Douglas finalises deal with Nocibé

German retail group Douglas Holding has announced that it has finalised the agreement for its acquisition of French perfumery chain Nocibé, subject to approval by the antitrust authorities. AI Perfume France, a company controlled by the shareholders of Douglas Holding, signed the agreement on Friday, creating what will be the largest perfume retail network in France.

Dr Henning Kreke, representative of the Kreke family, who own Douglas jointly with Advent International, said: "Douglas and Nocibé are two specialised perfumery chains and therefore fit very well together. Going forward, we will continue together on our course for growth. We will focus in particular on building a larger branch network and a significantly expanded and more attractive product and service offering."

Isabelle Parize, CEO of Nocibé, added: "This transaction offers excellent additional opportunities for Nocibé, which is one of the leading French perfumery chains today. The integration into the international Douglas Group coincides with our 30th anniversary and marks a turning point for our brand: it gives us the necessary means to advance our further development... [and the] vision that will enable us to implement ambitious, inspiring and bold projects."

Nocibé was previously owned by funds which were controlled by European financial investor Charterhouse Capital Partners.