Defoe Fournier & Cie.

Founded in Paris in 1824, Defoe Fournier & Cie. began as a prominent gold bullion trading house and wealth management firm for French and Belgian colonizers. Over nearly two centuries, it evolved into a discreet merchant bank serving wealthy European dynasties and family trusts. By the 1970s, the firm was a highly private partnership with around 30 partners and over $5 billion in capital, operating without public signage or solicitation.

In the 2000s, the firm expanded its focus to include small and mid-cap merchant banking, particularly in the United States through joint ventures and attempted acquisitions like the $110 million bid for Grubb & Ellis. The firm was also a significant player in large-scale infrastructure and project financing, including oil platforms and the Langeled pipeline. Following internal strategic disagreements between traditionalists and expansionists, the firm's emerging market activities were spun off into Defoe Redmount in 2010.

The firm's independent existence concluded in December 2016 when it was divided. A significant portion of its professionals and business joined its U.S. affiliate, Defoe Redmount, while the remaining operations were integrated into Barings. Even after this transition, the legacy entity continued to engage in specific activities, such as acquiring full ownership of the Edelmetallhändler bullion house and co-founding Adriatic Capital Partners in 2017.