On July 25, 2016, WISeKey International Holding Ltd (SIX: WIHN) and OpenLimit Holding AG (O5H.DE) announced that they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) regarding a contemplated business combination in the form of a statutory merger under Swiss law, whereby OpenLimit would be merged with and into WISeKey, with WISeKey thus being the surviving entity. The entry into definitive agreements is subject to satisfactory reciprocal confirmatory due diligence, to be conducted over the next month, and other conditions as are customary.

Charles Russell Speechlys has advised the Civica Group (an investee company of OMERS Private Equity) on its latest acquisition of government digital specialist, SFW Ltd.

Based in Woking with an offshore development centre in Vadodara, India, SFW Ltd specialises in building and managing digital solutions for the public sector, supplying 70 organisations predominantly in UK national and local government. Core capabilities are focused around digital engagement, CRM-based applications and workplace collaboration.

International legal practice Osborne Clarke has advised Dassault Systèmes Deutschland GmbH on its acquisition of CST Computer Simulation Technology AG for approximately €220m.

Dassault Systèmes, listed at the Euronext in Paris, provides business and people with virtual universes to imagine sustainable innovations. Its world-leading solutions transform the way products are designed, produced, and supported. The group brings value to over 210,000 customers of all sizes, in all industries, in more than 140 countries.

Baker & McKenzie advised Dassault Systèmes on the acquisition of all shares in CST - Computer Simulation Technology AG, headquartered in Darmstadt, Germany. Dassault Systèmes acquires CST for a purchase price of approximately 220 million euros. Completion of the transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including merger clearance. Closing is expected for Q4 2016.

Irwin Mitchell Advises Next Fifteen As Lead Investor In UK MarTech business

London based Phrasee, a marketing software company which uses artificial intelligence to boost email response rates, has raised £1m in seed funding.

Phrasee intends to use the funds for research and development purposes, and expansion of the reach of scientific approach to email marketing in both the UK and US MarTech markets.

Ashurst advised software group SAP on the acquisition of all shares in Fedem Technology AS, a Norwegian internet of things company based in Trondheim. The shares were sold by the founders and managers of the company for an undisclosed consideration.

The Ashurst team was led by Munich-based partner Dr Thomas Sacher. He was supported by partners Dr Benedikt von Schorlemer and Jan Krekeler (both Frankfurt), counsels Volker Germann (Munich) and Dr Philip Cavaillès as well as by associates Markus Hiebel and Jan van Kisfeld (all Frankfurt, corporate).

We assisted Aberdeen and the DEGI Europa Fund owned by Commerzbank AG, and managed by Aberdeen, in the sale of Tieto Corporation’s current headquarters to the Finnish pension insurance company Veritas.

The headquarters property is located in Lassila, Helsinki. It is a modern office property with a total leasable area of approximately 22,600 m2. The office buildings are situated in a visible location near Kehä I (Ring Road I). Further information is available in Veritas’s press release (only in Finnish).

Davis Polk is advising ARM Holdings plc as to U.S. law in connection with a recommended all-cash offer for ARM’s entire share capital by SoftBank Group Corp. that values ARM’s share capital at approximately £24.3 billion (approximately $32 billion). It is intended that the acquisition be effected by means of a scheme of arrangement under U.K. law and the acquisition is expected to close in the third quarter of 2016.

Slaughter and May is advising ARM Holdings plc on a recommended cash offer for ARM's entire issued and to be issued share capital by SoftBank Group Corp. The offer was announced on 18 July 2016. Under the offer, each ARM shareholder will be entitled to receive 1,700 pence in cash for each ARM share. The offer values ARM's issued and to be issued share capital at approximately £24.3 billion. It is expected the transaction will complete in Q3 2016.

DLA Piper has advised Playtech, the world's largest online gaming software supplier traded on the London Stock Exchange Main Market, on the acquisition of a 90% stake in Best Gaming Technology (BGT), a retail gambling company, for EUR 138 million. The remaining 10% will be retained by Dr. Armin Sageder, BGT's founder and CEO. This strategic acquisition is part of Playtech's development strategy to expand its technology offering to clients.