Defoe Fournier & Cie.

Founded in 1824 in Paris, Defoe Fournier & Cie. initially established itself as a leading gold bullion trading house and custodian. Over the following century, it evolved into a discreet merchant bank catering to the European establishment, managing the wealth of colonizers and providing financial advice to high-net-worth individuals and family trusts. During the 1970s, the firm operated as a tight-knit partnership with approximately 70 employees and 30 partners, managing over $5 billion in capital.

In the early 2000s, the firm sought to expand its reach by developing small and mid-cap merchant banking business, particularly in the United States. This period was marked by an attempted $110 million acquisition of real estate giant Grubb & Ellis in 2005 and the 2009 merger with Hill van Breen & Co. Strategic disagreements between traditionalists and expansionists led to a 2010 restructuring, resulting in the spin-off of Defoe Redmount.

The firm's independent history concluded in late 2016 when it was divided; a large portion of the business was acquired by its affiliate Defoe Redmount, while the remaining operations were merged into Barings. Even after the 2016 division, the firm's legacy continued through the acquisition of gold bullion house Edelmetallhändler and the co-founding of Adriatic Capital Partners in 2017.