Category: Bulgaria

Boyanov & Co. has advised the Visteon Corporation on Bulgarian elements related to its acquisition of the automotive electronics business of Johnson Controls.

The acquired business provides automakers with driver information, infotainment, connectivity, and body electronics products. The transaction involves about 4,800 employees, including about 1,000 engineers, electronics specialists, and designers at seven research and development centers, including the Bulgarian Electronics Development Center of Johnson Controls, which has nearly 600 employees. According to Boyanov & Co., the acquisition “creates one of the world’s three largest suppliers of vehicle cockpit electronics.”

Boyanov & Co. acted as Bulgarian legal counsel to Visteon, and provided advice and assistance on all Bulgarian legal aspects of the deal. The Boyanov & Co.’s team on the deal was led by Senior Associate Nickolai Zisov. Visteon’s global legal counsel was Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. 

The Bulgarian Velchev & Co law firm has announced that it is representing the GANT clothing brand in Bulgaria.

GANT currently has more than 4000 stores in over 60 countries around the world. Velchev & Co lawyers Pavel Velchev and Velislav Dramov will represent the company before the Bulgarian Central Customs Directorate regarding border control matters on goods bearing the brand. 

Boyanov & Co. has advised Citigroup Global Markets Limited as underwriter of EUR 185 million new notes issued by Glasstank, a Dutch SPC of the Yioula Group.

The Yioula Group is a leading producer of glass containers for the food and beverage industries in the Balkan region, with main production subsidiaries in Bulgaria and Romania. Boyanov & Co. advised the underwriter and the initial purchaser of the notes on all Bulgarian law matters related to the guarantee and security provided for the notes by the Bulgarian subsidiaries of the group. Boyanov & Co. also advised the Security Agent, Wilmington Turst, on the Bulgarian security for the notes.

The deal closed successfully on May 21, 2014.

Bulgarian lawyer Natasha Andreeva, who heads Boyanov & Co’s Intellectual Property practice, was elected to the Bulgarian Council of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (EPI).

EPI is the professional body regulating the work of professional representatives before the European Patent Office, and its Council includes members of all States party to the European Patent Convention. The Council is the principal body of the organization.

Boyanov & Co. has advised Sofica Group AD, Bulgaria’s biggest business process outsourcing company, in relation to its acquisition by TeleTech Holdings Inc.

Sofica has a staff of 800 and provides customer services in over 15 languages. The company also operates in Skopje through its subsidiary Sofica Macedonia.

Tsvetkova Bebov & Partners has participated in the debut Eurobond offering by the Bulgarian Telecommunication Company (BTC), one of the leading telecom operators in Bulgaria.

In November 2013 BTC issued EUR 400,000,000 6.625% Senior Secured Notes due in 2018. Tsvetkova Bebov & Partners advised the initial purchasers, Credit Suisse, VTB Capital, Barclays, Deutsche Bank, and Societe Generale, as well as the security agent, U.S. Bank Trustees Ltd. on matters of Bulgarian law.