Advantage Smollan, a leading global provider of outsourced, integrated sales and marketing solutions for some of the world’s best loved brands and retailers, has acquired a stake acquisition in French company, Virage Conseil.
Headquartered in Lorient and established in 1993, Virage Conseil has grown into a prominent force in commercial execution, recognised for its specialised field sales teams, merchandising expertise, and promotional activation across France. The company supports more than 250 brands – from household names to category challengers – across sectors such as grocery, specialist retail, home improvement, and telecoms. With a team of over 600 professionals nationwide and a reputation for agility and performance, Virage Conseil continues to deliver results that drive in-store impact.
Through this partnership, Advantage Smollan will tap into Virage Conseil’s on-the-ground knowledge and operational excellence in the French retail landscape. In parallel, Virage Conseil will benefit from the scale, data insights, and global technologies within Advantage Smollan’s broader ecosystem, accelerating its ability to innovate and grow.
“This partnership reinforces our long-term ambition to build scalable, locally empowered businesses that drive measurable results for our clients across every market we operate in. Welcoming Virage Conseil into the Advantage Smollan group strengthens our capabilities, builds our presence in France and together we remain focused on enabling our clients to win where it matters most – at the point of purchase,” said Nicky Sanderson, CEO of Advantage Smollan.
The investment strengthens Advantage Smollan’s European reach across 15 countries and further reinforces the Western Europe region by fostering innovation, enhancing market competitiveness, and driving economic growth.
“Joining forces with Advantage Smollan marks a major milestone in our evolution. It’s an opportunity to preserve our entrepreneurial spirit while gaining access to global expertise, innovation, and tools that will help us accelerate our mission to create value for our clients and help them perform better in the retail space,” commented Olivier Rome, President of Virage Conseil.
As the joint venture moves forward, Michel de Beauregard of Advantage Smollan will join Olivier Rome in co-leading the business. “I’m excited to begin this new chapter alongside Olivier,” said Michel de Beauregard. “By combining Virage Conseil’s deep market expertise with Advantage Smollan’s international scale and capabilities, we will bring greater agility, insight, and value to our clients in France. This partnership sets a strong foundation for long-term success and sustainable growth.”
