Poland

The Polish company Ivona Software, which delivers products using text-to-speech technology, has been acquired by Amazon.com.

The technology offered by Ivona Software, a leader in the field of speech synthesis, converts written text into speech using a database of voice recordings. Ivona now offers voice and language portfolios with 44 voices in 17 languages and more in development.

It has been announced that the technology developed by Ivona Software powers the Text-to-Speech, Voice Guide and Explore by Touch features on Kindle Fire tablets.

Slaughter and May, working as an integrated team with ITV's legal team, advised ITV on the acquisition of the freehold of London Television Centre, home to the company’s headquarters and studios on the South Bank.

The company has purchased the 2.5 acre site for £56 million from Coal Pension Properties Ltd. Should there be any substantial redevelopment of the site in the next 10 years, Coal Pension Properties may receive additional payments up to a maximum of £6.5 million.

Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP has advised Telenet, a leading provider of broadband cable services on its successful bid to acquire the Premier League broadcasting rights in Belgium.

Telenet provides cable television, high speed internet and telecom services, primarily to residential customers in Flanders and Brussels.  Telenet is currently a Premier League rights holder and has been awarded the exclusive audio visual broadcast rights for a further three years.  This covers all 380 Barclays Premier League matches for seasons 2013/14–2015/16 in Belgium.

Olswang has acted for leading TV drama producers Greg Brenman and Roanna Benn on the foundation of Drama Republic Ltd., the pair's new London based production company, for which a first-look distribution deal with BBC Worldwide has been agreed.

At Drama Republic, Brenman and Benn will specialise in high-end TV drama with international appeal.  Drama Republic's knowledge of the international market place, tax rebate production opportunities and strong worldwide broadcaster relationships, will give Drama Republic a formidable position in the international arena.

International law firm Taylor Wessing has advised News International and BrandAlley S.A. on the UK management buyout of online retail company BrandAlley UK Limited, the leading UK fashion private sales site. The buyout was backed by private investors.

BrandAlley was launched in the UK as a joint venture between BrandAlley S.A. and News International. The company pioneered the designer flash sale model in the UK and this year launched Outlet, a permanent designer catalogue which now accounts for 12% of total sales.

Nabarro has acted for Google on the acquisition of a site at Argent's King's Cross estate for the development of the technology giant's new UK headquarters.

Contracts were exchanged on 17th January for the grant to Google of a 999 year lease and the right to develop c750,000 square feet of office space with ground floor retail. Nabarro won the work to act for Google in a competitive pitch at the end of 2011.

DLA Piper represented Eagle View Technologies, Inc. in a merger with Pictometry International that created a combined new company valued at approximately US$400 million. The merger creates an entity that offers comprehensive and robust capabilities in aerial imagery collections, geospatial analytics and 3D measurement technologies.

DLA Piper has been advising the TecDAX-listed, Hamburg-based company XING AG on the acquisition of the Austrian kununu GmbH. With more than 12 million members, XING AG operates the leading social network for professional contacts in the German-speaking world.

Olswang has acted for long-standing client QSoft Consulting in a transaction to transfer its Gaydar Radio DAB Broadcasting licenses to Gaydio, the UK's first FM gay radio station.

Allen & Overy LLP advises its long-standing client News Corporation in connection with a comprehensive refinancing of Sky Deutschland AG. The refinancing comprises financing measures with expected gross proceeds totalling EUR 438 million, a guarantee for the Bundesliga broadcasting licence and new credit facilities guaranteed by News Corporation with a total volume of EUR 300 million.