Employment and industrial relations specialist John Oakes has joined the firm as a partner in our Sydney office, effective 1 August 2018.

John is a strategic, commercial advisor to many national and international companies across a broad range of industries.

In addition to his legal qualifications, John has also worked in senior human resources and industrial relations roles in both the media and construction industries, giving him a broad perspective and extensive strategic and operational expertise.

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP announced today that Brooke E. Cucinella, a federal securities fraud prosecutor, will join the Firm’s New York office in September as a Litigation Partner.

King & Spalding has successfully represented clients, Anatolie Stati, Gabriel Stati and associated companies Ascom Group S.A. and Terra Raf Trans Traiding Ltd, against attempts by the Republic of Kazakhstan to proceed with a trial in England alleging that the Statis fraudulently procured a 2013 arbitration award worth in excess of US$523 million.

Latham & Watkins is advising HKBN Ltd. on its entry into a Merger Agreement with MBK Partners and TPG (who jointly own 100% of WTT), pursuant to which HKBN through its wholly owned subsidiary has agreed to conditionally purchase all of WTT's shares in exchange for issuing a combination of HKBN shares and Vendor Loan Notes to MBK Partners and TPG. The transaction values WTT at HKD10.5 billion.

The international law firm Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP has advised ProSieben Travel GmbH, a 100% subsidiary of ProSiebenSat.1 Media SE, on the sale of all shares of the tour operator Tropo to dnata, one of the world’s largest air services providers. The purchase agreement also includes TV media volume worth several million euros for 2018 and 2019.

ORIX Aviation—a subsidiary of leading Japanese financial services group ORIX Corp.—has turned to Pillsbury for guidance on its high profile agreement to purchase a 30% stake in Avolon Holdings Ltd. The $2.2 billion transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2018.

Wealthcap has acquired two office buildings at sites with future potential. A team led Hamburg-based partner Dr. Sönke Görgens advised the client comprehensively on legal and tax-related issues. Wealthcap acquired the expansion of Nordex headquarters in Hamburg, referred to as “Nordex Forum II,” and “Das Leuchtenberg” in Munich. The two properties are to be contributed to the new Immobilien Deutschland 41 fund, with Wealthcap continuing its strategy of focusing on German growth cities.

International law firm Ashurst has advised Kansai Electric Power Company on its agreement to acquire a 16 percent stake in the approx. 860 MW Triton Knoll offshore wind farm. The project was one of three offshore wind projects awarded a 15 year contract for difference (CfD) last October and is being developed by Innogy who are retaining a majority stake. Innogy has also agreed to sell 25 percent to another investor.

International law firm Clifford Chance has advised Investa Capital Management on the sale of the shopping centre Allee-Center in Leipzig to EQT Real Estate.

The Allee-Center in Leipzig-Grünau offers a total space of 40,000 square metres and the largest tenants are Rewe, Saturn and Aldi.

Clifford Chance had already advised Investa on the purchase of the property in 2016. Since then, Investa has partially repositioned the property and successfully re-let it.

Connect Plus (M25) Ltd, the company tasked with managing London’s 440km-long M25 motorway, one of the busiest motorways in Europe, has refinanced its existing commercial bank debt, with Linklaters acting for the Secured Creditors.