Paris-based Ardian is Europe’s biggest private investment firm by assets under management.

Over the past four years it has boosted AUM by 70% and now oversees $62bn on behalf on institutional investors from around the world. Ardian’s private debt arm has become a key part of the business as banks reined in their lending after the financial crisis, and recently struck its 100th deal—a unitranche debt package in support of Sagard’s buyout of French packaging manufacturer Ipackchem—as it invests from a €2bn fund.