Ipsen heir’s $4 billion stake moved to charity and Curacao trust
Why it matters: The transfer clouds long-term control of the French drugmaker, where the Beaufour family holds about two-thirds of voting rights.
A succession plan for late Ipsen heir Henri Beaufour has shifted his roughly $4 billion fortune into a Luxembourg foundation and a Curacao trust, raising fresh questions about future control of the French pharmaceutical company. Corporate filings show Beaufour’s 26% stake, worth about €3.4 billion, was transferred earlier in June through Beech Tree to the Alasol Foundation for 15 years. The foundation, created in 2022, was later restructured with rights to a €2 million annual dividend to support education and training for disadvantaged young people. France’s market regulator ruled the move does not alter Ipsen’s ultimate control, though the Curacao trust retains veto powers over company matters.