The American group InterDigital, specialist in research and development in mobile technology, entered into a sale agreement of its “patent licensing business”, for an estimated value of 475 million dollars.

The agreement provides that InterDigital will pay Technicolor 150 million dollars in cash up front. Technicolor shall also receive 42,5% of all future cash receipts from InterDigital’s new licensing efforts in the consumer electronic field, estimated at approximately 215 million dollars.

Slaughter and May advised Google on the competition law aspects of its US$1.1 billion acquisition of certain assets of HTC Corporation (HTC) related to the design, engineering, certification and testing of smartphones.  In particular, Google acquired certain assets of HTC, including employees and a non-exclusive licence for intellectual property rights of HTC.

International legal practice Osborne Clarke has advised UK lower mid-market investor, Tenzing Private Equity on its acquisition of CitNOW Video Limited, a leading global provider of video software solutions to the automotive industry.

Hogan Lovells advised TAV Airports (of which the ADP Group holds 46.12%) on the acquisition of 49% of ICF Antalya, the joint-venture managing the Antalya International Airport.

Antalya International Airport welcomed more than 26 million passengers in 2017 and is the gateway to Antalya area, one of the most popular and dynamic touristic destinations in Turkey, with 500km of coastal lines and more than 600.000 beds capacity.

TAV Airports and Fraport AG (which will still own 51% of the share capital once the deal is closed) will co-control ICF with equal rights.

Hogan Lovells has represented Welling Holding Limited ("Welling") (HKSE: 382) in its privatisation by Midea International Corporation Company Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Midea Group Co., Ltd. ("Midea Group") (000333.SZ), by way of a scheme of arrangement under section 673 of the Hong Kong Companies Ordinance. This is the third successful privatisation in Hong Kong by way of a scheme of arrangement under the Hong Kong Companies Ordinance since it came into force in 2014.

DLA Piper has advised the Finnish company Framery, a manufacturer of soundproof office booths, and its shareholders in a transaction where the private equity investor Vaaka Partners’ Buyout Fund III has invested in Framery. After the investment, Vaaka Partners and its co-investors will own 60% of the company.

In 2017, Framery more than doubled its turnover from the previous year to EUR 40 million, of which more than 90 percent came from exports. Their products are exported to North America, Europe and Asia.

DLA Piper has advised Barings Real Estate on the acquisition of an office building in the Obersendling district of Munich. The asset was acquired in an off-market transaction, at the same time as the conclusion of a long-term anchor lease to Music Support Group (MSG) and the Akademie Deutsche Pop. The property was sold by two private investors.

The media company STRÖER acquires DV-COM, a well-known provider of call centers

Global law firm Dentons has advised the shareholders of DV-COM GmbH on the sale of the company to STRÖER Dialog Group GmbH. DV-COM has been a leading provider of high-quality customer-care services for more than 40 years. Its service portfolio includes back office outsourcing, call center services, digital media as well as business process outsourcing. The company employs approximately 1,500 people across seven locations in Germany and Palma de Mallorca.

Clifford Chance has advised HQLAx on the first live securities lending transaction settled using R3’s Corda blockchain platform. This transaction brings the HQLAX–developed collateral lending application on Corda (CorDapp), one step closer to production.

Slaughter and May advised Impello Limited, the parent entity of the First Utility group, on its sale to The Shell Petroleum Company Limited.  The First Utility group is a leading independent UK household energy and broadband providers, and is one of the largest rivals to the “big six” energy suppliers.

The sale completed on 28 February 2018 and marks Shell’s entry into the market for direct sales of electricity and gas to UK households.

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