Dominique Senequier is one of the most respected figures in the investment world. With an impeccable investment track record and knack for keeping a low profile, she is something of a living legend in the world of finance.

This June, while the business world was grappling with the ramifications of the covid-19 pandemic, Ardian quietly crossed the $100 billion in assets-under-management (AUM) mark. In concert with a dedicated investment team of around 650 spread across 15 offices on four continents, the Toulon native’s skill and dedication has ensured that a French company has a place at the top table in the world of private equity.

Ahead of her time
Dominique Senequier has made a habit of being ahead of the game. She earned her Baccalauréat – the French high school diploma – at 16, and had enrolled at the prestigious École Polytechnique university in Paris before her 18th birthday.

"Barely six years after launching, the private equity division of Axa cleared the $2 billion in AUM bar, and by 2010 that figure had grown to $25 billion, which saw Senequier feted as ‘Mrs 25 Billion’ by the French press"

After a brief stint in the public sector, the ambitious young graduate joined the private sector at Gan Assurances, where she rose to the rank of managing director. When the insurance company went under, Senequier joined Axa, where she would make her name – and her fortune. She was 43 years old and in charge of the newly formed Axa Private Equity. Armed with an initial $100 million war-chest, Senequier quickly forged a sterling reputation in the investment world.

Success after success
Barely six years after launching, the private equity division of Axa cleared the $2 billion in AUM bar, and by 2010 that figure had grown to $25 billion, which saw Senequier feted as ‘Mrs 25 Billion’ by the French press. The next logical step was to let the investment arm of Axa stand on its own two feet and, in 2013, Ardian was born with $100 billion in AUM and Senequier as president.

In an interview with Le Figaro newspaper in 2019, responding to a question on why private equity has stolen the stock exchange’s lustre of late, Senequier stated that where investments are concerned “life is just simpler with non-listed companies.”

With more than 150 companies in its portfolio, Ardian has become a key player in the private equity ecosystem. The brains behind Ardian’s steady rise, Senequier has acquired a reputation for making few false moves in the market.    

Socially responsible investor
In 2007 Dominique Senequier was appointed to then president Nicholas Sarkozy’s economic relaunch committee, set up in the aftermath of the global economic crash. Her service to the state was rewarded with the Légion d’honneur medal in 2012.

An early adopter of socially responsible investment, ESG criteria have been applied to Ardian’s investments for over a decade now. In addition, Ardian is a signatory to the France Invest charter which aims to promote wage and gender parity in the investment sector.

According to a recent study, women make up 39% of the workforce at Ardian, and with the company receiving a score of 93/100 for wage parity between men and women, it seems Senequier has not lost her touch for getting top marks when it matters.