SC 13D/A 1 a18-3406_1sc13da.htm SC 13D/A

 

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

 

 

Washington, DC 20549

 

 

 

 

 

SCHEDULE 13D

 

 

Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(Amendment No. 3)*

 

Sequans Communications S.A.

(Name of Issuer)

 

Ordinary shares, nominal value €0.02

(Title of Class of Securities)

 

817323108 (American Depositary Shares, each representing one ordinary share)

(CUSIP Number)

 

Sophie Paquin

Bpifrance Participations S.A.

27-31, avenue du Général Leclerc

94710 Maisons-Alfort Cedex

France

+33 1 53 89 87 89

 

With copy to:

 

Linda A. Hesse

Jones Day

2, rue Saint Florentin

75001 Paris

France

+33 1 56 59 39 39

(Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person
Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications)

 

January 17, 2018

(Date of Event Which Requires Filing of this Statement)

If the filing person has previously filed a statement on Schedule 13G to report the acquisition that is the subject of this Schedule 13D, and is filing this schedule because of §§240.13d-1(e), 240.13d-1(f) or 240.13d-1(g), check the following box. o

Note: Schedules filed in paper format shall include a signed original and five copies of the schedule, including all exhibits. See Rule 13d-7 for other parties to whom copies are to be sent.

* The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required on the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act.

 



 

CUSIP No.   817323108

 

 

1

Name of Reporting Person
Caisse des Dépôts (formerly known as “Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations (CDC)”)

 

 

2

Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group

 

 

(a)

 o

 

 

(b)

 o

 

 

3

SEC Use Only

 

 

4

Source of Funds
WC

 

 

5

Check Box if Disclosure of Legal Proceedings Is Required Pursuant to Items 2(d) or 2(e)     o

 

 

6

Citizenship or Place of Organization
France

 

Number of
Shares
Beneficially
Owned by
Each
Reporting
Person With

7

Sole Voting Power
0

 

8

Shared Voting Power
12,085,561

 

9

Sole Dispositive Power
0

 

10

Shared Dispositive Power
12,085,561

 

 

11

Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person
12,085,561

 

 

12

Check Box if the Aggregate Amount in Row (11) Excludes Certain Shares   o

 

 

13

Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (11)
13.08%

 

 

14

Type of Reporting Person
OO

 

2



 

CUSIP No.   817323108

 

 

1

Name of Reporting Person
Bpifrance Participations S.A.

 

 

2

Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group

 

 

(a)

 o

 

 

(b)

 o

 

 

3

SEC Use Only

 

 

4

Source of Funds
WC

 

 

5

Check Box if Disclosure of Legal Proceedings Is Required Pursuant to Items 2(d) or 2(e)     o

 

 

6

Citizenship or Place of Organization
France

 

Number of
Shares
Beneficially
Owned by
Each
Reporting
Person With

7

Sole Voting Power
0

 

8

Shared Voting Power
12,085,561

 

9

Sole Dispositive Power
0

 

10

Shared Dispositive Power
12,085,561

 

 

11

Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person
12,085,561

 

 

12

Check Box if the Aggregate Amount in Row (11) Excludes Certain Shares   o

 

 

13

Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (11)
13.08%

 

 

14

Type of Reporting Person
OO

 

3



 

CUSIP No.   817323108

 

 

1

Name of Reporting Person
Bpifrance S.A.(formerly known as “BPI-Groupe (bpifrance)”)

 

 

2

Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group

 

 

(a)

 o

 

 

(b)

 o

 

 

3

SEC Use Only

 

 

4

Source of Funds
WC

 

 

5

Check Box if Disclosure of Legal Proceedings Is Required Pursuant to Items 2(d) or 2(e)     o

 

 

6

Citizenship or Place of Organization
France

 

Number of
Shares
Beneficially
Owned by
Each
Reporting
Person With

7

Sole Voting Power
0

 

8

Shared Voting Power
12,085,561

 

9

Sole Dispositive Power
0

 

10

Shared Dispositive Power
12,085,561

 

 

11

Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person
12,085,561

 

 

12

Check Box if the Aggregate Amount in Row (11) Excludes Certain Shares   o

 

 

13

Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (11)
13.08%

 

 

14

Type of Reporting Person
OO

 

4



 

CUSIP No.   817323108

 

 

1

Name of Reporting Person
EPIC Bpifrance (formerly known as “EPIC BPI-Groupe”)

 

 

2

Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group

 

 

(a)

 o

 

 

(b)

 o

 

 

3

SEC Use Only

 

 

4

Source of Funds
WC

 

 

5

Check Box if Disclosure of Legal Proceedings Is Required Pursuant to Items 2(d) or 2(e)     o

 

 

6

Citizenship or Place of Organization
France

 

Number of
Shares
Beneficially
Owned by
Each
Reporting
Person With

7

Sole Voting Power
0

 

8

Shared Voting Power
12,085,561

 

9

Sole Dispositive Power
0

 

10

Shared Dispositive Power
12,085,561

 

 

11

Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person
12,085,561

 

 

12

Check Box if the Aggregate Amount in Row (11) Excludes Certain Shares   o

 

 

13

Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (11)
13.08%

 

 

14

Type of Reporting Person
OO

 

5



 

This Amendment No. 3 relates to the ordinary shares, nominal value €0.02 per share, (“Ordinary Shares”) of Sequans Communications S.A., a société anonyme incorporated in France (the “Issuer”) and amends the Schedule 13D filed on November 21, 2013, as amended by Amendment No. 1 filed on December 24, 2015 and Amendment No. 2 filed on September 20, 2016 (as amended, the “Schedule 13D”). Unless otherwise indicated, all capitalized terms used but not defined herein have the meaning ascribed to such terms in the Schedule 13D.

 

Item 1. Security and Issuer.

 

Item 1 is hereby amended and restated as follows:

 

This Statement on Schedule 13D relates to the ordinary shares, nominal value €0.02 per share, (“Ordinary Shares”) of Sequans Communications S.A., a société anonyme incorporated in France (the “Issuer”).  The Ordinary Shares are represented by American Depositary Shares, each American Depositary Share representing one Ordinary Share (the “ADSs”).  The Issuer’s principal executive offices are located at 15-55 boulevard Charles de Gaulle, 92700 Colombes, France.

 

Item 2. Identity and Background.

 

Item 2 is hereby amended and restated as follows:

 

This Statement on Schedule 13D is filed jointly by (i) the Caisse des Dépôts, a French special public entity (établissement special) (“CDC”), (ii) Bpifrance Participations S.A., a société anonyme incorporated under the laws of the Republic of France (“Bpifrance Participations”), (iii) Bpifrance S.A., a société anonyme incorporated under the laws of the Republic of France and (iv) EPIC Bpifrance, a French public institution of industrial and commercial nature (“EPIC”). CDC, Bpifrance Participations, Bpifrance S.A. and EPIC are referred to herein collectively as the “Reporting Persons.” The principal address for CDC is 56, rue de Lille, 75007 Paris, France. The principal address for Bpifrance Participations, Bpifrance S.A. and EPIC is 27-31, avenue du Général Leclerc, 94710 Maisons-Alfort Cedex, France.

 

Bpifrance Participations is a French public investment fund specializing in the business of equity financing via direct investments or fund of funds. Bpifrance Participations is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bpifrance S.A., a French financial institution especially created for this purpose. CDC and EPIC each hold 50% of the share capital of Bpifrance S.A. and jointly control Bpifrance S.A. CDC is principally engaged in the business of long-term investments. EPIC, a French public institution of industrial and commercial nature, is principally engaged in the business of banking finance.

 

As of the date hereof, pursuant to the transaction that took place on January 17, 2018 described under Item 3, Bpifrance Participations holds directly 12,085,561 ADSs, each representing one Ordinary Share. As of the date hereof, none of Bpifrance S.A., CDC and EPIC holds any ADSs or Ordinary Shares directly. Bpifrance S.A. may be deemed to be the beneficial owner of 12,085,561 ADS, indirectly through its sole ownership of Bpifrance Participations. CDC and EPIC may be deemed to be the beneficial owner of 12,085,561 ADSs, indirectly through their joint ownership and control of Bpifrance S.A.

 

Attached as Appendices A, B, C and D to Item 2 is information concerning the executive officers and directors of Bpifrance Participations, Bpifrance S.A., CDC and EPIC, respectively, required to be disclosed in response to Item 2 and General Instruction C to Schedule 13D.

 

None of the Reporting Persons, nor, to the best of their knowledge, any of the persons referred to in Appendices A, B, C and D to Item 2 has, during the last five years, been convicted in a criminal proceeding (excluding traffic violations and similar misdemeanors) or been a party to a civil proceeding of a judicial or administrative body of competent jurisdiction and as a result of such proceeding was or is subject to a judgment, decree, or final order enjoining future violations of, or prohibiting or mandating activities subject to, Federal or state securities laws or finding any violation with respect to such laws.

 

Item 3. Source and Amount of Funds or Other Consideration.

 

Item 3 is hereby amended and restated as follows:

 

On January 17, 2018, Bpifrance Participations purchased 3,125,000 ADSs from the underwriters for an aggregate purchase price of $5,000,000, at the closing of the capital increase transaction described in the Issuer’s prospectus supplement filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2) with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 17, 2018. Bpifrance Participations obtained the funds to purchase the ADSs from working capital.

 

Item 4. Purpose of Transaction.

 

Paragraphs 2 and 3 of Item 4 are hereby amended and restated as follows and other paragraphs remain the same:

 

In connection with its purchase of the ADSs on September 20, 2016, Dr. Georges Karam, chairman of the board of directors and chief executive officer of the Issuer, made certain undertakings to Bpifrance Participations in a letter dated September 14, 2016, (the “Undertaking”). Pursuant to the Undertaking, Dr. Karam has agreed to support the designation of Bpifrance Participations as a director to serve on the Issuer’s board of directors, and, so long as Bpifrance Participations or its affiliates owns at least 5% of the outstanding shares or voting rights of the Issuer, to support the renewal of the mandate of Bpifrance Participations when such mandate will expire.  Pursuant to the Undertaking, Ms. Maïlys Ferrère was elected to the Issuer’s board of directors at the combined ordinary and extraordinary meeting of shareholders held on June 30, 2017. The description of the Undertaking is qualified in its entirety by the terms of the Undertaking, which is filed as Exhibit 99.1 to the Schedule 13D filed on September 20, 2016, and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

6



 

Item 5. Interest in Securities of the Issuer.

 

Item 5 is hereby amended and restated as follows:

 

Bpifrance Participations directly holds 12,085,561 ADSs, each representing one Ordinary Share. Bpifrance S.A. may be deemed to be the beneficial owner of 12,085,561 ADSs, indirectly through its sole ownership of Bpifrance Participations. CDC and EPIC may be deemed to be the beneficial owner of 12,085,561 ADSs, indirectly through their joint ownership and control of Bpifrance S.A.

 

As set out in Item 4 above, in connection with its earlier purchase of the ADSs, Bpifrance Participations also received certain undertakings from Dr. Georges Karam, chairman of the board of directors and chief executive officer of the Issuer.

 

(a) See also the information contained on the cover pages of this Statement on Schedule 13D which is incorporated herein by reference. The percentage of Ordinary Shares beneficially owned by each Reporting Person is based on 92,342,318 outstanding Ordinary Shares of the Issuer, as set out in the Issuer’s prospectus supplement filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2) with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 17, 2018.

 

(b) See the information contained on the cover pages of this Statement on Schedule 13D, which is incorporated herein by reference.

 

(c) There have been no reportable transactions with respect to the Ordinary Shares or ADSs of the Issuer within the last 60 days by the Reporting Persons other than as described in this Statement on Schedule 13D.

 

(d) Not applicable.

 

(e) Not applicable.

 

Item 6. Contracts, Arrangements, Understandings or Relationships with Respect to Securities of the Issuer

 

Item 6 is hereby amended and restated as follows:

 

The responses to Items 3, 4 and 5 of this Schedule 13D are incorporated herein and the exhibits to this Schedule 13D are incorporated herein by reference.

 

Lock-Up Agreement

 

In connection with the purchase of the ADSs on January 17, 2018, Bpifrance Participations and Ms. Maïlys Ferrère have entered into lock-up agreements (the “Lock-Up Agreements”), pursuant to which they each have agreed not to, except in limited circumstances, sell or transfer, or engage in swap or similar transactions with respect to, ADSs (except those acquired in the offering on January 17, 2018), for a period of 90 days from the date of the final prospectus supplement related to this offering.  The foregoing description of the Lock-Up Agreements does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Form of Lock-Up Agreement, filed as Exhibit 99.1 hereto and incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 7. Material to be Filed as Exhibits

 

Exhibit 99.1: Form of Lock-Up Agreement by and between Needham & Company, LLC and each of Bpifrance Participations and Ms. Maïlys Ferrère.

 

Exhibit 1: Power of Attorney — Caisse des Dépôts (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 1 to Amendment No. 2 to the Schedule 13D filed by Bpifrance Participations on September 7, 2017).

 

Exhibit 2: Power of Attorney — Bpifrance S.A (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2 to Amendment No. 2 to the Schedule 13D filed by Bpifrance Participations on September 7, 2017).

 

Exhibit 3: Power of Attorney — EPIC Bpifrance and Bpifrance Participations (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3 to Amendment No. 1 to the Schedule 13G filed by Bpifrance Participations on February 14, 2017 relating to Orange S.A.).

 

7



 

SIGNATURE

 

After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.

 

Dated: January 18, 2018

 

 

CAISSE DES DÉPÔTS

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Joel Prohin

 

 

 

 

Name :

Joel Prohin

 

 

 

 

Title :

Head of Portfolio Management

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BPIFRANCE PARTICIPATIONS S.A.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Sophie Paquin

 

 

 

 

Name:

Sophie Paquin

 

 

 

 

Title:

Director of Legal Affairs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BPIFRANCE S.A.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Boubakar Dione

 

 

 

 

Name:

Boubakar Dione

 

 

 

 

Title:

Group Director of Legal Affairs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EPIC BPIFRANCE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Sophie Paquin

 

 

 

 

Name:

Sophie Paquin

 

 

 

 

Title:

Director of Legal Affairs

 

8



 

APPENDIX A

 

Name, business address, present principal occupation or employment and place of citizenship of the directors and executive officers of

 

BPIFRANCE PARTICIPATIONS S.A.

 

The name, business address and present principal occupation or employment of each of the directors and executive officers of Bpifrance Participations S.A. are set forth below. The business address of each director and executive officer is Bpifrance Participations S.A., 27-31, avenue du Général Leclerc, 94710 Maisons-Alfort Cedex, France. Unless otherwise indicated, each director and executive officer is a citizen of France.

 

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 

Name

 

Present Principal Occupation or Employment

 

 

 

NICOLAS DUFOURCQ

 

Director, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer of Bpifrance Participations, and Chief Executive Officer of Bpifrance

 

 

 

VIRGINIE FERNANDES 

 

Director, Head of the Steering Department at Caisse des Dépôts

 

 

 

CATHERINE MAYENOBE

 

Director, Secretary General of the Caisse des Dépôts 

 

 

 

PASCAL FAURE

 

Director, General Director of the General Directorate for Companies of the Ministry of Economy and Finance

 

 

 

FREDERIC SAINT-GEOURS 

 

Director, President of the supervisory board of SNCF

 

 

 

MARTINE GEROW

 

Director, Group Chief Financial Officer, American Express Global Business Travel

 

 

 

FRENCH STATE, represented by CHARLES SARRAZIN

 

Director, in charge of shareholding interests in the Service & Finance sectors, Agence des Participations de l’Etat (French State Shareholding Agency) 

 

 

 

ANNE-HELENE CHANTAL ROIGNAN

 

Director, Director of the Institute of public management and economic development

 

 

 

BARBARA LAVERNOS

 

Director, Executive Vice-President Operations at L’Oreal 

 

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

 

Name

 

Present Principal Occupation or Employment

 

 

 

NICOLAS DUFOURCQ

 

Chief Executive Officer

 

 

 

JOSÉ GONZALO

 

Executive Director

 

 

 

PIERRE BENEDETTI

 

Chief Financial Officer 

 

9



 

APPENDIX B

 

Name, business address, present principal occupation or employment and place of citizenship of the directors and executive officers of

 

BPIFRANCE S.A.

 

The name, business address and present principal occupation or employment of each of the directors and executive officers of Bpifrance S.A. are set forth below. The business address of each director and executive officer is Bpifrance S.A., 27-31, avenue du Général Leclerc, 94710 Maisons-Alfort Cedex, France. Unless otherwise indicated, each director and executive officer is a citizen of France.

 

DIRECTORS

 

Name

 

Present Principal Occupation or Employment

 

 

 

ERIC LOMBARD 

 

Chairman, Chief Executive Officer of the Caisse des Dépôts 

 

 

 

NICOLAS DUFOURCQ 

 

Director, Chief Executive Officer of Bpifrance and Director, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Bpifrance Participations

 

 

 

LOUIS SCHWEITZER

 

Director, Public Investment General Commissioner

 

 

 

MAUD BAILLY-TURCHI

 

Director, Senior Financial Controller with the State Financial Audit Department of the Ministry of Economy and Finance 

 

 

 

MARIE, MARGUERITE DUFAY 

 

Director, Chairman of the Regional Council of Bourgogne Franche-Comté

 

 

 

MARTIN VIAL 

 

Director, Chairman of the Agence des Participations de l’Etat (French State Shareholding Agency) 

 

 

 

FLORENCE MAS 

 

Director, Regional Director for Normandie at Caisse des Dépôts 

 

 

 

ELISABETH HENRY-PEREZ 

 

Director representing the employees 

 

 

 

ERIC VERKANT 

 

Director representing the employees

 

 

 

VIRGINIE CHAPRON-DU JEU 

 

Director, Group Finance Director of the Caisse des Dépôts 

 

 

 

CLAIRE DUMAS 

 

Director, Finance Director of Retail Banking France at Société Générale 

 

 

 

CLAIRE CHEREMETINSKI 

 

Director, Head of Department of Bilateral and International Matters at the French Treasury (Ministry of Economy and Finance) 

 

 

 

HERVE MORIN 

 

Director, Chairman of the Regional Council of Normandie 

 

 

 

VIRGINIE FERNANDES

 

Director, Head of the Steering Department at Caisse des Dépôts

 

10



 

APPENDIX C

 

Name, business address, present principal occupation or employment and place of citizenship of the directors and executive officers of

 

CAISSE DES DÉPÔTS

 

The name, business address and present principal occupation or employment of each of the members of the Management Committee of Caisse des Dépôts are set forth below. The business address of each director and executive officer is Caisse des Dépôts, c/o 56, rue de Lille, 75007 Paris, France. Unless otherwise indicated, each such person is a citizen of France.

 

MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

 

Name

 

Present Principal Occupation or Employment

 

 

 

ERIC LOMBARD

 

Chief Executive Officer

 

 

 

OLIVIER MAREUSE

 

Savings Fund Director

 

 

 

ANDRE LAURENT MICHELSON

 

General Financial Officer, Head of Financial Transaction Processing, director coordinating the Caisse des Dépôts Group for Greater Paris

 

 

 

SOPHIE QUATREHOMME

 

Group Corporate Communications Director

 

 

 

ELIZABETH VIOLA

 

Banking Services Director

 

 

 

PAUL PENY

 

Group Human Resources Director

 

 

 

ALAIN BEUZELIN

 

Pensions and Solidarity Director

 

 

 

GABRIELLE GAUTHEY

 

Local Development and Investment Director

 

 

 

VIRGINIE CHAPRON-DU JEU

 

Group Finance Director

 

 

 

JEAN MARC MORIN

 

Head of Legal and Tax Department

 

 

 

MARC ABADIE

 

Local Development and Network Director

 

 

 

CATHERINE MAYENOBE

 

Secretary General

 

 

 

LAURENT ZYLBERBERG

 

Director of International and European Relationships

 

11



 

APPENDIX D

 

Name, business address, present principal occupation or employment and place of citizenship of the directors and executive officers of

 

EPIC BPIFRANCE

 

The name, business address and present principal occupation or employment of each of the directors and executive officers of EPIC Bpifrance are set forth below. The business address of each director and executive officer is EPIC Bpifrance, 27-31, avenue du Général Leclerc, 94710 Maisons-Alfort Cedex, France. Unless otherwise indicated, each director and executive officer is a citizen of France.

 

DIRECTORS

 

Name

 

Present Principal Occupation or Employment

 

 

 

PIERRE LEPETIT 

 

Chairman, Chief Executive Officer of EPIC Bpifrance 

 

 

 

FRANCOIS JAMET 

 

Director, Head of department SITTAR at the Higher Education, Research and Innovation Ministry 

 

 

 

ARNAUD JULLIAN 

 

Director, Deputy Director at the General Directorate for Budget of the Ministry of Economy and Finance 

 

 

 

SEBASTIEN RASPILLER 

 

Director, Deputy Director at the Directorate of Financing, Industry and Market of the Ministry of Economy and Finance 

 

 

 

VERONIQUE BARRY

 

Director, Deputy Director at the innovation and entrepreneurship department of the French Ministry of Economy and Finance 

 

 

 

JULIEN CABES 

 

Director, Investment Manager at the Agence des Participations de l’Etat (French State Shareholding Agency) 

 

12