A&O advised Empark on its offering of EUR350m 2.875% senior secured notes due 2024 and EUR125m senior secured floating rate notes due 2023.

Ashurst is advising Pemberton Capital Advisors LLP (Pemberton) on the financing of the acquisition of a majority stake in Dunlop Protective Footwear (DPF), the leading global manufacturer of protective wellington boots, by investment firm EQT. Pemberton will support the transaction with a second lien loan. ABN Amro, Bank of Ireland, Idinvest, ING, NIBC, SEB and SMBC will provide senior financing. The vendor Gilde Equity Management will reinvest significantly as part of the transaction, retaining a minority stake in Netherlands-headquartered DPF.

Leading international law firm Clifford Chance advised Hanwha Life Insurance Co., Ltd. on its issuance of US$1 billion 4.7000% Subordinated Capital Securities. This transaction represents a new record for the 144A/Reg S hybrid security offering by Korean financial companies since the financial crisis in Korea. Hanwha Life is one of the leading life insurance companies in Korea, with an extensive distribution network internationally.

Dentons has announced that the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, has signed a resolution approving Canadian-headquartered, global solar giant SkyPower’s US$1.3 billion investment in photovoltaic solar energy facilities in Uzbekistan. In connection with the Presidential resolution, JSC Uzbekenergo, the Uzbek national power utility, entered into a power purchase agreement with SkyPower for a total capacity of 1,000 MW.

Eversheds Sutherland Ireland were delighted to act for the owners of the Rilta/ClearCircle group in respect of the conditional sale of the ultimate ownership of the companies to  Enva, backed by Exponent Private Equity. The transaction is subject to CCPC approval.

Our work in this transaction built upon our work in advising the owners as part of their successful MBO team leading to the acquisition of a majority interest by them in the ClearCircle/Rilta operating companies from One51 Group plc which completed in April 2017.

Baker McKenzie successfully acted for volt bank in being granted the first ever restricted banking licence under the Federal Government innovation agenda. The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) granted the restricted authorised deposit-taking institution (RADI) licence to create greater competition in the domestic banking sector.

Baker McKenzie head of Financial Services and Funds in Australia, Bill Fuggle stated: "We were delighted to act for our client, volt bank, in what is clearly a game changer for both our client and the industry more broadly."

FRISQ Holding AB (publ) has resolved to carry out a directed share issue which will provide the company with gross proceeds of approximately SEK 53 million. FRISQ intends to use the net proceeds from the share issue to enable international expansion, accelerate product development and to strengthen the organization with focus on sales, development and marketing. The share issue is directed to Swedish institutional investors Swedbank Robur Ny Teknik and Handelsbanken Fonder as well as the incoming board member Lars Björk.

Debevoise & Plimpton LLP is advising AIA Group (“AIA”) in its recently announced investment in We Doctor Holdings Limited (“We Doctor”).

We Doctor is an online healthcare services firm, whose business primarily focuses on connecting its customers to 2,700 hospitals and 15,000 pharmacies across China.

Transocean Ltd. (NYSE:RIG) announced today that, through a joint venture with funds managed and/or advised by Hayfin Capital Management LLP (“Hayfin”), it has purchased a 33.3% interest in the West Rigel, a newbuild harsh environment semisubmersible. The total purchase price for the rig, built by Sembcorp Marine Ltd.’s (“Sembcorp”) Jurong Shipyard Pte Ltd, is $500 million.

Davis Polk is advising We Doctor Holdings Limited in connection with its $500 million issuance of shares to investors led by AIA Company Limited and New World Development Company Limited.