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Transactions UK
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May 17, 2024
4 Firms Build $2.55B Sale Of Avangrid To Spain's Iberdrola
Spanish renewable energy company Iberdrola SA and its portfolio company, sustainable energy business Avangrid, on Friday announced that they have reached an agreement for Iberdrola to take Avangrid private by purchasing the remaining issued and outstanding shares it does not already own in a $2.55 billion deal built by four firms.
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May 17, 2024
UK Litigation Roundup: Here's What You Missed In London
This past week in London has seen a wave of claims filed against Verity Trustees Ltd., Harley-Davidson hit retailer Next with an intellectual property claim, Turkish e-commerce entrepreneur Demet Mutlu sue her ex-husband and Trendyol co-founder Evren Üçok and the Solicitors Regulation Authority file a claim against the former boss of collapsed law firm Axiom. Here, Law360 looks at these and other new claims in the U.K.
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May 17, 2024
CMS Moves M&A Partner Graham Conlon To Abu Dhabi
Graham Conlon, a corporate mergers and acquisitions partner at CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang LLP, has moved to Abu Dhabi as the law firm opened its first office in the capital of the United Arab Emirates.
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May 17, 2024
ABN Amro To Sell Stake In Life Insurance JV Neuflize Vie
BN Amro Bank NV said Friday that its Neuflize OBC French private bank branch has entered "exclusive negotiations" to sell the unit to the insurance subsidiary of BNP Paribas SA to form a strategic partnership in life insurance in France.
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May 17, 2024
Unilever Begins €1.5B Share Buyback
Consumer goods giant Unilever PLC on Friday rolled out the first part of a share buyback program worth up to €1.5 billion ($1.6 billion) aimed at lowering its outstanding share capital.
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May 17, 2024
Asset Manager Alpha Growth To Buy Insurance Manager
British wealth manager Alpha Growth PLC said Friday that it will buy Guernsey-based insurance management company Jeometri for £450,000 ($569,000) to help it grow its insurance offering across the U.K.
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May 17, 2024
GSK Sells Remaining Stake In Advil Maker Haleon For £1.25B
GSK PLC said on Friday that it has sold its remaining 4.2% stake in its spun-off consumer healthcare unit Haleon PLC for £1.25 billion ($1.6 billion).
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May 17, 2024
Concord Drops Bid For Music Rights Rival Hipgnosis
Concord has "unanimously decided" to pull out of the bidding war to buy its rival operator, Hipgnosis Songs Fund, leaving private equity giant Blackstone in pole position to buy the music rights company.
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May 16, 2024
Deals Rumor Mill: Shein IPO, Kraft Heinz, Cinven-Jaggaer
Online fashion giant Shein is shifting IPO plans from the U.S. to London amid resistance from U.S. lawmakers and Chinese regulators, Kraft Heinz wants to sell its Oscar Mayer business, and private equity firm Cinven hopes to divest software firm Jaggaer for $3 billion. Here, Law360 breaks down these and other notable deal rumors from the past week.
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May 16, 2024
Top Linklaters Attys See PE Rebound In Run-Up To Elections
After a subtle uptick in private equity deal values in the first quarter, the global chair of Linklaters LLP's corporate department in New York, George Casey, and one of its top PE dealmakers in London, Alex Woodward, believe the pace of transactions is picking up and the market is primed for a comeback.
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May 16, 2024
Slovenian Bank NLB Bids €400M For Austrian Lender Addiko
A Slovenian bank has tabled a €400 million ($435 million) bid to buy Austria's Addiko, a business lender operating in central and southeastern Europe, as it seeks to expand into new territories.
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May 16, 2024
Scirocco Energy To Cancel Public Listing On AIM
Scirocco Energy PLC said on Thursday it has received shareholder approvals to leave its public listing on London's junior Alternative Investment Market before trading starts on Friday, as the U.K. energy investor eyes the greater flexibility of private ownership.
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May 16, 2024
CMA Deepens Probe Of Planned DJ Equipment Merger
The U.K.'s antitrust regulator said Thursday that it will launch a deeper, second phase of investigation into DJ equipment maker AlphaTheta's proposed acquisition of audio technology company Serato after the companies did not address its competition concerns.
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May 16, 2024
Siemens Selling Innomotics Unit To PE Firm KPS In $3.8B Deal
German tech conglomerate Siemens AG said Thursday it has agreed to sell its Innomotics large motors and drives unit to New York City-based private equity firm KPS Capital Partners at an enterprise value of €3.5 billion, or roughly $3.8 billion.
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May 16, 2024
White & Case Helps Italy Unload 2.8% Eni Stake For €1.4B
Italy's government said on Thursday that it has sold approximately 2.8% of its stake in energy company Eni SpA in a move to raise €1.4 billion ($1.5 billion) to aid the country's finances.
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May 15, 2024
Royal Mail 'Minded' To OK New £3.5B Bid From Czech Mogul
The owner of national postal carrier Royal Mail said on Wednesday that it is prepared to accept an increased buyout bid worth £3.5 billion ($4.4 billion) by a conglomerate controlled by Czech billionaire Daniel Křetínský, in a deal led by Kirkland & Ellis LLP.
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May 15, 2024
Mission Shareholder Advised Against Brave Bison Offer
Investment manager DBAY on Wednesday said it has advised a client that holds shares in The Mission Group to not accept the £26.8 million ($33.6 million) potential offer for the advertising group made by its rival Brave Bison.
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May 15, 2024
Baker McKenzie Guides £28M Pension Deal For Pharma Co.
Canada Life has insured the retirement savings plans of more than 300 members of the U.K. subsidiary of Dutch pharmaceutical company Norgine Ltd. in a full buy-in transaction of £28 million ($35 million), with the deal guided by Baker McKenzie.
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May 15, 2024
Vodafone Begins €500M Share Buyback Following Biz Sale
Vodafone Group PLC unveiled the take-off of a share repurchase program worth up to €500 million ($631 million) on Wednesday, the first part of a wider year-long €2 billion buyback funded by the proceeds of selling its business in Spain.
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May 15, 2024
Investor Group Sells £1.6B In Shares Of LSE Owner
London Stock Exchange Group PLC said on Wednesday that a consortium of investors has sold shares in the famous marketplace worth almost £1.6 billion ($2 billion), a deal that ends media conglomerate Thomson Reuters' inherited stake in the business.
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May 15, 2024
Linklaters Helps Computer Biz Raspberry Pi's Planned UK IPO
Raspberry Pi, which makes card-sized computers, said on Wednesday that it is planning to float on the London Stock Exchange, providing a rare boost for a U.K. capital market which has struggled to attract new listings.
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May 14, 2024
Autonomy Overstated Revenue Before HP Sale, Jury Hears
Autonomy's reported revenue was overstated by a combined $300 million in the two-and-a-half years before HP acquired it, an accounting expert testified Tuesday in a California criminal trial over claims that Autonomy founder Michael Lynch duped HP into buying his software company for an inflated $11.7 billion price.
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May 14, 2024
Vodafone Gets Green Light For €5B Sale Of Spanish Biz
Vodafone Group PLC said Tuesday in a statement that it has received final approval from Spanish authorities for its planned sale of Vodafone Spain — or Vodafone Holdings Europe SLU — to Zegona Communications PLC for €5 billion ($5.3 billion).
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May 14, 2024
Kilmer Sports Looks To Buy French Soccer Club Saint-Étienne
Canada-based sports investment firm Kilmer Sports Ventures has entered into exclusive negotiations with shareholders to discuss purchasing AS Saint-Étienne, a "decorated and beloved" soccer club in France, according to a joint Monday statement.
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May 14, 2024
Brodies, Pinsent Advise On £100M Loan For Green Port Project
Haventus, a green projects site manager, has secured a £100 million ($126 million) joint credit facility from UK Infrastructure Bank and the Scottish National Investment Bank for the redevelopment of its Ardersier Port near Inverness, Scotland, law firm Brodies LLP said Tuesday.
Expert Analysis
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Pharma Remains A Key Focus Of EU Antitrust Enforcement
The recently published European Commission report on pharmaceutical sector competition law illustrates that effective enforcement of EU rules remains a matter of high priority for EU and national authorities, say lawyers at Dechert.
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The Dangers Of Providing Misleading Info In A Merger Review
Although Kingspan's recent proposed acquisition of Trimo, brought before the European Commission, was abandoned following investigation for an alleged breach of EU Merger Regulation requirements, it has brought to light the importance of submitting accurate and complete information in merger reviews to avoid incurring a substantial fine, say lawyers at Steptoe.
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Cum-Ex Prosecutions Storm Shows No Sign Of Abating
The ongoing trial of Sanjay Shah in Denmark is a clear indicator that efforts remain focused on holding to account the alleged architects and beneficiaries of cum-ex trading, and with these prosecutions making their way across Europe, it is a more turbulent time now than ever, says Niall Hearty at Rahman Ravelli.
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Spartan Arbitration Tactics Against Well-Funded Opponents
Like the ancient Spartans who held off a numerically superior Persian army at the Battle of Thermopylae, trial attorneys and clients faced with arbitration against an opponent with a bigger war chest can take a strategic approach to create a pass to victory, say Kostas Katsiris and Benjamin Argyle at Venable.
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EU Inquiry Offers First Insight Into Foreign Subsidy Law
The European Commission's first in-depth investigation under the Foreign Subsidies Regulation into a public procurement process, and subsequent brief on regulatory trends, sheds light on the commission's approach to such cases, as well as jurisdictional, procedural and substantive issues under the regulation, says Matthew Hall at McGuireWoods.
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Key Points From EC Economic Security Screening Initiatives
Lawyers at Herbert Smith analyze the European Commission's five recently announced initiatives aimed at de-risking the EU's trade and investment links with third countries, including the implementation of mandatory screening mechanisms and extending coverage to investments made by EU companies that are controlled subsidiaries of non-EU investors.
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Vodafone Decision Highlights Wide Scope Of UK's FDI Rules
The U.K. government’s recently imposed conditions required for its approval of Vodafone and Etisalat’s strategic relationship agreement under its National Security and Investment Act jurisdiction, illustrating the significance of the act as an important factor for transactions with a U.K. link, says Matthew Hall at McGuireWoods.
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What Extension Of French FDI Control Means For Investors
The recently published French order on foreign investment control expands the regime's application to more sectors and at a lower threshold of share ownership, illustrating France's determination to maintain sovereignty over its supply chains in sensitive sectors, and adding new considerations for potential investors in these areas, say lawyers at Linklaters.
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What To Expect For Private Capital Investment Funds In 2024
As 2024 gets underway, market sentiment in the private fundraising sphere seems more optimistic, with a greater focus on deal sourcing and operational optimizations, and an increased emphasis on impact and sustainability strategies, say lawyers at Ropes & Gray.
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Cayman Islands Off AML Risk Lists, Signaling Robust Controls
As a world-leading jurisdiction for securitization special purpose entities, the removal of the Cayman Islands from increased anti-money laundering monitoring lists is a significant milestone that will benefit new and existing financial services customers conducting business in the territory, say lawyers at Walkers Global.
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Acquisition Of AI Tech Poses Challenges For Media Industry
The artificial intelligence regulatory landscape is changing quickly, and media and entertainment companies planning to acquire AI technology through a merger, acquisition or licensing deal should be mindful of potential new compliance requirements and AI-specific insurance products, say lawyers at Covington.
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Due Diligence Pointers After Entain Deferred Prosecution Deal
The Crown Prosecution Service's £615 million settlement with Entain last month signifies that the CPS is a serious enforcer of corporate crime, and illustrates the importance of carrying out a tailored risk assessment in preparation for and following an acquisition, say Matthew Cowie and Aziz Rahman at Rahman Ravelli.
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What Can Be Learned From Adobe-Figma Merger Termination
The Competition and Markets Authority’s role in the recent termination of the proposed Adobe-Figma merger deal indicates the regulator's intention to be seen as a strong enforcer in the technology sphere, and serves as a warning for companies to address antitrust risks early on in the merger process, say Deirdre Taylor and Molly Heslop at Gibson Dunn.
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How FCA Listing Regime Reform Proposals Are Developing
The Financial Conduct Authority’s recently proposed U.K. equity listings reforms maintain increased flexibility with a disclosure-based approach, but much of the new regime’s success will depend on the eligibility criteria used and whether additional governance will be required for inclusion, say lawyers at Debevoise.
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US And UK Law Firms Continue Trend Of EU Expansion
A broad spectrum of U.S. and U.K. law firms are now seeking fresh opportunities in Europe's fastest growing and constantly evolving sectors by opening offices in strategic locations across the continent, says James Lavan at Buchanan Law.