International law firm Simmons & Simmons has advised Allianz Global Investors on the merger of Allianz Global Investors Europe GmbH into Allianz Global Investors Kapitalanlagegesellschaft mbH. At the same time, the latter changed its name to Allianz Global Investors Europe GmbH. The company will operate under this name throughout Europe in the future, and will continue to be an asset management company. The merger came into force in September 2012.
Additionally, an international team from Simmons & Simmons also advised Allianz Global Investors on the cross-border merger of Allianz Global Investors Italia SGR S.p.A. into Allianz Global Investors Europe GmbH. This transaction took place in May 2013. The merger of the Italian unit into the German asset management company is apparently the first-ever cross-border merger between two investment companies.

Following the implementation of Directive 2011/61/EU on Alternative Investment Fund Managers, further consolidation may be around the corner in the asset management sector.

Allianz Global Investors is an asset management subsidiary of Allianz SE and one of the leading asset managers in Europe. The aim of the mergers was to integrate the individual European units of Allianz Global Investors. Simmons & Simmons will also be acting as legal advisors to Allianz Global Investors in relation to similar measures in Europe in the future.

The team at Simmons & Simmons on both transactions was led by Harald Glander, partner in the Frankfurt office, and advised on a range of corporate, employment and especially regulatory issues.

Advisors to Allianz Global Investors:

Allianz Global Investors (in-house): Markus Miederhoff (Head of Legal & Compliance Europe), Thorsten Ziegler (Head of Corporate & Products Legal Europe), Silke Wagner-Kautz (Senior Legal Counsel), Monika Weckber (Senior Legal Counsel), Florian Polifke (Senior Legal Counsel), Pasquale Faraldo (Senior Legal Counsel).

Simmons & Simmons Germany: Harald Glander (lead partner, financial services/asset management, Frankfurt), Michael Bormann (corporate/M&A, Düsseldorf), Hans-Hermann Aldenhoff (employment, Düsseldorf); associates: Norman Mayr, Patrick Felcht (both financial services/asset management, Frankfurt), Marc Urlichs, Oliver Trautmann, Matthias von Holten (all corporate/M&A, Düsseldorf), Alexander Greth, counsel (employment, Düsseldorf).

Simmons & Simmons Italy: Romeo Battigaglia (financial services/asset management, Rome); Daniela Sabelli (corporate/M&A, Rome); Davide Sportelli (employment, Milan); associates: Maria Giusy Naccarato (financial services/asset management, Rome); Danila Saladino (corporate/M&A, Rome) Luigi Ricci Palopoli (employment, Milan).

Studio Carbonetti & Partners Italy: Roberto Della Vecchia, Emanuele Marrocco.

http://www.simmons-simmons.com/en/News/2013/07-Jul/Allianz-Global-Inves…