Clearwater has advised Credit Agricole Nord de France on the sale of Lens football club (more than 99% owned) to its former historic manager, Gervais Martel, associated to Azerbaijani Baghlan Group, headed by Hafiz Mammadov. Gervais Martel had left his position as Chairman of the club in July 2012.
Lens Football Club (Racing Club de Lens) is a successful football club based in the northern city of Lens in the Nord Pas-de-Calais region.
Crédit Agricole Nord de France is the first bank in Northern France and today the company employs 2800 staff and serves over 4 million people. After an in depth process to reorganise the club and enable it to have a long term view, Credit Agricole Nord de France proceeded with the disposal, as announced in July 2012, of a more serene club to investors wanting to durably reinforce its capacity to join the French Ligue 1 fast and with marked ambition in the future.
