Hong Kong – Paul Hastings LLP, a leading global law firm, announced today that it is advising Chinese investor Fujian Grand Chip Investment Fund LP (FGC), through its indirect German subsidiary Grand Chip Investment GmbH (GCI), in a voluntary public takeover offer for German chip maker AIXTRON SE.

The takeover offer will be for all of AIXTRON's outstanding shares, including shares represented by American depository shares ("ADS"), and values the company at approximately €670 million.

Fieldfisher advised Merkle, a leading US-based technology-enabled, data-driven performance marketing agency, on its bank-funded acquisition of DBG, a UK-based independent performance marketing agency that specialises in optimising client data to make compelling connections to drive growth and improve marketing and business performance. DBG has a wide range of European and international clients, including Renault, Sony, Ted Baker, Center Parcs, RBS and VW.

The acquisition had a number of complicating features, including:

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP (Freshfields) is advising Tunisie Telecom on the acquisition of GO plc (GO). Tunisie Telecom will proceed with a voluntary offer for the issued share capital of GO  to be launched pursuant to Chapter 11 of the Listing Rules issued by the Malta Financial Services Authority.

Listed Groupe SEB acquires WMF Group. The closing of the transaction is subject to merger control clearance. Groupe SEB will pay EUR 1,020 million in cash for the WMF Group and assume net debt in an amount of EUR 565 million. In addition, SEB takes over EUR 125 million of early retirement and pension liabilities.

Roschier represented Swedol AB (publ) (listed on Nasdaq Stockholm) in the acquisition of all shares in Björnkläder Intressenter AB (also known as Grolls) from Litorina Kapital III L.P at a price of approx. MSEK 790.

Gleiss Lutz has advised listed Groupe SEB on the acquisition of WMF Group. The closing of the transaction is subject to merger control clearance. Groupe SEB will pay 1,020 million EUR in cash for the WMF Group and assume net debt in an amount of 565 million EUR. In addition, SEB takes over 125 million EUR of early retirement and pension liabilities.

TE Connectivity Ltd. (NYSE: TEL), a Swiss domiciled world leader in connectivity and sensors, completed its acquisition of Jaquet Technology Group, a Swiss domiciled global engineering and manufacturing company.

Bär & Karrer acted as legal counsel to TE Connectivity. The team included Ralph Malacrida, Mani Reinert (competition law), Thomas Stoltz, Micha Schilling, Célia Jimenez, Jonas Bornhauser (IP/IT), Philipp Gubler and Florian Roth.

Investindustrial, a leading European investment group, has signed an agreement with Catelli S.r.l. to acquire 60% of the share capital of Artsana Group S.p.A..

Bär & Karrer acts as Swiss legal and tax counsel to Investindustrial in this transaction. The Bär & Karrer team includes Paolo Bottini, Susanne Schreiber, Matthias Bizzarro, Michel Morelato and David Trachsel.

Global law firm White & Case LLP has advised Allianz Global Investors on the acquisition of a portfolio of six existing onshore wind farms in France.

Leading legal business DWF has advised private equity firm Investx Ltd on its acquisition of Coventry-based manufacturer PBK Micron Holdings Ltd (PBK).

PBK specialises in the manufacturing of precision machined parts and is an approved supplier to many top brand automotive and aerospace companies globally, including Caterpillar and Bombardier. This is the latest in a line of similar acquisitions for Investx as it looks to build a specialist engineering group.