Compagnie du Bois Sauvage

Compagnie du Bois Sauvage is a family-owned investment holding company based in Brussels, Belgium. The company is listed on Euronext Brussels and focuses on long-term investments alongside entrepreneurs, emphasizing socially and environmentally responsible projects. Its portfolio includes investments in industrial and real estate sectors, as well as operations in the food and beverage industry, notably as a Belgian chocolate maker and cocoa farmer. The company operates in Belgium, France, the United States, and internationally.

The company's investment strategy centers on a limited number of participations, primarily industrial, both listed and unlisted. It seeks to exercise influence over the companies in which it invests, particularly concerning the selection of management and the definition of strategic directions. Compagnie du Bois Sauvage provides continuous support to operational management and financial assistance, aiming to be a long-term shareholder that offers stability. The company requires its investments to generate recurring income to enable the distribution of dividends, preferably with regular growth. It strives to remain independent of credit and reserves the necessary means for the development of the companies within its group.

Founded in 1957, Compagnie du Bois Sauvage has a history of mergers, including the consolidation of nineteen companies of varying origins, such as Fours Lecocq, Compagnie Financière Nagelmackers, Charbonnages d’Hensies-Pommeroeul, Entrema, and Somikin. The company undertook the renovation of the Bois Sauvage arcades, remnants of the 13th-century walls, winning the Prix du Quartier des Arts in 1992 for this restoration, followed by another prize in 2002 for the renovation of the Treurenberg site. The Paquot family controls Fingaren s.c.a., which in turn controls Entreprises et Chemins de Fer en Chine s.a. (ECFC). Together, they held 51.94% of Compagnie du Bois Sauvage’s voting rights as of December 31, 2024, with no shareholders’ agreement in place for the remaining 48.06%.