International law firm Pinsent Masons has advised Legal & General Group Plc on the sale of Cofunds, the UK's leading investment platform for advisers and other financial institutions, to Aegon for £140 million.

The sale is subject to regulatory approval which is expected by the end of 2016.

The Pinsent Masons team advising on the deal was led by corporate partner Hannah Brader supported by corporate solicitor Emma Dawe.  Specialist platforms advice was provided by Tobin Ashby and Chris Riach.

Commenting on the deal Hannah Brader said:

Ashurst has advised the mandated lead arrangers and bookrunners, lenders and agent on the A$1 billion financing for Viva Energy REIT Limited.

In 2014, Vitol SA acquired (through its Viva Energy Holding Pty Ltd SPV) Shell's Australian downstream business. As part of Vitol's second phase of its strategy for these assets, the lenders agreed to provide certain corporate and acquisition debt facilities to fund the spin off the service station real property assets into an ASX listed real estate investment trust (REIT).

Linklaters has advised the lenders on the multi-source financing of the world’s largest new-build biomass power plant.

The project also represents the first dedicated biomass plant to have successfully been financed under the contract for difference (CfD) regime. Earlier this year, Linklaters advised on the project financing of the CfD supported Dudgeon and Beatrice offshore wind farms, the latter of which represents the largest CfD supported project to have reached financial close to date.

King & Wood Mallesons (KWM) has advised Fenghui Leasing Co. Ltd. as US and PRC counsels on its offering of US$150 million 7.875% guaranteed notes due 2019. It is the first high yield bond issued by a PRC financial leasing company and a landmark transaction for both the issuer, as its debut international bond offering, and for KWM, as the first ever international law firm to act as both US and PRC counsel in a bond issuance.

International law firm Watson Farley & Williams (“WFW”) advised Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank (“CACIB”), SACE S.p.A. (“SACE”) and a syndicate of banks on the delivery of the cruise ship “Seven Seas Explorer” built by the Italian shipyard Fincantieri S.p.A. “Seven Seas Explorer” was delivered to Explorer New Build LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Norwegian Cruise Line Corporation Ltd, on 30th June 2016 and will sail as part of the Regent Seven Seas fleet.

Bird & Bird's Nordic offices in Copenhagen and Helsinki have advised Holvi in the acquisition by multinational Spanish banking group, BBVA.

Ashurst has advised Coöperatieve Rabobank U.A. (Rabobank) Australia Branch in relation to a A$50 million issue of 4.25% Fixed Rate Notes, due 12 May 2026, under its A$15 billion Australian and New Zealand Debt Issuance Programme.

The Ashurst team was led by partner Jamie Ng, who was assisted by Senior Foreign Associate Caroline Smart and lawyer Timon Ibrahim.

Ashurst has advised L-Bank (Landeskreditbank Baden-Wurttemberg Forderbank) in relation to a A$50 million tap issuance of 3.00% Fixed Rate Notes, due 18 August 2026, under its A$5 billion Australian and New Zealand Debt Issuance Programme.

This brings L-Bank's consolidated issuance under this series up to A$180,000,000. The issuance was subscribed to by the Joint Lead Managers.

The Ashurst team was led by partner Jamie Ng, who was assisted by Senior Foreign Associate Caroline Smart and lawyer Timon Ibrahim.

Slaughter and May, working as a team with Cleary, Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, advised Santander UK Group Holdings plc in relation to the issue of US$1.5 billion notes under its SEC registered US shelf facility.

The issue, announced on 5 August 2016, comprises a single tranche of US$1.5 billion 2.875% notes due 2021.

The joint book-running managers for the issuance were Barclays, BNP Paribas, Goldman, Sachs & Co, Morgan Stanley and Santander.

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Freshfields has advised Goldman Sachs Merchant Banking Division on the financing of the acquisition of Continental Bakeries

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer (‘Freshfields’) has advised Goldman Sachs Merchant Banking Division (‘Goldman Sachs’) on the financing of the acquisition of the leading European bakery group, Continental Bakeries.  Goldman Sachs, together with Silverfern Group, acquired Continental Bakeries from Dutch private equity firm, NPM Capital N.V.