +33 (0)6 49 58 54 79
Email: [email protected]
Xavier Bossaert, Head of Communications
Tel: +33 (0)6 42 58 82 47
Email: [email protected]
