SEC Form SC 13D filed by Valneva SE

SCHEDULE 13D

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

Valneva SE

(Name of Issuer)

Ordinary Shares, nominal value €0.15 per share

(Title of Class of Securities)

92025Y103 (American Depositary Shares, each representing two ordinary shares)

(CUSIP Number)

Sophie Paquin

Bpifrance Participations S.A.

6-8, boulevard Haussmann

75009 Paris

France

+33 1 53 89 55 73

With copy to:

John C. Partigan

Nixon Peabody LLP

799 9th Street NW, Suite 500

Washington, DC 20001

(202) 585-8000

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

June 23, 2022

(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 x.

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.

This Schedule 13D (the “Schedule 13D”) relates to the Ordinary Shares, nominal value €0.15 per share (the “Ordinary Shares”) of Valneva SE (the “Issuer”). The Issuer’s principal executive offices are located at 6 rue Alain Bombard, 44800 Saint-Herblain, France.

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

Bpifrance Participations is a French public investment entity specializing in the business of equity financing via direct investments or fund of funds. Bpifrance Participations is a subsidiary owned at 99.99% by Bpifrance, a French credit institution. CDC and EPIC each hold 49.2% of the share capital of Bpifrance and jointly control Bpifrance. 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.

Bpifrance may be deemed to be the beneficial owner of shares held by Bpifrance Participations indirectly through its 99.99% ownership of Bpifrance Participations. CDC and EPIC may be deemed to be the beneficial owners of shares held by Bpifrance Participations indirectly through their joint ownership and control of Bpifrance.

Attached as Appendices A, B, C and D to Item 2 is information concerning the executive officers and directors of Bpifrance Participations, CDC, EPIC and Bpifrance, 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.

Bpifrance Participations used its working capital to purchase the Ordinary Shares.

Ownership is stated as of November 15, 2022 and the ownership percentages are calculated based on 138,354,982 Ordinary Shares outstanding and 160,908,13 Voting Rights as of October 31, 2022, as reported by the Issuer on November 4, 2022.

All of the Ordinary Shares that are held of record by the Reporting Persons as reported herein were acquired for investment purposes. The Reporting Persons retain the right to change their investment intent, from time to time to acquire additional Ordinary Shares or other securities of the Issuer, or to sell or otherwise dispose of all or part of the Ordinary Shares or other securities of the Issuer, if any, beneficially owned by them, in any manner permitted by law. The Reporting Persons may engage from time to time in ordinary course transactions with financial institutions with respect to the securities described herein.

Except as set forth above, none of the Reporting Persons currently has any plans or proposals which would be related to or would result in any of the matters described in Items 4(a)-(j) of the Instructions to Schedule 13D. However, as part of the ongoing evaluation of investment and investment alternatives, the Reporting Persons may consider such matters and, subject to applicable law, may formulate a plan with respect to such matters, and, from time to time, may hold discussions with or make formal proposals to management or the board of directors of the Issuer or other third parties regarding such matters.

Please see Items 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 11 of each cover sheet for each filing entity.

As of November 15, 2022, (i) Bpifrance Participations held directly 9,547,269 Ordinary Shares and 17,004,054 Voting Rights, and (ii) CDC Croissance S.A., a wholly-owned subsidiary of CDC (“CDC Croissance”), held directly 2,069,552 Ordinary Shares and 2,069,552 Voting Rights. Neither Bpifrance nor EPIC held any Ordinary Shares directly.  Bpifrance may be deemed to be the beneficial owner of 9,547,269 Ordinary Shares and 17,004,054 Voting Rights indirectly through its 99.99% ownership of Bpifrance Participations. EPIC may be deemed to be the beneficial owner of 9,547,269 Ordinary Shares and 17,004,054 Voting Rights indirectly through its joint ownership and control of Bpifrance. CDC may be deemed to be the beneficial owner of (x) 11,616,821 Ordinary Shares and 19,073,606 Voting Rights, indirectly through its joint ownership and control of Bpifrance and (y) 2,069,552 Ordinary Shares and 2,069,552 Voting Rights, indirectly through its ownership of CDC Croissance.

The ownership percentages are calculated based on 138,354,982 Ordinary Shares outstanding and 160,908,13 Voting Rights as of October 31, 2022, as reported by the Issuer on November 4, 2022.

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

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

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

Bpifrance Participations effected the following transactions:

Caisse des dépôts et consignations effected the following transactions:

(d) Not applicable.

(e) Not applicable.

During the Issuer’s Annual General Meeting held on June 23, 2022, the Issuer’s shareholders appointed two new Supervisory Board members, one of which was Bpifrance Participations, for a three-year term. The representative for Bpifrance Participations is Maïlys Ferrère, who is a Director of Large Venture Investments at Bpifrance Participations.

SIGNATURE

After reasonable inquiry and to the best of the undersigned’s knowledge and belief, the undersigned certifies that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.

Dated: November 15, 2022

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

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

APPENDIX B

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

CAISSE DES DÉPÔTS ET CONSIGNATIONS

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

MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

APPENDIX C

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

APPENDIX D

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