Serge Weinberg, who resigned last week as chairman of PPR, the French retail group and owner of fashion house Gucci, has launched a mid-market private equity fund.

Weinberg has secured banking from HSBC, the UK bank, Caisse National des Caisse d'Epargne et de Prévoyance and Caisse des Dépots et Consignations, the French banks in addition to a cornerstone investment from Artemis, the Pinault family holding company and a 42% shareholder in PPR.