A team led by M&A Partner Boris Dürr advised the private equity funds advised by AUCTUS Capital Partners AG on the takeover of GS Star group. As part of the transaction, the GS Star GmbH's two former general managers, Andreas Erben and Heiko Grote, also acquired a stake in the newly established Gorgeous Smiling Hotels Holding GmbH and will continue to manage the group.
On March 5, 2018, AXA announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire 100% of XL Group Ltd, a leading global Property & Casualty commercial lines insurer and reinsurer, for a total consideration of 15.3 billion, to be fully paid in cash. Cravath is representing AXA in connection with the transaction.
Ashurst has advised Crown Resorts Limited (Crown) on the sale of its 62% interest in CrownBet, together with loans advanced by Crown to CrownBet, for A$150 million.
The firm has acted as the adviser to Crown on a number of recent transactions. This includes the A$62.5 million sale of its interest in part of the property and operations of the Ellerston golf course in the Hunter Valley in December 2017, and the A$1.34 billion sale of Crown's remaining shareholding in Melco Resorts & Entertainment Limited in May 2017.
Womble Bond Dickinson has advised longstanding client Atom Bank, the UK’s first bank designed for digital, on its £149m fundraising. This latest fundraising round was led by cornerstone investors BBVA, the world's leading digital bank, and Toscafund, the London based investment firm.
Law firm Womble Bond Dickinson has advised Countrywide Farmers plc on the sale of its LPG distribution business to international sales, marketing and support services group DCC plc, for a cash price of approximately £28m.
The Womble Bond Dickinson team; led by Corporate Partner Simon Hewes and Corporate Solicitor Alex Fergus advised on the complex transaction, utilising specialist input across a broad range of specialist areas, including energy, banking, real estate, employment and health and safety.
Simon Hewes, Partner at Womble Bond Dickinson, said:
Ashurst has advised St William Homes, the joint venture between Berkeley Group and National Grid, on its proposals to redevelop the former Clarendon Gasworks gas works, for which Haringey Council recently resolved to grant planning permission..
The high density scheme will transform the site into a vibrant, mixed neighbourhood include 1,700 homes, retail and office space central to the wider regeneration of Wood Green (identified as a growth area in Haringey's Local Plan).
Jones Day advised Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank and Societe Generale Corporate & Investment Banking, as joint lead managers and joint bookrunners, in connection with the issuance and placement of EU200 million of bonds convertible into new shares and/or exchangeable for existing shares (OCEANE) by Econocom Group SE, a digital services company listed on Euronext Brussels. The Bonds are listed on the Open Market (Freiverkehr) of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.
International law firm Ashurst advised Stirling Industries plc ('Stirling'), the specialist industrial investment business, in relation to its £8.9 million initial public offering on AIM, a market of the London Stock Exchange. Numis Securities Limited acted as sole bookrunner for the placing and have been appointed as Stirling's Nominated Adviser and Broker.
Ashurst has advised long standing client Berkeley Group on its proposals for the redevelopment of Stephenson Street (the former Parcelforce depot at West Ham) which Newham Council recently resolved to grant planning permission.
The scheme will deliver over 3800 new homes (a significant number of which will be for private rent), commercial and retail space, a new 1000 pupil secondary school, two new parks and a significant amount of infrastructure required to unlock the publicly-owned brownfield site (including three bridges and a new entrance to West Ham tube station).
On 5 March 2018, Marcin Bejm joined CMS as partner in charge of the infrastructure projects practice at CMS Warsaw. The new team leader has 17 years’ professional experience and specialises in providing legal advice on transactions and investment projects regarding infrastructure assets in Poland and Central and Eastern Europe. Marcin brings with him the team of lawyers who previously worked with him.