De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek has advised Royal Ahold on finalising its merger with the Belgian Delhaize Group, after US regulatory authorities cleared the merger. Ahold Delhaize now forms one of the world’s largest food retail groups with 22 market-leading local brands with 6,500 stores in 11 countries.

The merged entity is quoted as “AD” on Euronext Amsterdam and Euronext Brussels.

De Brauw has advised Royal Ahold on all its corporate advisory matters related to this merger.

Linklaters has advised Belgian-headquartered Delhaize Group on its successful €28bn merger with Dutch-headquartered Ahold, creating one of the largest food retailers in Europe and the United States. The transaction, completed on 24 July 2016, also represents one of the largest cross-border mergers in Europe and the largest Belgian deal completed in years.

Assisted the two Amsterdam university hospitals, AMC and VUmc, in obtaining regulatory approval for their anticipated merger from the Dutch health care authority, NZa. The NZa granted its approval on July 14. Following this approval from the NZa, the university hospitals will notify their intended transaction to the Dutch competition authority ACM.

Houthoff Buruma team included: Weyer VerLoren van Themaat , Martine Bijkerk , Berend Reuder

Global law firm White & Case LLP has advised United Arab Shipping Company (UASC) on its agreement to merge with Germany-headquartered Hapag-Lloyd AG.

Davis Polk is advising Advanced Semiconductor Engineering Inc. (“ASE”) in connection with its joint share exchange agreement with Siliconware Precision Industries Co., Ltd (“SPIL”) and agreement to establish a new holding company (the “Holdco”). The share exchange will be conducted at an exchange ratio of one ASE common share for 0.5 HoldCo common share, and at NT$55 in cash for each of SPIL’s common shares, subject to adjustment, with ASE and SPIL becoming wholly owned subsidiaries of HoldCo.

Weil is advising Nortek Inc., a global diversified industrial company with leading brands and innovative air management and technology-driven solutions for residential and commercial applications, in its definitive merger agreement with Melrose Industries PLC, a U.K.-based investment company, and Nevada Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of Melrose, in which Melrose will acquire Nortek for $86.00 per share in cash with an estimated total enterprise value of approximately $2.8 billion. The transaction is structured as an all-cash tender offer by Nevada Corp.

Freshfields has advised Abu Dhabi-based First Gulf Bank PJSC on its proposed merger with National Bank of Abu Dhabi PJSC

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP (‘Freshfields’) has advised Abu Dhabi-based First Gulf Bank PJSC (‘FGB’) on its proposed merger with National Bank of Abu Dhabi PJSC (‘NBAD’).

Macfarlanes has advised Curtis Davis Garrard LLP, which has built a reputation as one of the leading London law firms serving the shipbuilding and offshore oil and gas industries, on its merger with Haynes and Boone, LLP, an international law firm with offices in the US, Mexico and Shanghai.

The merged firm, which will be called Haynes and Boone CDG in the UK and Haynes and Boone in the US and other markets, expects to focus on extending the London office, adding lawyers in the key practice areas of energy, private equity and financial services.

Dechert LLP advised Italian Generali Investments, the main Generali Group asset manager, on its cross border merger with the German Generali Investments Deutschland in order to streamline its global asset management operations. This move simultaneously leverages the regulatory changes of the European Union’s UCITS and AIFM directives that allow the cross border management of UCITS and alternative investment funds across Europe. The merger went into effect at the start of June 2016.

Noerr has been advising the German online auction house Auctionata on its merger with US competitor Paddle8. The merger creates the global market leader in the online auction market for fine art, collectibles and vintage luxury items and one of the world’s ten largest auction houses outside China.