The 9 billion euro shareholder loan offered to Orange by the French authorities at end 2002 cannot be classified as State aid: Orange, advised by Gide, obtains the annulment of the European Commission’s decision
The Glasgow office of national legal business DWF has advised Capita plc (the UK’s leading provider of customer and business process management (BPM) and integrated professional support service solutions) on its acquisition of Barrachd Ltd, software solutions provider and one IBM’s leading business analytics partners in the UK. The acquisition will allow Capita to deliver analytical technology to its clients in both the public and private sector and is the 4th deal that DWF’s corporate team has advised Capita on so far in 2015.
Shoosmiths has advised the shareholders of Pervasive Limited on its sale of the business to Capita plc, the largest business process outsourcing and professional services company in the UK.
Pervasive Ltd is an IT solutions provider specialising in enterprise wireless networks, mobility managed services and bring-your-own-device solutions. They have a large client base across a range of sectors including further and higher education, local government and the health service.
Temenos Group AG announced the issuance of a CHF 175,000,000 Bond.
Credit Suisse AG and BZ Bank Aktiengesellschaft acted as managers for this issuance. The Bonds are being listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange.
Homburger acted as lead counsel in this transaction. The Homburger team included Dieter Gericke (Partner, Corporate M&A), Reto Heuberger (Partner, Tax) and Eduard De Zordi (Counsel, Financial Services).
Qualcomm Incorporated, through one of its affiliates, and Novartis launched dRx Capital AG, a Swiss based joint venture investment company, with a capital commitment up to $100 million. The joint venture will invest in early-stage companies leveraging the extensive networks in pharma, mobile/IT, and the investment community of the two JV owners.
Lenz & Staehelin advises Qualcomm in this matter. The team comprises partner Tino Gaberthüel and senior associate Dominik Kaczmarczyk.
Travers Smith LLP has advised Takkt AG on the acquisition of BiGDUG Limited, a provider of business equipment based in the UK.
Takkt acquired BiGDUG through its subsidiary KAISER + KRAFT EUROPA GmbH, for consideration of approximately £19 million. In addition, up to a further £6.3 million may become payable, subject to the certain agreed performance goals over the next three years.
Ashurst advised Webhelp Group, one of Europe's leading specialists in customer relationship solutions and services, headquartered in France, on the acquisition of nine call centres from Germany-based Walter Services Group. The parties have agreed not to disclose the purchase price. The transaction is still subject to regulatory approval.
InfinitEye VR, a French company specialising in virtual reality technologies, whose high-resolution VR headset was revealed at E3 trade show in Las Vegas, was acquired by Starbreeze AB, a Sweden-based company listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange and an independent creator, publisher and distributor of video games and entertainment products. This new collaboration heralds the development of a new generation of video games (the first worldwide cultural industry, overtaking the movie industry) and immersive applications.
The broadcasting group ProSiebenSat.1 is taking over 80 percent of the well-known comparison portal Verivox through its investment subsidiary 7Commerce. The seller is the private equity investor Oakley Capital. The purchase price is 170 million Euros.
In addition, there is a variable purchase price component, the amount of which is linked to the operative result of Verivox in 2015. It amounts to a maximum of 40 million Euros.
Squire Patton Boggs is advising Infibeam Incorporation Limited, one of India’s leading e-commerce companies, on its proposed Rs. 4.5 billion IPO. The proposed IPO will be the first public listing in India by an e-commerce company, and is being managed by SBI Capital Market Limited, ICICI Securities Limited, Kotak Mahindra Capital Company Limited, and Elara Capital (India) Private Limited.