Munich/Frankfurt/Berlin - Deutsche Beteiligungs AG and the private equity fund DBAG Fund V managed by it will acquire, in a management buyout, a majority shareholding in the Formel D Group from the current sole owners, Viola Metzner and Hans-Josef Orth. A corresponding purchase agreement was signed on 22 February 2013. Completion of the transaction is subject to clearance by cartel authorities.

The listed Deutsche Beteiligungs AG is a leading German private equity company. It manages assets of some 1.3 billion euros and, since its foundation in 1965, has invested together with its co-investment funds in more than 300 mid-sized companies (German “Mittelstand”), most of which operate in traditional core sectors of German industry.

Formel D Group was founded in 1993 and provides services to major automobile manufacturers and suppliers along the entire value chain – from a vehicle’s development and production to after-sales activities. In 2012, Formel D generated revenues of approximately 130 million euros and currently employs a staff of 2,500, more than half of whom are located in Germany. Currently, Formel D is present at 64 locations in Germany and worldwide, such as in the US, Brazil, Russia, India and China.

SJ Berwin advised Deutsche Beteiligungs AG on this transaction. Advice was provided by partners Christoph Brenner (M&A/Private Equity, Munich, lead partner), Barbara Geck (Employment, Frankfurt), Michael Kreft (Tax, Munich), Wolfgang von Schönborn (Banking and Finance, Munich) and Tilman Siebert (Competition, Munich) as well as associates Johanna Marniok (M&A/Private Equity, Frankfurt), Daniel Schiele (M&A/Private Equity, Munich), Franziska Fiedler (Employment, Frankfurt), Corina Hackbarth (Tax, Munich), Johanna Leitzke-Schmid (Real Estate, Munich) and Michaela Westrup (Competition, Munich).

SJ Berwin is one of the leading law firms in the private equity sector. In 2012, for instance, the firm was ranked first for European buyouts based on transaction volume (please refer to the annual league table release by mergermarket, London). This year, SJ Berwin has already advised on major private equity transactions in Germany, such as Star Capital Partners on the sale of Blohm + Voss Industries to SKF Group, and Bayern LB Capital Partner on the acquisition of GHM Group together with VR Equitypartner.

SJ Berwin LLP in Germany has offices in Frankfurt, Munich and Berlin. The firm provides advice in all major areas of business law, focusing on Corporate/M&A, Private Equity, Funds/Fund Structuring, Private Clients, Banking & Finance, Capital Markets, Tax, EU/Competition, IP/IT, Real Estate, Employment as well as Litigation/Arbitration. Worldwide, SJ Berwin has offices in Brussels, Dubai, Hong Kong, London, Madrid, Milan, Paris, Shanghai and (since the beginning of 2013) in Luxembourg.

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