26 Nov 2021
Fast-growing UK group announces purchase of 10-site Swiss chain as European expansion continues.
Joshua Silverwood
Job Title
A UK based practice group has made its first move into Switzerland after acquiring a chain of practices in the French-speaking western part of the country.
Made up of 100 employees across 12 locations, Swissvet Group has been acquired by VetPartners, marking the practice group’s first expansion into the country.
Florent Bourachot, one of the co-founders of Swissvet, alongside chief medical officer Antoine Adam, will continue as chief executive to oversee further growth in Switzerland.
Mr Bourachot said: “VetPartners is the right fit for us because we share the same values and culture. It is a very caring group that looks after its people and supports teams while still allowing them the autonomy to make clinical decisions.
“The veterinary market is evolving in Switzerland and VetPartners will help us to pursue our strategy by being more competitive, and to expand in this country. We already have interest from other practices and projects for new practices.”
Mr Bourachot added: “Being part of a larger group means our employees will benefit from having access to knowledge and data throughout the VetPartners group, and there will be opportunity to benefit from CPD and training.
“It is also a group that looks after the well-being of employees, which is important in today’s challenging climate.”
VetPartners chief executive Jo Malone said: “As soon as I met Florent and Antoine, I knew that Swissvet Group would be a good fit for us. We are delighted that they are now working with us and we look forward to being part of the future growth in Switzerland.”
The acquisition comes after VetPartners purchased London-based Goddard Veterinary Group, which employs 450 members of staff with 3 RCVS Tier 3 hospitals and 44 sites around the city.
