Hogan Lovells is proud to announce it is advising the underwriters in connection with the high-profile initial public offering (IPO) of Paramount Group, Inc., owner of premier office buildings in New York, Washington, D.C., and San Francisco.

The US$2.3 billion transaction is the largest real estate investment trust (REIT) IPO in history. Hogan Lovells is acting as underwriters’ counsel to Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley, Wells Fargo Securities, and Deutsche Bank Securities.

On 14 October 2014, Geberit announced an all-cash SEK 9.7 billion public offer for Sanitec, a company listed on Nasdaq Stockholm. JP Morgan is acting as financial advisor to Geberit in connection with the transaction and providing debt financing for the offer.

Geberit is the European leader in the sanitary technology sector with a broad and comprehensive product portfolio. Sanitec is a leading manufacturer and supplier of bathroom ceramics products and ceramics complementary products, with particularly attractive product offering in the medium-to high-end markets.

Linklaters has advised Tokyo Stock Exchange listed  Japanese financial institution, J. Trust Co. Ltd (“J Trust”), as international counsel on the acquisition of Indonesia’s PT Bank Mutiara Tbk for USD 373m; an example of the continuing desire by foreign investors to tap the rising demand for retail finance in SE Asia’s largest economy.

Leading international law firm Clifford Chance has advised CLSA India Private Limited, Citigroup Global Markets India Private Limited, Credit Suisse Securities (India) Private Limited, ICICI Securities Limited, Kotak Mahindra Capital Company Limited and IDFC Securities Limited as joint bookrunning lead managers on CESC Limited’s (CESC) approximately US$80 million Rule 144A/Regulation S qualified institutions placement of 7,621,118 equity shares at a price of Rs. 644 per equity share.

Simmons & Simmons has advised on a £250million UK residential mortgage backed security deal.

Led by asset-backed finance partner, Simon Schiff, the firm advised the joint lead managers (Lloyds, Macquarie, Morgan Stanley and Natixis) on the £250 million Paragon Mortgages (No.21) PLC securitisation of UK buy-to-let mortgages. This followed our instruction on the Paragon (No.20) PLC securitisation that closed earlier in the year. Paragon are one of the most regular issuers in the RMBS market.

Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken (SEB) has entered into a facilities agreement with a project company owned by a fund managed by BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, to provide the project company with financing for the construction of the 46.2 MW Brotorp wind farm, comprising 14 Vestas V126 3.3MW turbines. Total project costs are estimated to approximately EUR 71 million.

Arise AB (publ) will manage the construction and operations of the wind farm on behalf of BlackRock.

Ashurst has advised export credit agencies Japan Bank for International Cooperation ('JBIC'), Korea Ex-Im Bank ('KEXIM'), Nippon Export and Investment Insurance ('NEXI') and the commercial banks on the US$2.8 billion financing for the Donggi-Senoro LNG project in Indonesia, which signed on 14 November.

The lenders included JBIC, KEXIM, Mizuho Corporate Bank, Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Korea Exchange Bank and NongHyup Bank.

Bank of China's Tier 2: Clifford Chance has advised the lead managers on Bank of China's issue of US$3 billion 5% Tier 2 capital notes due 2024. The lead managers were Bank of China, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, HSBC, Wells Fargo Securities, Crédit Agricole, CIB, Deutsche Bank, J.P. Morgan, Mizuho Securities and Morgan Stanley. Partners Matt Fairclough, Crawford Brickley and Fang Liu led on the deal and were supported by consultant David Tsai and associates Yue Song, Torrance Shi and Liu Gehuan.

Clifford Chance has advised Banco Santander, as lender, on a US$300 million credit facility extended to the State of São Paulo to support the São Paulo State Sustainable Transport Project. The financing is guaranteed by the Federative Republic of Brazil and by the World Bank's Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA). The project seeks to build and upgrade approximately 370 km of road across 12 highways that pass through 26 cities. The loan agreement was signed by São Paulo's governor, Geraldo Alckmin, on November 11 in New York.

Linklaters has advised the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (“HKEx”) over the past year and a half on the establishment of the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect. This programme will create trading and clearing links that enable Hong Kong and overseas investors to trade in securities listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange and Mainland Chinese investors to trade in securities listed on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong.