Nicolas J.André

Partner

Paris + 33.1.56.59.39.63

Nicolas André advises clients with the tax and structuring aspects of a large spectrum of business and corporate transactions. He has significant experience assisting growth companies, their founders, and investors in financing transactions and M&A deals, equity incentive schemes, and in interactions with tax authorities.

His practice encompasses French and international tax laws relating to M&A, venture capital, leveraged buyouts, capital markets, and financing transactions, as well as on IP licensing agreements and post-acquisition integration of businesses. Nicolas also advises clients in proceedings with French tax authorities and in their disputes before courts. He represents clients at all phases of tax controversies from rulings and audit through litigation.

Nicolas is recognized for his experience in assisting emerging growth companies in the new technologies, financial services, and life sciences sectors. He provides strategic advice in connection with the various types of business transactions companies go through during their life cycle, as well as in their day-to-day operations. Nicolas has developed a particular focus on the design and structuring of equity incentives (such as BSPCE, carried-interest, free shares, management packages, restricted stock units, and stock options).

Before joining Jones Day, Nicolas spent three years in the New York and Paris offices of a multinational law firm headquartered in London. He has served as a research assistant with the NYU School of Law and the International Monetary Fund. Nicolas has coauthored several articles on French and international matters in legal and financial publications. He teaches a course on the taxation of financial instruments at the Paris-II Panthéon-Assas University.

Experience

  • Therapixel raises €15 million in Series B financing roundJones Day advised Therapixel, a designer and supplier of MammoScreen® an Artificial Intelligence software reading aid for mammography, in the €15 million Series B round of financing led by Crédit Mutuel Innovation and CapHorn.
  • Deezer invests to create livestreaming powerhouse as Driift acquires DreamstageJones Day is advising Deezer S.A. in its £4 million investment in the merger of Driift and Dreamstage, creating a livestreaming powerhouse.
  • Pigment raises $65 million in Series B extension round of financingJones Day advised Pigment, a French startup developing a business planning and forecasting platform, in connection with its $65 million Series B extension round of financing led by Meritech Capital Partners and IVP and to which existing investors Greenoaks, Blossom Capital and FirstMark Capital have participated.
  • Avient acquires DSM Protective Materials businessJones Day advised Avient Corporation (NYSE: AVNT), a leading provider of specialized and sustainable material solutions, in the $1.485 billion acquisition and financing of Koninklijke DSM N.V.’s protective materials business, a leading specialty engineered materials business built around the invention of Dyneema®, the world’s strongest fiber.
  • EcoVadis acquires ecotrekJones Day advised EcoVadis SAS, the purpose-led 27th French unicorn whose mission is to provide globally trusted business sustainability ratings, in connection with its acquisition of ecotrek, a sustainability data mining startup focusing on automated supplier monitoring for the entire supply chain based on publicly available data points.
  • Swile and Groupe BPCE to combine to create global leader in employee benefitsJones Day advised Swile, a worktech unicorn, in the acquisition of Bimpli, a subsidiary of Groupe BPCE and leader in employee services and benefits in France.
  • BNP Paribas structures ESG tokenized bondJones Day advised BNP Paribas on the structuring and issuance of an ESG tokenized bond, the proceeds of which aim at refinancing a solar energy project sponsored by EDF through its subsidiary EDF ENR.
  • AIP acquires Aluminium BelgiumJones Day advised American Industrial Partners in the acquisition of 100% of the shares of Aluminium Belgium BV, the parent company which owns Aluminium Duffel, from Ecnavla 8 UK Ltd.
  • EcoVadis completes $500 million fundraising, becoming 27th French unicornJones Day advised EcoVadis, a leading global sustainability rating firm, in connection with its $500 million fundraising.
  • Masteos raises €40 million in Series A financing roundJones Day advised Masteos SAS, a French tech company that provides advice and support services in real estate acquisition, renovation, and rental investment, in connection with its €40 million Series A financing round led by DST Global Partners with Daphni also participating.
  • Castor raises $23.5 million in Series A financingJones Day represented Castor SAS, data catalog platform, in its $23.5 million Series A financing round led by Blossom.
  • Sanofi announces carve-out creating EUROAPI and spin-off of approximately 58% of shares to its shareholdersJones Day advised Sanofi in the carve out creating EUROAPI (a leading European company dedicated to the development, production and marketing of active pharmaceutical ingredients) and the listing of this entity on Euronext Paris and the placement of 12% to the French State (through French Tech Souveraineté) for a price of up to €150 million.
  • Elaia Partners and Hi Inov sell ForePaaS to OVHcloudJones Day advised Elaia Partners and Hi Inov in the sale of ForePaaS, a unified platform specializing in data analytics, machine learnings, and artificial intelligence projects for businesses, to OVHcloud, the European leader in cloud computing.
  • Adikteev acquires minority interest in TemprJones Day advised Adikteev in its acquisition of a minority interest in Tempr, a SaaS company that helps mobile advertisers realize the full potential of their user acquisition operations and maximize their returns.
  • Deezer merges with and into I2PO S.A.Jones Day advised Deezer S.A. in the context of the SPAC transaction whereby Deezer S.A. merged with and into I2PO S.A., a French SPAC listed on the professional segment of the regulated market of Euronext Paris and the related PIPE financing.
  • CARMAT completes €40.5 million share capital increaseJones Day represented CARMAT SA, the designer and developer of the world's most advanced total artificial heart, aiming to provide a therapeutic alternative to people suffering from end-stage biventricular heart failure, with its €40.5 million share capital increase, of which €36.5 million is aimed at specialized and strategic investors and €4.1 million for individuals (via the PrimaryBid platform).
  • Creadev leads €35 million investment in SelencyJones Day represented Creadev as lead investor with Accel in the €35 million Series B round of financing of Selency, a Paris-based impact e-commerce platform and Europe's leading marketplace for second-hand furniture and home decor.
  • Simpson Manufacturing Company announces offer to acquire Etanco GroupJones Day advised Simpson Manufacturing Company, Inc. in the €725 million acquisition of the Etanco Group.
  • Adikteev bought out by managementJones Day advised Adikteev SA in the management buyout by Xavier Mariani and Emilien Eychenne as well as several other executives.
  • Sweep raises $73 million in Series B financing roundJones Day advised Sweep, the leading carbon management platform for large enterprises, in connection with its $73 million Series B round of financing led by Coatue.
  • ACV acquires Monk SASJones Day advised ACV, who provides a leading digital marketplace for wholesale vehicle transactions and data services and is listed on Nasdaq, in connection with its acquisition of Monk, a leading French AI-powered imaging and vehicle inspection platform that automates vehicle damage detection.
  • Additional Publications

    • May 2021
      Dividendes de source étrangère, la règle du butoir à l’épreuve du droit de l’Union européenne, Revue Trimestrielle de Droit Financier, RTDF n°1-2021
    • October 2020
      Traitement des instruments hybrides transfrontaliers : le juge de l’impôt se prononce, Revue Trimestrielle de Droit Financier, RTDF n°3-2020
    • September 2020
      "Bénéfiaire effectif de dividendes : où en est-on ?" Les Nouvelles Fiscales, éditions Lamy, n° 1274
    • March 2020
      La Directive DAC 6 à l’épreuve des marchés d’actions et des produits dérivés, Revue Trimestrielle de Droit Financier, RTDF n°1-2020
    • September 2019
      Fiscalité des acomptes sur dividende, Revue Trimestrielle de Droit Financier, RTDF n°3-2019
    • April 2019
      Distributions de capitaux propres financées par emprunt : quels critères pour caractériser un abus de droit fiscal ?, Revue Trimestrielle de Droit Financier, RTDF n°1-2019
    • April 2018
      Conventions fiscales internationales et théorie de l’abus de droit : vers une nouvelle grille d’analyse ?, Revue Trimestrielle de Droit Financier, RTDF n°1-2018
    • February 2018
      Taxe sur les transactions financières : entrée en vigueur du nouveau protocole AFME, Option Finance, n°1446
    • March 2017
      État des lieux de la fiscalité des OPCI dans un contexte international, Revue de Droit fiscal, nº 13-2017
    • February 2017
      Cession de titres de sociétés de personnes et mécanisme Quemener : quelles conséquences après la décision Lupa du Conseil d’État ?, Les Nouvelles Fiscales, nº 1191
    • January 2017
      French Participation Exemption Regime for Dividends and Antiabuse Rules: A Long-Standing Relationship?, Tax Notes International, Volume 85, Number 3, p. 283
    • November 2016
      Un prêt subordonné à durée indéterminée (PSDI) peut-il être assimilé à une émission de valeurs mobilières pour permettre l'imposition des intérêts capitalisés hors de France ?, Revue Trimestrielle de Droit Financier, RTDF n°4-2016
    • September 2016
      Distributions transfrontalières de dividendes : nouvelle décision quant aux conditions d'imputation du crédit d'impôt étranger, Option Finance, n°1377
    • July 2016
      Rattachement fiscal à la France du siège de direction effective d’une société étrangère, Les Nouvelles Fiscales, éditions Lamy, n°1182
    • June 2016
      Régime mère-fille et règles anti-abus, Revue Trimestrielle de Droit Financier, RTDF n°2-2016
    • May 2016
      Société de droit étranger et rattachement fiscal à la France du siège de direction effective, Option Finance, n°1364
    • April 2016
      Distributions transfrontalières de dividendes : comment faire coexister les jurisprudences françaises et européennes ?, Revue de Droit fiscal, n°18-2016
    • March 2016
      Late 2015 and early 2016 French tax case law, Tax Planning International, European Tax Service, Bloomberg BNA
    • February 2016
      Gestion de fonds d'investissement et TVA : où en est-on ?, Option Finance, n°1355
    • January 2016
      Traitement fiscal des dividendes : bilan sélectif des décisions et réformes intervenues en 2015, Revue Trimestrielle de Droit Financier, RTDF n°4-2015
    • December 2015
      Le Conseil constitutionnel sera amené à se prononcer sur le caractère discriminatoire du régime mère-fille, Option Finance, n°1345/1346
    • November 2015
      European Court of Justice Decision in the Steria Case, Tax Planning International, European Tax Service, Bloomberg BNA
    • October 2015
      Retenue à la source sur les distributions de dividendes : la CJUE rend sa décision dans l’affaire Société Générale, Option Finance, n°1337
    • September 2015
      French Treatment of Certain Structured Financial Instruments, International Tax Report, 2015-9
    • September 2015
      Abus de droit, montages artificiels et libertés fiscales : quelques illustrations jurisprudentielles récente, Option Finance, n°1331
    • August 2015
      Buyback and Cancellation of Own Shares, Tax Planning International, European Tax Service, Bloomberg BNA
    • June 2015
      Succursales françaises de banques étrangères : une nouvelle atteinte au principe de neutralité de la TVA ?, Option Finance, n°1321
    • April 2015
      Principes de fiscalité internationale appliqués aux opérations financières : quelques précisions jurisprudentielles intéressantes, Revue Trimestrielle de Droit Financier, RTDF n°2-2015
    • February 2015
      Le nouveau régime fiscal des rachats de titres propres, Option Finance, n° 1305
    • December 2014
      Conditions dans lesquelles la délivrance d'un rescrit fiscal peut être assimilée à une aide d'Etat illégale, Option Finance, n°1296
    • November 2014
      Fiscalité des produits hybrides, Revue Trimestrielle de Droit Financier, RTDF n°3-2014
    • October 2014
      French Tax Update - Draft Finance Bill for 2014, Selection of Recent Noteworthy Tax Courts Case Law, International Double Tax Treaties Developments, and A New Type of Investment Vehicle
    • October 2014
      Jurisprudence du Conseil d'Etat sur le caractère abusif des schémas dits "coquillards" : évolution et perspectives, Option Finance, n°1287
    • September 2014
      French Tax Update - Summer 2014 Noteworthy Publications
    • September 2014
      Fiscalité des produits hybrides, Revue Trimestrielle de Droit Financier, n°3-2014
    • August 2014
      Administrative Supreme Court Confirms Its Position on Abusive Shell Companies, Practical European Tax Strategies, Thomson Reuters, Vol.16, No. 08
    • June 2014
      Fiscalité européenne : consécration de l'intégration fiscale à l'horizontale, Option Finance, n°1277
    • June 2014
      New Pending Case Before the European Court of Justice Targets Withholding Tax on Dividends, Practical European Tax Strategies, Thomson Reuters, Vol. 16, No. 06
    • June 2014
      Proposed Changes to the EU Parent-Subsidiary Directive, Tax Planning International, European Tax Service, Bloomberg BNA, Vol. 16, No. 06
    • May 2014
      Traitement fiscal d'une augmentation de capital par compensation de créance acquise à un prix décoté, Option Finance, n°1268
    • April 2014
      Anti-Avoidance Provision Targets Hybrid Debt Instruments, Practical European Tax Strategies, Thomson Reuters CheckPoint, Vol. 16, No. 03
    • March 2014
      Déductibilité fiscale des intérêts afférents à des instruments financiers hybrides : une nouvelle limitation aux contours incertains, Option Finance, n°1258
    • January 2014
      New Tax Laws Go into Effect in France, Practical European Tax Strategies, Thomson Reuters CheckPoint, Vol. 16, No. 01
    • July 2013
      Plus-values de cession de titres : vers une stabilisation pro-investisseurs du régime ? Les Nouvelles Fiscales, éditions Lamy, n°1116
    • February 2013
      Beck'sches Handbuch Umwandlungen International, Verlag C.H. Beck München
    • February 2013
      French Tax Law Applicable to International Corporate Re-Organizations, French Chapter, Beck Handbook on International Corporate Re-Organizations, Verlag C.H. Beck
    • April 2012
      Déductibilité des intérêts : des limitations sans limites ? Les Nouvelles Fiscales, éditions Lamy, n°1087

    Speaking Engagements

    • March 8, 2018
      Jones Day's 2018 European Speaker Series: The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017: How US Tax Reform Affects Your Business (Client Round Table)
    • 16 janvier 2018
      Actualité du private equity 2018 : la SLP, Fonds de dette, Actualités européennes, Actualité fiscale
    • 21 septembre 2017
      Corporates : comment mettre en place votre fonds de corporate venture ?
    • 30 mars 2017
      Les rendez-vous de la propriété intellectuelle - 1er volet : Gestion des créations de salariés
    • 10 mars 2016
      U.S. - France Cross Border Tax Update