Thommessen acted in the establishment and IPO of Skandiabanken ASA.

Skandiabanken ASA is a Norwegian pure digital bank that offers a comprehensive range of financial products and services to individuals and households in Norway within payments and card services, deposit-based savings, investment products, long-term loans and short-term loans. The bank has no branches and all products and services are offered directly through the digital platform which is available on a broad range of user devices.

Kirkland & Ellis is advising J.P. Morgan Securities (Asia Pacific) Limited as financial advisor to the Special Committee of Youku Tudou Inc. (NYSE: YOKU), a leading multi-screen entertainment and media company in China, in connection with its acquisition by Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE: BABA) in an all-cash transaction. The transaction was announced on November 6, 2015.

The Kirkland team on the transaction is being led by Hong Kong corporate partner Jesse Sheley.

Ashurst advised pbb Deutsche Pfandbriefbank (pbb) on the partial refinancing of the real estate portfolio "Phoenix". The portfolio comprises three shopping centres in the whole of Germany which were acquired by affiliated companies of Cerberus Capital Management, L.P. in August 2013. Existing loans are redeemed through the new financing. Beyond refinancing, pbb is furthermore granting a loan for reconstruction and maintenance measures of individual Phoenix real estate properties.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has advised Siemens Financial Services (SFS) on its acquisition of a 25% stake in the Galloper offshore wind farm, which is to be built off the coast of Suffolk.
The project is now owned in equal shares by the joint equity partners RWE Innogy, Siemens Financial Services, Macquarie and the Green Investment Bank, having previously been jointly developed by RWE Innogy and SSE. Financial Close was achieved on Thursday 29 October.

Clifford Chance has advised on the issuance of US$500 million 4.5% trust certificates due 2025 by MAF Sukuk Ltd. and guaranteed by Majid Al Futtaim Holding LLC. Majid Al Futtaim is a leading shopping mall, retail and leisure company across the MENA region.

White & Case LLP has advised BNP Paribas, Natixis and Société Générale Corporate & Investment Banking as Joint Lead Managers on the issue by Wendel of its €300 million 1.875 percent Bonds due 2020 issued on October 12, 2015.

The White & Case team in Paris was led by partner Cenzi Gargaro with support from associate Petya Georgieva. Partner Alexandre Ippolito advised on tax issues. The issuer was advised by its internal legal team headed by Sébastien Willerval, Head of Legal and Sébastien Metzger.

Reed Smith has advised Intermediate Capital Group plc (ICG) on its £155 million financing to support the £241 million acquisition of Britain’s biggest bingo chain, Gala Bingo, by listed private equity house, Caledonia Investments plc. The vendor, Gala Coral Group Limited, is divesting the asset in connection with its £2.3 billion merger with Ladbrokes. The transaction is subject to the approval of the UK Gambling Commission.

The senior debt facility is fully underwritten by ICG.

King & Wood Mallesons (KWM) has advised China Huarong Asset Management Co., Ltd. (China Huarong), the largest financial assets management company in China by assets, on its successful listing on the main board of Hong Kong Stock Exchange (Stock Code: 2799). The listing saw China Huarong issue approximately  5.77 billion H shares (before exercising the over-allotment option). Pricing its shares at HK$3.09 per share, the company raised approximately HK$17.9 billion.

Slaughter and May is advising Atlas Mara on its subscription for shares in Banque Populaire du Rwanda (BPR), and the subsequent merger of Atlas Mara’s wholly owned subsidiary BRD Commercial Bank Ltd (BRDC) with BPR. The transaction is subject to customary conditions and local regulatory approval and is expected to complete by the end of the year.

Following completion of the transaction, it is intended that BRDC will be merged with BPR to create Rwanda’s second largest bank by assets, with Atlas Mara retaining a majority interest in the enlarged BPR entity.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has advised China Huarong Asset Management Co., Ltd. (China Huarong) on its HK$17.8bn (US$2.3bn) IPO.

Freshfields advised China Huarong on both the Hong Kong and US aspects of the listing, which commenced trading on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on 30 October 2015.

China Huarong, a state-owned enterprise, is one of China’s largest distressed debt management companies.