A French court has launched an investigation into the alleged actions of former Scor SE chairman, Denis Kessler, with regard to the Covéa Group’s 2022 acquisition of Bermuda reinsurer PartnerRe.

Scor SE said in a statement, the company has been placed under examination as a legal entity in connection with a judicial investigation in France related to facts attributed to an association which allegedly attempted to obstruct the acquisition of Partner Re by the Covéa group in 2022.

The statement said: “Scor SE has been placed under examination because of the alleged personal involvement of Denis Kessler in some of these facts, at a time when he was no longer Scor SE’s legal representative, but the non-executive chairman of its board of directors.

“Scor SE firmly denies having had any direct or indirect involvement in the acts of which this association is accused.

“This placement under examination in no way affects the group's ability to pursue its activities in the normal course of business.

“In any event, Scor SE is presumed innocent, and vigorously denies any responsibility in connection with this matter.”

Exor completed the sale of PartnerRe, the global reinsurer, to Covéa for a total cash consideration of $9.3 billion, based on a consolidated common shareholders’ equity value of $7.3 billion as at 31 December 2021.