As a partner at Abitbol & Rousselet, judicial administrator Frédéric Abitbol has made a name for himself in restructuring by handling complex and high-profile cases. His approach? Respecting all parties involved to find a solution that saves both the company and its jobs.
Frédéric Abitbol is a judicial administrator experienced in high-profile cases, including Casino Partouche, Rallye, SNCM, Doux, Pierre & Vacances Centers Parcs, William Saurin, Rallye, Conforama, Girondins de Bordeaux, and the Tapie group. Each case involves hundreds of millions of euros at stake, with even billions of euros in debt concerning the Casino group.
Frédéric Abitbol’s mission is to assist listed or non-listed companies, companies under LBO, national and transnational groups, as well as mid-sized and small businesses facing difficulties in amicable prevention procedures (conciliation and ad hoc mandate). The judicial administrator seeks to reach agreements with all stakeholders in a company (creditors, shareholders, public authorities, etc.) to ensure its rescue and protect the jobs it sustains.
“In the Anglo-Saxon legal world, all power is given to creditors; they are considered the primary victims. In the French legal world, the company is a common good to be preserved. The priority is to help troubled companies preserve their activity and jobs,” explains Frédéric Abitbol.
After working for seven years as a collaborator of Parisian administrator Régis Valliot and later becoming his partner, Frédéric Abitbol decided to establish his own firm in 2014 with Johanna Rousselet. Named Abitbol & Rousselet, the firm is located on Avenue Foch, close to the Place de l’Étoile.
Major groups turn to Frédéric Abitbol because he has become essential for amicable dispute resolutions, positioning his firm as a reference for collective procedure cases. This HEC graduate takes a clear-eyed look at each challenging case, speaks plainly, and ensures the respect of all stakeholders. Through this method and a social and human approach to his profession, he persuades clients to make the necessary efforts to find a sustainable solution.
According to judicial representative Valérie Leloup, Frédéric Abitbol is a formidable negotiator with an analysis of power dynamics and acuity that allows him to immediately “have a vision of where he wants to go in the case and to conduct negotiations to achieve it, skillfully and non-confrontationally.”
Frédéric Abitbol also attributes his success to his analytical and anticipatory skills. “The earlier a problem is addressed, the less time it has had to spread and diffuse throughout the layers of the company,” he indicates.
In January 2022, Frédéric Abitbol’s skills and expertise were recognized by his peers when he was elected president of the National Council of Judicial Administrators and Judicial Mandates (CNAJMJ).Haut du formulaire
