Allen & Overy LLP has advised the British EG Group Ltd. (EG) located in Blackburn (UK) on the acquisition of more than 1,000 Esso service stations in Germany and the corresponding brand partnership with ExxonMobil. EG intends to further develop the Esso service station business in Germany on a long-term and strategic basis. The respective contracts were signed yesterday, 28 November 2017. Both parties agreed not to disclose the purchasing price. The closing of the transaction is still subject to approval by the EU antitrust authority.

Both companies have already successfully established similar partnerships under the “Branded Wholesaler” model in the UK and France.

With the purchase of the German Esso network and with the ongoing takeover of Esso stations in Italy, EG will operate around 3,500 stations under different brands across Europe - including 200 stations along motorways. The operator model change is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2018.

The Allen & Overy team was jointly led by partner Dr. Hans Schoneweg and counsel Dr. Rüdiger Klüber (both Corporate/M&A, Hamburg) and comprised partners Dr. Ellen Braun (Antitrust, Hamburg), Dr. Olaf Otting (Public Law, Frankfurt), Dr. Heike Weber (Tax, beide Frankfurt), Dr. Jens Matthes (IP/Düsseldorf), counsel Dr. Christian Hilmes (Corporate/Real Estate), Dr. René Galle (Antitrust, both Hamburg), Dr. Udo Olgemöller (Public Law, Frankfurt), senior associates Juliane Dieckmann-Keden (Corporate/M&A), Sören Seidel (Employment), Dr. Marcus Grühn (Corporate/Real Estate, all Hamburg) and Tim Spranger (Tax, Frankfurt) as well as the associates Patrick Buse, Dr. Moritz Meister, Dr. Moritz Merkenich (all Corporate/M&A, Hamburg), Matthias Taggeselle (Corporate/M&A, Frankfurt), Dr. Wolfgang Wittek (Employment, Hamburg), Dr. Anna Opel (Public Law, Frankfurt) and Benjamin Geisel (Antitrust/Brussels).