SEQUANS COMMUNICATIONS — Major Shareholding Notification 2021

Feb 12, 2021

SC 13D/A 1 tm216133d2_sc13da.htm SC 13D/A

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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 13D

Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No. 5)*

Sequans Communications S.A.

(Name of Issuer)

Ordinary Shares, nominal value €0.02 per share

(Title of Class of Securities)

817323108 (American Depositary Shares, each representing four 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)

February 12, 2021

(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.

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CUSIP No. 817323108 — 1	Name of Reporting Person Caisse des Dépôts
2	Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group (See Instructions)
	(a)	¨
	(b)	¨
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) ¨
6	Citizenship or Place of Organization France

Number of Shares Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person With	Sole Voting Power 0
8	Shared Voting Power 13,515,852 Ordinary Shares
9	Sole Dispositive Power 0
10	Shared Dispositive Power 13,515,852 Ordinary Shares

11	Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person 13,515,852 Ordinary Shares
12	Check Box if the Aggregate Amount in Row (11) Excludes Certain Shares (See Instructions) ¨
13	Percent
of Class Represented by Amount in Row (11) 10.1% of the Ordinary Shares 1
14	Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions) OO

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1 Percentage of class is calculated based on 133,934,090 Ordinary Shares outstanding as of December 31, 2020, as reported in the Form 6-K filed by Sequans Communications S.A. with the SEC on February 9, 2021.

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CUSIP No. 817323108 — 1	Name of Reporting Person Bpifrance Participations S.A.
2	Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group (See Instructions)
	(a)	¨
	(b)	¨
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) ¨
6	Citizenship or Place of Organization France

Number of Shares Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person With	Sole Voting Power 0
8	Shared Voting Power 13,515,852 Ordinary Shares
9	Sole Dispositive Power 0
10	Shared Dispositive Power 13,515,852 Ordinary Shares

11	Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person 13,515,852 Ordinary Shares
12	Check Box if the Aggregate Amount in Row (11) Excludes Certain Shares (See Instructions) ¨
13	Percent
of Class Represented by Amount in Row (11) 10.1% of the Ordinary Shares 2
14	Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions) OO

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2 Percentage of class is calculated based on 133,934,090 Ordinary Shares outstanding as of December 31, 2020, as reported in the Form 6-K filed by Sequans Communications S.A. with the SEC on February 9, 2021.

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CUSIP No. 817323108 — 1	Name of Reporting Person Bpifrance S.A.
2	Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group (See Instructions)
	(a)	¨
	(b)	¨
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) ¨
6	Citizenship or Place of Organization France

Number of Shares Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person With	Sole Voting Power 0
8	Shared Voting Power 13,515,852 Ordinary Shares
9	Sole Dispositive Power 0
10	Shared Dispositive Power 13,515,852 Ordinary Shares

11	Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person 13,515,852 Ordinary Shares
12	Check Box if the Aggregate Amount in Row (11) Excludes Certain Shares (See Instructions) ¨
13	Percent
of Class Represented by Amount in Row (11) 10.1% of the Ordinary Shares 3
14	Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions) OO

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3 Percentage of class is calculated based on 133,934,090 Ordinary Shares outstanding as of December 31, 2020, as reported in the Form 6-K filed by Sequans Communications S.A. with the SEC on February 9, 2021.

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CUSIP No. 817323108 — 1	Name of Reporting Person EPIC Bpifrance
2	Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group (See Instructions)
	(a)	¨
	(b)	¨
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) ¨
6	Citizenship or Place of Organization France

Number of Shares Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person With	Sole Voting Power 0
8	Shared Voting Power 13,515,852 Ordinary Shares
9	Sole Dispositive Power 0
10	Shared Dispositive Power 13,515,852 Ordinary Shares

11	Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person 13,515,852 Ordinary Shares
12	Check Box if the Aggregate Amount in Row (11) Excludes Certain Shares (See Instructions) ¨
13	Percent
of Class Represented by Amount in Row (11) 10.1% of the Ordinary Shares 4
14	Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions) OO

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4 Percentage of class is calculated based on 133,934,090 Ordinary Shares outstanding as of December 31, 2020, as reported in the Form 6-K filed by Sequans Communications S.A. with the SEC on February 9, 2021.

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Amendment No. 5 to Schedule 13D

This Amendment No. 5 (“Amendment No. 5”) amends and supplements the Schedule 13D filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) by Caisse des Dépôts (“CDC”), Bpifrance Participations S.A. (“Bpifrance Participations”), Bpifrance S.A. (“Bpifrance”), and EPIC Bpifrance (“EPIC” ) (collectively, the “Reporting Persons”) on November 21, 2013, as amended by Amendment No. 1 to Schedule 13D filed with the SEC on December 24, 2015, as further amended by Amendment No. 2 to Schedule 13D filed with the SEC on September 20, 2016, as further amended by Amendment No. 3 to Schedule 13D filed with the SEC on January 18, 2018, and as further amended by Amendment No. 4 to Schedule 13D filed with the SEC on April 3, 2020 (collectively, the “Schedule 13D”). Except as specifically provided herein, this Amendment No. 5 does not modify any of the information previously reported in the Schedule 13D, as amended. Capitalized terms used herein shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Schedule 13D.

ITEM 2. Identity and Background.

Item 2 of the Schedule 13D is hereby amended and restated as follows:

This Schedule 13D is filed jointly by (i) the Caisse des Dépôts, a French special public entity (établissement spécial) (“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 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 S.A., a French credit institution. CDC and EPIC each hold 49.2% 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.

Bpifrance S.A. 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 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 5. Interest in Securities of the Issuer.

Item 5(c) of the Schedule 13D is hereby amended and supplemented as follows:

(c) Bpifrance Participations sold ADSs of Sequans Communications S.A. on the following dates at the daily average prices indicated below:

Date		Per Share (ADSs) Average Price	How Effected
August 13, 2020	9,324	$ 6.7756	Open Market
August 14, 2020	7,815	$ 6.7836	Open Market
August 17, 2020	23,773	$ 6.8343	Open Market
August 18, 2020	5,785	$ 6.7599	Open Market
August 19, 2020	15,520	$ 6.7941	Open Market
August 20, 2020	5,339	$ 6.7426	Open Market
August 21, 2020	1,500	$ 6.5587	Open Market
September 2, 2020	740	$ 6.4500	Open Market
September 3, 2020	1,500	$ 6.4500	Open Market
Total:	71,296

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

Item 6 of the Schedule 13D is hereby amended and supplemented as follows:

On May 12, 2020, Bpifrance Participations acquired 428,869 American Depositary Shares (“ADSs”), each ADS representing four Ordinary Shares. Pursuant to the terms of the Shareholder Loan Agreement, dated as of April 2, 2020 (the “Shareholder Loan Agreement”), by and between the Issuer and Bpifrance Participations, Bpifrance Participations provided an unsecured loan in the aggregate principal amount of $2.2 million (the “Loan”). The outstanding Loan was converted into ADSs under the terms under the Shareholder Loan Agreement. The Loan and the Shareholder Loan Agreement have been terminated.

ITEM 7. Material to Be Filed as Exhibits.

Exhibit	Description
99.1	Joint Filing Agreement, dated as of February 12, 2021, by and among the Reporting Persons.

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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: February 12, 2021
Caisse des Dépôts
By:	/s/ Laurence Giraudon
Name:	Laurence Giraudon
Title:	Chief Operating Officer, Finance and Operations Department, Asset Management Division
EPIC Bpifrance
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
Bpifrance Participations S.A.
By:	/s/ Sophie Paquin
Name:	Sophie Paquin
Title:	Director of Legal Affairs

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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
CAROLE ABBEY DUVAL	Director , Head of the Steering Department
at Caisse des Dépôts
ANTOINE SAINTOYANT	Director, Director of strategic holdings
at Caisse des Dépôts
FREDERIC SAINT-GEOURS	Director , Director of Société
nationale SNCF
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)
CONSTANCE VALIGNY	Director , Assistant Director for macroeconomic
policies, Direction Générale du Trésor (French Treasury)
CHLOE MAYENOBE	Director , deputy CEO Natixis Payment
VICTOIRE AUBRY	Director , Chief Financial Officer of
Icade
SOPHIE STABILE	Director , Founder and CEO of Révérence
ROMAIN BONENFANT	Director, Chief, Service of Industry,
General Directorate for Companies of the Ministry of Economy and Finance

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

Name	Present Principal Occupation or Employment
NICOLAS DUFOURCQ	Chief Executive Officer
JOSÉ GONZALO	Executive Director
PIERRE BENEDETTI	Chief Financial Officer

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APPENDIX B

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 of Caisse des Dépôts
OLIVIER SICHEL	Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Caisse
des Dépôts
NICOLAS DUFOURCQ	Chief Executive Officer of Bpifrance
VIRGINIE CHAPRON-DU JEU	Director of Finance for the Caisse des Dépôts
Group
PIERRE CHEVALIER	Head of Legal and Tax Department
NATHALIE TUBIANA	Risk Director of the Caisse des Dépôts
Group
OLIVIER MAREUSE	Chief Investment officer - Director of Savings
Funds at Caisse des Dépôts
CATHERINE MAYENOBE	Secretary General of Caisse des Dépôts
Group
PAUL PENY	Caisse des Dépôts Group Human
Resources Director
SOPHIE QUATREHOMME	Group Corporate Communications Director
MICHEL YAHIEL	Pensions and Solidarity Director
ANTOINE SAINTOYANT	Director of strategic holdings at Caisse
des Dépôts

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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

Name	Present Principal Occupation or Employment
CHRISTIAN BODIN	Director, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer
of EPIC Bpifrance
PIERRE-LOUIS AUTIN	Director , Head of department SITTAR at
the Higher Education, Research and Innovation Ministry
YANN POUËZAT	Director , Deputy Director at the Directorate
of Financing, Industry and Market of the Ministry of Economy and Finance
ALBAN HAUTIER	Director , Deputy Director at the General
Directorate for Budget of the Ministry of Economy and Finance
VINCENT TEJEDOR	Director , Assistant Director in charge
of the development of enterprises, General Directorate for Companies of the Ministry of Economy and Finance
NAOMI PERES	Director , Deputy General Secretary for
Public Investment

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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

Name	Present Principal Occupation or Employment
ERIC LOMBARD	Director, 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
MARTIN VIAL	Director , Chairman of the Agence des
Participations de l’Etat (French State Shareholding Agency)
MARIE DELEAGE	Director representing the employees of Bpifrance
PHILIPPE BAYEUX	Director representing the employees of Bpifrance
VIRGINIE CHAPRON-DU JEU	Director , Director of Finance for
the Caisse des Dépôts Group
CLAIRE DUMAS	Director , Finance Director at Société
Générale

| CATHERINE LAGNEAU | Director , Deputy Director of the General council of economy | | --- | --- | | ANTOINE SAINTOYANT | Director , Director of strategic holdings at Caisse des Dépôts | | BERNARD DELPIT | Director , Chief Financial Officer of Safran | | ANNABEL ANDRE | Director , Vice-president of the Regional Council of Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, delegate for the economy and companies | | HAROLD HUWART | Director , Vice-president of the Regional Council of Centre-Val-de-Loire, in charge of the economy, farming and associations | | CAROLE ABBEY DUVAL | Director , Head of the Steering Department at Caisse des Dépôts | | DIANE SIMIU | Director , deputy of the general commissioner for sustainable development at the Ministry for economic and solidarity transition |

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