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.

Ashurst has advised Trauson Holdings Company Limited ("Trauson") in relation to its proposed public takeover by Stryker Corporation  ("Stryker") for a total cash consideration of approximately HKD 5.9 billion (approximately USD 761 million). Stryker's offer price of HKD 7.50 per share represents a 66.7% premium to the closing price of HKD 4.50 on the last full trading date, 7 January 2013.

International law firm Pinsent Masons has advised Equistone, one of Europe’s leading mid-market private equity investors, on the sale of Paragon Print & Packaging, alongside its co-investor LDC, to an affiliate of Sun European Partners for an undisclosed amount.

Withers LLP has acted for London-based fashion designer Christopher Kane and his sister Tammy on the acquisition by luxury group PPR of 51% of the Christopher Kane brand. Download our PDF to read more.

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Ashurst has advised the majority shareholders of Interactif Visuel Système (IVS) on the acquisition by Essilor International, a world leader for corrective lenses, of the majority of the share capital of IVS.

Created in Paris in 1995, IVS is a world leader in technological sales support solutions for opticians. Today, IVS equips more than 14,000 outlets worldwide which represents almost 30,000 software licences. The company also offers digital marketing at the point of sale called Activ'screen, the business is the market leader in France.

Slaughter and May is advising Cable & Wireless Communications Plc ('CWC') on its agreement with CITIC Telecom International Holdings Limited ('CITIC Telecom') for the sale of its controlling 51% stake in Companhia de Telecomunica?ões de Macau S.A.R.L. ('CTM') for US$749.7 million in cash (the 'CWC Disposal').

SJ Berwin LLP has advised Star Capital Partners, London, on the sale of Blohm + Voss Industries GmbH, Hamburg, to the Swedish SKF Group. The purchase agreement was signed at the end of December 2012. The disposal is subject to approval by the relevant cartel authorities.

SJ Berwin had already advised Star Capital Partners, in a transaction also led by Julian Lemor, on the purchase of the Blohm + Voss group at the end of 2011. SJ Berwin has now again provided counsel to Star Capital Partners on the sale of the shipbuilding components division of the group.

Ashurst has advised Groupama S.A. on the signing of an agreement to sell 100% of Groupama Private Equity (GPE) to ACG Group.

The transaction, which forms part of Groupama's efforts to dispose of its non-core assets, is subject to customary regulatory approval which is expected to be obtained by the end of the first quarter 2013.

Allen & Overy LLP advised DIH Deutsche Industrie-Holding GmbH, Frankfurt am Main, in connection with the sale of Hagen-based SinnLeffers GmbH to Wöhrl, a Nuremberg-based fashion retailer group. The closing of the transaction is still subject to clearance by the German federal cartel office.

Macfarlanes has advised operational management consulting firm Celerant Consulting on its acquisition by Hitachi Consulting, a subsidiary of Hitachi Ltd.

The selling shareholders were Caledonia Investments plc and various key individuals within the Celerant Consulting business.

Celerant Consulting is a worldwide leader in business operations consulting and has offices throughout the Americas, Europe and the Middle East.