Legal Business’ Law firm of the Year Mishcon de Reya has made a significant move to develop its corporate practice, today (15 January) hiring Addleshaw Goddard partner Tim Field as head of equity capital markets.

Field has advised a range of clients including investment banks, financial advisers, brokers, stock exchanges, regulators for over 20 years on matters such as initial public offerings (IPO), takeovers and securities law.

Allen & Overy LLP advises the shareholders of Swyx Solutions AG on all legal aspects of the sale of Swyx Solutions AG to Waterland Private Equity. Consummation of the transaction is subject to merger control clearance. The parties agreed to keep the purchase price confidential.

Allen & Overy LLP has advised DZ BANK AG as arranger and documentation agent on a secured syndicated loan in the amount of EUR 170 million granted to Raiffeisen Waren-Zentrale Rhein-Main eG.

The financing was arranged by DZ BANK AG, along with Coöperatieve Rabobank U.A., Frankfurt am Main branch, Landesbank Baden-Württemberg, NIBC Bank Deutschland AG, Norddeutsche Landesbank -Girozentrale- and UniCredit Bank AG.

The Allen & Overy team comprised counsel Dr. Mark Hallett and senior associate David J. Schmidt (both banking and finance, Frankfurt).

Ashurst has advised the University of Tasmania (UTAS) on its innovative partnership to grant a 30-year licence for 10 of the University's 14 purpose-built accommodation properties to The Spark Living Consortium (Spark Living).

The consortium, which includes DIF and Tetris Capital, has paid an undisclosed amount in return for the future rental revenue of the 14 facilities across the State, totalling 1,800 beds. Spark Living also became the asset manager of the facilities when the deal was finalised in December 2017.
 

Dentons has advised Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd on its three-year, US$150m secured syndicated revolving credit facility with options to increase to US$350 million and extend the term to five years.

The facility, which is secured against aircraft and engines, will be used to help the airline invest in its customer experience and plan for future growth, including the pre-delivery payments on Virgin Atlantic’s order of new A350-1000 aircraft due from 2019.

The facility was arranged by Lloyds Bank and includes a syndicate of six leading banks.

Dentons is pleased to have advised BankDhofar SAOG (BankDhofar) on its recent fully subscribed rights issue of OMR40 million (circa US$104 million). The transaction follows BankDhofar's fully subscribed rights issue in 2016, which Dentons also advised on.

Dentons Managing Partner and Head of Corporate in Muscat, Nick Simpson, led the team, working with assistance from partner Dali Al Habboub, senior associate Darshi Sanganee, associate Fatma Al Rashdi and paralegal Raiyan Al Toky.

Mayer Brown JSM announced today that Kayal Sachi and Ian Roebuck have joined the firm as Banking & Finance partners in Singapore. The new hires, who are joining from Allen & Overy, will focus on acquisition and leveraged finance, event-driven finance, corporate lending and restructuring transactions in South East Asia and India on behalf of regional and global financial institutions, corporates, private equity funds and debt funds.

Dentons has advised Muscat Securities Market listed parent company Muscat Insurance Company SAOG (MIC) (formerly Muscat National Holding Company SAOG) on the three-way merger of its subsidiaries, Muscat Life Assurance Company SAOC and Muscat Insurance Company SAOC, into MIC.

The merger was implemented in order to ensure compliance with recent amendments to the Insurance Companies Law of Oman. The amendments to the law require all Omani insurance companies to increase their capital to OMR10 million and list their shares on the Muscat Securities Market.

DLA Piper has advised Luxembourg-based private equity firm ASC Investment on the acquisition and the financing of VITRABLOK a specialist glass block manufacturer. This is the first acquisition for ASC Investment.

VITRABLOK was part of the SEVES Group, a Triton Fund III company. With more than 300 employees in Europe and the USA, VITRABLOK has a 40% share in the world glass block market. It is the leading manufacturer of glass bricks for interior and exterior architectural applications.

Debevoise & Plimpton LLP is advising American International Group on the acquisition of the Validus Group, a leading provider of reinsurance, primary insurance and asset management services. The transaction is expected to close mid-2018.

Holders of Validus common shares will receive cash consideration of $68.00 per share, for an aggregate transaction value of $5.56 billion, funded by cash on hand.