On 25 April 2018, ARCOS (VINCI group) signed the agreements for financing the concession for the Strasbourg western bypass highway, also known as the A355.

The A355 is a two-lane motorway covering 24 kilometres, which will facilitate long-distance transit by avoiding systematic passage through Strasbourg. This new road will supplement the existing network, improve road safety, and reduce traffic congestion on the A35.

The concession contract was entered into on 29 January 2016 by ARCOS and the French Ministry in charge of transports, for a period of 54 years.

Bird & Bird advises Semtech on the sale of Idosens to WIKA Alexander Wiegand SE & Co KG (“WIKA”).

International law firm Bird & Bird's French Corporate team has advised Semtech France on the sale of its stake in Idosens, an Internet of Things (“IoT”) company with offices in Meylan, to WIKA.
 
Semtech is a publicly traded (NASDAQ) leading supplier of high-performance analog and mixed-signal semiconductors and advanced algorithms for high-end consumer, enterprise computing, communications, and industrial end-markets.

Bird & Bird advises Swedish agricultural cooperative Lantmännen as Raisio plc divests its cattle feed business to Lantmännen.

Raisio has signed an agreement to sell its cattle feed business to Lantmännen Agro Oy. The enterprise value is EUR 34 million and the arrangement will be conducted as a share transaction. Raisio’s cattle feed business is expected to transfer to the new owner during September 2018. The completion of the deal requires an approval from the Finnish competition authorities.

Leading international law firm Clifford Chance advised Ping An Healthcare and Technology Company Limited (Ping An Good Doctor) on its US$1.12 billion initial public offering on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The IPO received an oversubscription of 654 times in the retail tranche and a list of reputable cornerstone investors with an over-subscribed international placing tranche. Clifford Chance also advised Ping An Good Doctor in SoftBank Vision Fund's US$400 million pre-IPO investment.

Global law firm Clyde & Co has successfully defended a group of 20 insurance companies against a USD $470m energy construction claim that stems from 2009.

The case relates to the Norwegian energy company Noreco's claim that its all-risk insurance policy should pay USD $470m for damage to the Siri oil platform in 2009.

The three Siri area fields were shut down in August 2009 after an inspection revealed cracks in a water buffer tank at the Siri platform.

Dentons is pleased to have advised longstanding client FirstRand Bank on an issue of US$500,000,000 6.25 per cent Tier 2 Notes due 2028. This is the first international issue of Basel III-compliant Tier 2 bonds from South Africa.

Dentons has acted as legal counsel to a syndicate of regional banks led by Mashreqbank on the Islamic financing of the proposed AED1 billion acquisition of Byrne Group, an equipment rental company servicing the construction, industrial, oil and gas and events industries in the GCC.

DLA Piper advised BEWG International, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Beijing Enterprises Water Group, on its 100% acquisition of water utility service provider TRILITY by way of a competitive bid process.

Beijing Enterprise Water Group is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and manages over 500 treatment facilities across China, Malaysia, Singapore, Portugal, Macau and Taiwan.

TRILITY is a leading private, independent and professional water utility service provider which operates across Australia & New Zealand’s municipal and industrial sectors.

Macfarlanes has advised French real estate investment company Foncière des Régions’ hotel subsidiary Foncière des Murs on the purchase of 14 four and five-star hotels for £858m from American investment firm Starwood Capital.

This acquisition will give Foncière des Régions a presence in the UK and follows recent ventures into the German and Spanish markets in line with the company’s strategy for geographical diversification. 

Osborne Clarke has advised the international venture capital fund LocalGlobe on an investment in Covee, a blockchain-based platform for decentralized teamwork. The EUR 1.35 million investment comes from LocalGlobe and Atlantic Labs, Berlin. With Covee, workers can collaborate on data-driven problems via the platform and corporates as well as science labs can find experts to solve their problems without needing to hire a consultancy.
LocalGlobe is a UK-based venture capital firm that focuses on seed and impact investments.