Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer ('Freshfields') has advised the underwriting syndicate led by the Joint Global Co-ordinators, Citigroup Global Markets Asia Limited, China International Capital Corporation Hong Kong Securities Limited and Deutsche Bank AG, Hong Kong Branch, for the IPO of Ganfeng Lithium Co., Ltd. (‘Ganfeng Lithium’) on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The listing has raised US$423.5 million (before the over-allotment option is exercised). Shares started trading today (11 October 2018).

Shearman & Sterling advised Deutsche Beteiligungs AG (DBAG) and DBAG Fund VII advised by DBAG on the acquisiton of a majority stake in SERO Schröder Elektronik Rohrbach GmbH (Sero) in connection with a Management Buyout (MBO). Sero is the sixth investment of DBAG Fund VII, which focuses inter alia on successions in family-owned companies in MBO transactions. The transaction is subject to the approval of the competition authorities and expected to close in November 2018.

Global law firm White & Case LLP has advised the underwriters on a €1.5 billion dual tranche Mortgage Covered Bond (Pfandbrief) issued by ING-DiBa AG.

The underwriter group includes Bayerische Landesbank, BNP Paribas, Dekabank Deutsche Girozentrale, DZ BANK AG Deutsche Zentral-Genossenschaftsbank, Frankfurt am Main, ING Bank N.V., Norddeutsche Landesbank – Girozentrale, Swedbank AB (Publ) and Unicredit Bank AG

Global law firm White & Case LLP has advised the four systemic Greek banks – Alpha Bank, Eurobank, National Bank of Greece and Piraeus Bank – on their entry into an innovative and groundbreaking servicing agreement with Italian credit institution doBank S.p.A.

Global law firm White & Case LLP has advised Goldman Sachs as leader in a fundraising for JUMO, the largest and fastest growing technology platform for operating inclusive mobile financial services marketplaces.

Other leading investors including Proparco, the private sector financing arm of the French Development Agency (AFD), Finnfund, Vostok Emerging Finance, Gemcorp Capital and LeapFrog Investments also participated in the funding.

International law firm Clifford Chance acted as international counsel to the Joint Global Coordinators, Joint Bookrunners and Co-Lead Managers on aseptic carton packaging manufacturer SIG Combibloc Group's CHF 1.48 billion (USD 1.53 billion) initial public offering and listing on the SIX Swiss Exchange, valuing the business at approximately USD 3.7 billion.

The offering generated CHF 1.18 billion in gross proceeds for the company and CHF 303.8 million for the selling shareholders, comprised of entities affiliated with private equity firm Onex Corp. and members of management.

Eversheds Sutherland has advised longstanding client Legal & General on a £2.4bn buy-out for the Nortel Networks UK Pension Plan, which covers around 15,500 pensioner members and around 7,200 deferred members.