Defoe Fournier & Cie.

Founded in 1824 by Anatole Defoe and Mathis Fournier, Defoe Fournier & Cie. began as a gold bullion trading house and custodian in Paris. Over nearly two centuries, the firm built a reputation for extreme discretion and financial prudence, serving high-net-worth individuals, family trusts, and colonial rulers. By the 1970s, it operated as a tight-knit partnership with approximately 70 employees and 30 partners, managing over $5 billion in capital while maintaining a single office with no identifying signage.

In its later years, the firm shifted from its traditional blue-chip corporate focus in Europe toward small and mid-cap merchant banking. This strategy included establishing a presence in the U.S. and attempting to acquire major firms like Grubb & Ellis. The firm was also a significant player in project finance, supporting infrastructure such as offshore oil platforms, power plants, and the Langeled pipeline.

Internal strategic differences between traditionalists and expansion-minded partners eventually led to a restructuring. In 2010, the mid-size company and project finance activities were spun off into Defoe Redmount. On December 30, 2016, the firm was formally divided; a large portion of its professionals joined Defoe Redmount, while the remaining operations merged with the UK-based financial group Barings.