Allen & Overy has advised Standard Chartered Bank and Société Générale as arrangers on the acquisition of Fertilizers and Inputs Holding B.V. by Helios Investment Partners.
Fertilizers and Inputs Holding B.V. carries out Louis Dreyfus Company's Africa-based fertilisers and inputs operations, distributing fertilisers, crop protection products, seeds and industrial chemicals throughout Angola, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, Mali and Senegal.
 
The financing of the acquisition combines a number of leveraged finance and trade finance techniques in order to provide acquisition financing as well as ongoing working capital financing for the business to allow a seamless transition post-acquisition.
 
Partner Sanjeev Dhuna commented, "This deal is hugely important in the sector. A transaction of this type required a firm like A&O that could bring together the necessary market knowledge, sector expertise and structuring and execution capability."
 
Counsel Catherine Lang-Anderson added, "This is an example of A&O bringing our market leading leveraged finance and trade finance practices and emerging markets expertise together to achieve a successful outcome for our client."
 
The A&O team was led by partner Sanjeev Dhuna and counsel Catherine Lang-Anderson based in London. The team incorporated members from the London, Paris, Luxembourg, Amsterdam and Washington offices.
 
The closing of this deal comes shortly after Allen & Overy was named best law firm in trade at Trade & Forfaiting Review’s Excellence In Trade Awards.