A team from the Paris office of Debevoise & Plimpton LLP has advised long-time client Pernod Ricard in the successful closing of a €850 million Eurobond offering of 2% notes due June 2020.

Placement was made across a range of qualified investors, principally in Germany, France and the UK. BBVA, Citi, CM-CIC, Crédit Agricole CIB, HSBC, Natixis and Rabobank were the joint bookrunners of the bond issue.

The bonds are admitted to trading on the regulated market of NYSE Euronext in Paris.

Clifford Chance advised Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft and Volkswagen Group of America Finance, LLC on the issuance of U.S.$ 3.5 billion of bonds by Volkswagen Group of America Finance, LLC primarily to U.S. institutional investors pursuant to Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933. The bonds are irrevocably and unconditionally guaranteed by Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft. This was Volkswagen Group of America Finance, LLC's initial issuance of bonds to U.S institutional investors.

Cravath represented the underwriter, J.P. Morgan Securities, in connection with the US$2 billion registered debt offering of JPMorgan Chase & Co., a leading global financial services firm and one of the largest banking institutions in the United States. The transaction closed on May 13, 2014.

The Cravath team included partner William V. Fogg, senior attorney G. Douglas Johnson and associate Laura E. Hansell.

Cravath represented the initial purchasers, led by Wells Fargo Securities, BofA Merrill Lynch and J.P. Morgan Securities, in connection with the US$550 million 144A/Reg. S high-yield senior notes offering of Service Corporation International, North America’s largest provider of deathcare products and services. The transaction closed on May 12, 2014.

The Cravath team included partner Craig F. Arcella.

Dentons has advised Majid Al Futtaim Holding LLC on the update of its U.S.$2,000,000,000 Global Medium Term Note Programme (the GMTN Programme) and U.S.$1,000,000,000 Trust Certificate Issuance Programme, both completed on 29 April. Dentons also advised the company on the issue of U.S.$500,000,000 4.750 per cent. Notes due 2024 under the GMTN Programme, completed 7 May 2014. Both programmes as well as the Notes are listed on the Irish Stock Exchange and the NASDAQ Dubai.

King & Wood Mallesons has advised iconic British hair styling business ghd (good hair day) on the issue of its £165 million 7.00%.six-year senior secured notes. The UK maker of hair products will use the proceeds to refinance £125.4 million of bank debt and repay £36 million of shareholder loans and £8 million of fees and expenses.

ghd was purchased by Lion Capital, a leading private equity firm and longstanding client of the firm, in 2013.

Ashurst advised Joh. Berenberg, Gossler & Co. KG (Berenberg Bank) on the financing of the acquisition of confectionery specialist Hussel by Munich-based private equity fund Emeram Capital Partners. The loan agreement was signed on 25 April 2014. Berenberg acted as super senior lender. The loan was provided by debt fund Avenue Capital in the form of a unitranche. The parties have agreed not to disclose the financing volume. Hussel was sold by Douglas Holding.

DLA Piper has advised Transfield Services on a major global refinancing. Melbourne-based partner Bill Glover led the Australian team that advised Transfield Services Limited on the issue and sale of US $325 million senior unsecured guaranteed notes in the United States and international capital markets. Fellow Sydney-based partner, Hugo Thistlewood, led the team that advised Transfield Services on its approximately AU $400 million of senior secured syndicated bank facilities in various currencies.

Alliance partners Linklaters and Allens have acted for Bank of China Limited, Sydney Branch on its CNY 2 billion note offering which was completed on 16 April 2014. This transaction marks the first ever Renminbi offering targeting Australian institutional investors.

Pinsent Masons is advising car rental company, Europcar Group UK Limited, on its £500 million asset refinancing.

The deal will see the extension and refinancing of Europcar’s funding arrangements with various lenders, the main purpose of which is to allow Europcar UK to acquire vehicles for the performance of its daily rental business.

Europcar serves business and leisure customers through a network of over 250 car rental stations throughout the United Kingdom.