Dealwatch: International elite face off in European and transatlantic mega transactions
Legal Business
Latham & Watkins advised Global Infrastructure Partners on the €1.94bn buyout of Italian railway operator Italo-Nuovo Trasporto Viaggiatori. London partner David Walker (pictured), Italy managing partner Antonio Coletti and Milan partners Stefano Sciolla and Giovanni Sandicchi all advised the US investor as it acquired 100% of the group. Slaughter and May’s Italian ally BonelliErede advised the seller, under the leadership of partners Carlo Montagna and Elena Busson.
Further north, Baker McKenzie, Clifford Chance (CC) and Allen & Overy (A&O) have all advised on the $6.6bn acquisition of Danish phone carrier TDC by a consortium that includes Australian infrastructure giant Macquarie, as well as three local pension funds. Bakers
London corporate partners Tim Sheddick and James Thompson advised long-term client Macquarie. CC advised the consortium on debt financing. A&O London partner Jonathan Brownson spearheaded the team acting on behalf of the lenders, alongside partners Matt Moore and Jake Keaveny.
Eversheds Sutherland has advised IntegraFin Holdings on its initial public offering, which valued the company at approximately £649.4m. Advising the longstanding client was a team led by partner Stephen Nash while Mayer Brown advised the sponsor, Peel Hunt, led by corporate partner Colin Scagell along with tax partner Benjamin Fryer.
A group of elite firms on both sides of the Atlantic faced off as British engineering giant GKN agreed to a $6.1bn merger of its automotive business with US-based car parts supplier Dana. Macfarlanes’ corporate partners Graham Gibb and Richard Burrows acted for Dana, while Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison’s corporate partner Tarun Stewart also acted for the Ohio-headquartered company. Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom advised Dana’s board of directors through M&A partners Stephen Arcano, Ann Beth Stebbins and Scott Hopkins. Slaughter and May partners Martin Hattrell and Robert Innes acted for GKN alongside Cravath, Swaine & Moore.
Kirkland & Ellis, A&O and Linklaters all lined up to advise on the €4.4bn acquisition of a 55% stake in the real estate assets of French multinational hotel group AccorHotels. Kirkland acted on behalf of consortium leaders GIC, assembling a team comprised of corporate partners Stuart Boyd, Matthew Elliott and Celyn Evans, as well as debt finance partner Jonathan Birks and intellectual property and technology partner Emma Flett.