Simmons & Simmons has advised Arthur J. Gallagher, the fourth largest insurance brokerage in the world, on its proposed establishment of a joint venture insurance brokerage firm with China’s Jiang Tai Insurance Brokers.

The joint venture will operate as Jiang Tai Re, and its initial offering in China will focus on reinsurance and specialty lines.

This will be the first joint venture insurance broker launched in the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone.

Vattenfall and Skandia are jointly investing almost SEK 2 billion to set up four wind parks in Sweden with a total output of 141 MW. This is the first time that Vattenfall invites an external investor for a wind power investment.

Clifford Chance is advising Hearst Corporation on its all-cash acquisition of a 25 percent interest in AwesomenessTV from DreamWorks Animation. Hearst's interest in AwesomenessTV is valued at $81.25 million.

Norton Rose Fulbright has advised Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank (CA-CIB) on the establishment of Sea Bridge Finance, a joint venture with Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank (SMTB).

Sea Bridge Finance is a 50-50 joint venture between CA-CIB and SMTB and has been formed to invest up to US$1 billion in senior secured ship mortgage loans over the next three years. Norton Rose Fulbright will continue to represent Sea Bridge Finance in relation to its future investment activities.

Simon Hartley, partner and co-head of shipping, commented:

AllBright partner Philip Zhang and associate Zeng Lei advised Swiss company Rolic AG in setting up a joint venture in Shanghai’s Qingpu District, including designing the deal structure, and drafting and negotiating joint investment contracts as well as the corporate charter and appendix documents between the joint venture and its investors. The JV was recently formally established.

Alpha Animation Co., Ltd. (“Alpha Animation”) has announced that it had formed a long-term strategic partnership with Hollywood’s New Regency Productions, Inc. and would invest no more than US$60mln in three Hollywood blockbusters, i.e., “Assassins’ Creed”, “Splinter Cell” and “The Spirit”, which would all be produced by New Regency Productions. Crew of the movies features: Doug Liman, a renowned American action movie director and producer best known for “The Bourne Identity” and “Mr. & Mrs.

Gide has advised Petit Bateau, a well-known French clothing brand with nearly 400 stores in over 60 countries, on its China distribution partnership with Fung Kids Limited, a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based Fung Group Limited.

Clifford Chance advises Airbus Group on the creation with Safran of their new Joint Venture named Airbus Safran Launchers.  With an initial workforce of around 450, starting operations on 1 January 2015, Airbus Safran Launchers will maintain the outstanding level of quality and reliability of Ariane 5, while working on a new family of state-of-the-art space launchers to foster Europe’s leading role in the space industry. The new company will bring together the expertise of both Airbus Group and Safran in space launchers at key Franco-German industrial sites.

Dentons has advised Meininger Holding on the formation of a commercial partnership with leading European real estate investor Foncière des Régions, through its subsidiary Foncière des Murs, to source and acquire hotel properties across Europe. The strategic agreement could lead to €400 million in investments through triple net long-term leases over the next four years.

Herbert Smith Freehills has advised UDG Healthcare Corporation, a subsidiary of Dublin-based UDG Healthcare plc, on its joint venture with Tokyo-headquartered CMIC Holdings.

The joint venture company-CMIC Ashfield Co., Ltd.-will primarily service the Japanese Contract Sales Organisation (CSO) market, combining the expertise of one of the leading international CSOs with the local knowledge and capabilities of  one of Japan's leading CSOs.