PAI lands a professor for exec committee

French buyouts house PAI Partners has added Lionel Zinsou to its executive committee. Joining on July 1st, Zinsou will leave his current role at Rothschild & Cie, where he has been a general partner since 1997, and head of the consumer products group, head of the Middle East and Africa and a member of the global investment bank committee.

He worked with PAI on a number of deals in his capacity at Rothschild, including

Panzani, Amora Maille, William Saurin, Lustucru, United Biscuits, Yoplait and Vivarte.

Zinsou comes from an academic background and started his career as a lecturer and a professor in economics at University Paris XIII and a member of the department of industry’s ministerial office and then of the Prime Minister’s office.

In 1986 he joined Danone where he held various positions including group corporate development director, managing director of HP and Lea & Perrins, and a member of the group executive committee.