Frankfurt/Main - On December 29, 2017, VTB Group completed the realignment of its European operations. VTB Bank (Europe) SE was established through the cross-border merger of VTB Bank (Austria) AG into VTB Bank (Deutschland) AG and the subsequent cross-border merger of VTB Bank (France) SA into VTB Bank (Europe) SE, which now operates under a single banking license.

An international CMS-team led by CMS Germany advised VTB Bank comprehensively on this complex transaction.

MinterEllison has advised ASX-listed investment trust, MCP Master Income Trust (ASX:MXT), on its proposed $381 million capital raising.

MXT announced the capital raising, which involved a novel entitlement offer and back-end retail placement structure, today. Proceeds from the capital raising will be invested in wholesale funds, managed by Metrics Credit Partners (MCP), for new lending opportunities. Established in 2011, MCP continues to see a strong pipeline of lending opportunities across a variety of borrowers and industries.

Watson Farley & Williams (“WFW”) has advised ING Bank N.V., Singapore Branch, as facility agent for a syndicate of international lenders comprising ING Bank, Danish Ship Finance, Development Bank of Japan, Oversea- Chinese Banking Corporation Ltd and Société Générale on the provision of a US$150m secured term loan facility to BW LPG Holding Ltd (“BW LPG”).

Ashurst advised Natixis as sole structuring mandated lead arranger, sole bookrunner, sole underwriter and hedging bank, and MPS in relation to the first non-recourse project financing of the SUPERNAP Italia data centre in Italy.

Global law firm White & Case LLP has advised the bank syndicate on the inaugural €1 billion bonds issue by Elis, which comprises two series of bonds: €650 million bonds with a five years maturity, and €350 million bonds with an eight years maturity.

Simpson Thacher represented a finance subsidiary of Cognita in connection with a Regulation S offering of £60 million in aggregate principal amount of its 7.75% Senior Notes due 2021. The transaction closed on February 22, 2018. The proceeds of the offering, together with local bank debt, will be used to acquire the American British School in Chile and pay related local transaction costs, with the remaining amounts to be used to fund cash on balance sheet for general corporate purposes and to pay transaction costs and expenses related to the placement of the Notes.

Bremer Kreditbank (BKB) has successfully completed a capital increase with an issue volume of EUR 300 million. The Annual General Meeting of BKB had already approved the capital increase on 24 May 2017. International law firm Clifford Chance advised BKB on this transaction.

King & Wood Mallesons (KWM) advised China Development Bank in connection with the multi-billion dollar debt restructuring of Indonesia's largest thermal coal producer, PT Bumi Resources.

Following its restructuring, lenders have been approved to exchange existing debt for new debt and securities – comprising senior loans and notes, mandatory convertible bonds, and contingent value rights.

Travers Smith LLP has acted for Investec Bank plc in its capacity as nominated adviser and broker on the £50.0 million placing (the "Placing") of new ordinary shares by easyHotel plc (easyHotel).

The Placing remains conditional on, amongst other things, the passing of shareholder resolutions at a general meeting of easyHotel.

easyHotel is the owner, developer, operator and franchisor of branded hotels. The proceeds of the Placing will be utilised primarily to fund the group's owned hotel roll-out strategy.

The international law firm BEITEN BURKHARDT has advised ING DiBa on the acquisition of the Berlin online credit market place Lendico. The takeover is still subject to approval by the antitrust authorities and the parties have agreed not to disclose the transaction volume.