French Radio London gets funds from a City investor
FRENCH Radio London, a new web-based French-language station, has attracted City investment from Thierry Baudon, a founding partner of private equity firm Mid Europa Partners.
The station, which has been broadcasting for just four weeks, is designed to capture London’s 400,000 native French speakers as well as other Francophile listeners.
Baudon will be a “substantial investor” in the station, FRL’s financial director Thierry de Panafieu said, and will take a position on the firm’s board immediately.
Baudon said he was “delighted” to support the station. “It fills an obvious gap in the market,” he said.
Before founding Mid Europa in 1999, Baudon headed the international finance division of the Suez Group and worked for the EBRD and World Bank Group. Mid Europa invests in central and eastern Europe with €3.2bn (£2.7bn) under managment.
FRL’s commercial partners include accountant Mazars, Cityjet airline, luxury hotel firm Relais & Châteaux and travel operator Club Med.