Holcim Ltd (SIX: HOLN) and Lafarge SA (Euronext: LG) have announced that they had agreed to amend the terms of the merger of equals originally announced in April 2014. The revised terms were approved by both respective Board of Directors and supported by the core shareholders of both companies. The transaction will be consummated by a public exchange offer of Holcim Ltd for all outstanding shares of Lafarge, leading to a top holding company with place of incorporation in Switzerland, following Swiss governance rules, and a balanced allocation of headquarters between Switzerland and France.

Savills plc is acquiring SEB Asset Management AG (SEBAM) after a bidding process structured by investment bank Lazard. SEBAM is one of Germany’s leading real estate asset managers and belongs to the Swedish SEB Group. Going forward, SEBAM’s activities will be combined with the Savills Group’s existing asset management business, Cordea Savills. The Cordea Savills Group currently has assets under management totalling EUR 7 billion. Added together with SEBAM the figure will rise to almost EUR 15 billion in Europe, plus around EUR 2 billion in Asia.

Trowers & Hamlins is pleased to have advised Gloucester City Homes on the transfer of Gloucester City Council's 4,500 homes to it.

The transfer will achieve not only long-term investment in the homes but also provide a platform for new homes and regeneration in the city.

The Trowers & Hamlins team was led by partner Ian Doolittle, with support from colleagues Natasha Berbeneva, Neil Waller, Richie Alder, Martin McFall, Adrian Bode and others.

150 million preference shares of China State Construction Engineering Corporation Limited (stock code: SH601668, "China Construction") were successfully listed at Shanghai Stock Exchange. On 30 December 2014, China Construction received approval from the China Securities Regulatory Commission ("Commission") in respect of the non-public issuance of no more than 300 millionpreference shares by China Construction.

Nabarro has advised longstanding client, Urban&Civic on its £34 million acquisition of Catesby Property Group, a well-established, planning led, strategic land company set up in 1996 by Eric Grove. The consideration was a mixture of cash and shares in Urban&Civic. This follows Urban&Civic's reverse acquisition by AIM-traded Terrace Hill and £325 million move to the main market last year, which Nabarro also advised on.

The Dechert Finance Real Estate team in London advised on the finance aspects of the £1.1 billion (US$1.65 billion) acquisition of the Liberty Living Group by the Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board ("CPPIB") which completed yesterday. The acquisition is the first investment in an alternative real estate sector for CPPIB and it is also the largest real estate deal CPPIB has ever done in Europe.

Trowers & Hamlins is pleased to have advised the Balfour Beatty and Places for People consortium on a major development deal with London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) to invest in and construct the East Wick and Sweetwater housing development project at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

DLA Piper has advised Market Tech Holdings Limited ("Market Tech"), a holding company that combines real estate assets in Camden and an e-commerce business, on the acquisition of Camden Wharf and the Interchange Building in Camden for £97 million.

Situated on the banks of Regents Canal, with space totaling 115,000 sq ft, the properties are currently let as a mixture of office, retail and leisure units. As part of the deal Market Tech will also acquire the freehold of the iconic Camden Lock market.

Allen & Overy has advised Lone Star on its £1bn acquisition of ‘Project Laser’, a portfolio of UK real estate assets from Moorfield’s first maturing private equity funds.

The transaction was financed with a three-year £593m loan from RBC Capital Markets and Wells Fargo.

Wiersholm assisted AF Gruppen with the purchase of 70% of the shares in LAB AS.

LAB is the leading building contractor in Western Norway. Through the acquisition of the LAB group, AF Gruppen will gain a strong foothold in Western Norway as well.

AF Gruppen is one of Norway's leading contracting and industrial groups with business activities in construction, real estate, offshore, energy and environmental technology.

Our team was headed by:
Sverre Sandvik, Partner