Slaughter and May is advising GKN plc on the proposed combination of its automotive business and Dana Inc, a NYSE-listed global leader in vehicle drive systems.

The combination is being undertaken as part of GKN’s defence against a share and cash unsolicited offer by Melrose Industries plc announced on 1 February 2018, which has been rejected by the Board of GKN.

On both the proposed Dana Inc combination and Melrose offer, Slaughter and May is working closely with a Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP team led by Richard Hall, George Schoen and Jenny Hochenberg.

Allen & Overy Casablanca advised Saham Group in connection with the acquisition by Sanlam Emerging Markets Ireland Limited (Sanlam) of 100% interest (direct and indirect) in Saham Finances (Saham’s insurance group).

Sanlam shall acquire all the issued shares of Saham S.A. - which holds the remaining 53.37% of the shares in Saham Finances not already owned by Sanlam - for USD 1.050 billion.

Ashurst advised private equity investor EmergeVest on the acquisition of CM Downton, one of the UK's leading logistics groups, for a total consideration of £75 million.

EmergeVest has acquired the entire shareholding from the Downton family and will provide additional capital to finance the Company's growth. The Downton family will continue to serve in their respective roles as senior management of the Company.

Clifford Chance has advised Clayton, Dubilier & Rice-Backed Motor Fuel Group (MFG) on its acquisition of MRH, the U.K.’s largest petrol station and convenience retail operator. The transaction will create the U.K.’s largest operator by number of sites and second largest by fuel volume. The deal will allow MFG and MRH to operate more than 900 sites in total.

MFG is owned by funds managed by long standing Clifford Chance client Clayton, Dubilier & Rice. The transaction is valued at approximately £1.2 billion.

Clifford Chance has advised the Republic of Indonesia on the update of its US$25 billion trust certificates (sukuk) issuance programme and the issuance of a US$3 billion dual tranche sukuk (comprising 5-year "green" sukuk and 10-year sukuk). The transaction was the world's first-ever sovereign green sukuk, and the first issuance under the Republic's green bond and green sukuk framework.

DLA Piper has advised Luther Systems, the London-based enterprise blockchain technology company, on the raising of $1.5 million in seed financing from a group of global investors ahead of its official launch.

Currently operating in stealth mode, Luther Systems uses its blockchain technology and smart contract based products to solve complex large-scale business inefficiencies across a wide spectrum of industries and sectors. The new funding will allow Luther Systems to scale its product offering and support the company’s marketing and expansion efforts.

Eversheds Sutherland has advised leading Italian merchant bank, Mediobanca S.p.A., in connection with its long-term strategic partnership with RAM Active Investments SA (RAM AI).

Mediobanca has acquired a 69% stake in RAM Active Investments.

Mediobanca is a leading investment bank in Italy and a major player in asset management and retail and private banking.

De Brauw has served as lead counsel to Bouwfonds Investment Management on the disposal of a large part of its business.

Client name
Bouwfonds Investment Management B.V., a subsidiary of Rabo Real Estate Group

Other parties involved
Primevest Capital Partners Holding B.V., Commonwealth Investments B.V. (sponsor of Purchaser)

Nature of transaction

Sidley is representing United Energy Group (UEG), a leading independent exploration and production company listed on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, in its acquisition of Pakistan oil and gas assets from OMV Aktiengesellschaft, an international, integrated oil and gas company based in Vienna, Austria, by acquiring the entire issued share capital of two wholly owned subsidiaries of OMV Aktiengesellschaft for an approximate consideration of €80.6 million and €77.2 million, respectively.

Simpson Thacher recently represented the underwriters, for which Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and MUFG Securities Americas Inc. acted as representatives, in connection with the offering by Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc. of $750 million of Floating Rate Senior Notes due 2023, $1.5 billion of 3.455% Senior Notes due 2023, $750 million of 3.777% Senior Notes due 2025 and $500 million of 3.961% Senior Notes due 2028. The offering was made pursuant to MUFG’s shelf registration statement on Form F-3 under the Securities Act.