Herbert Smith Freehills Paris LLP advised Amethis Africa Finance Ltd., an investment fund dedicated to Africa, on its acquisition of a minority equity investment in HMAO Group (Holding Medical d'Afrique de l'Ouest), a leading group of clinics and laboratories in Cote d’Ivoire. Amethis is supporting a management takeover of the Group, which was previously owned by Saham, a pan-African group operating in the insurance, offshoring, real estate and education sectors as well as health via its subsidiary Meden Healthcare.

The transaction is Amethis's first step into West Africa's healthcare market.

HMAO Group owns six clinics, a dental clinic and a laboratory and manages nearly 250 beds, making it the biggest private healthcare provider in Côte d’Ivoire.

Herbert Smith Freehills Paris advised Amethis on all legal aspects of the transaction.

The Paris team was led by Frédéric Bouvet (partner), assisted by Cyril Boulignat (associate), Mounira El Kalai and Sara Gharbi (associates).