Category: Czech Republic

Taylor Wessing has advised US-based Vintech Industries on its acquisition of parts of Rehau Automotive’s operations including its site in Jevicko, Moravia. Schoenherr and Gleiss Lutz reportedly advised Rehau Automotive.

Founded in 2004, Vintech Industries is a supplier of plastic components to the automotive industry, with manufacturing sites in the United States, Mexico, China, and Portugal.

Rehai Automotive specializes in producing polymer moldings and sealing products.

The Taylor Wessing team in Prague included Partner Thomas Rechberger, Senior Associate Adela Kucerova, and Associate Nicole Raguzova.

JSK has advised PRE Group on its acquisition of SolidSun Group. Solid Legal reportedly advised the SolidSun Group.

The transaction remains contingent on regulatory approval.

PRE Group is an energy company and the second-largest electricity supplier in the Czech Republic.

SolidSun Group is a Czech supplier and installer of photovoltaic power plants since 2013.

According to JSK, SolidSun will become a subsidiary of PREenergo, a PRE Group company offering energy services for households, companies, and public administration. 

The JSK team included Partner Tomas Dolezil, Senior Associate Daniel Pospisil, and Associates Vladena Svobodova and Filip Vraspir.

BPV Braun Partners, working with Watson Farley & Williams, has advised the Creditas Assets investment fund on the sale of UK energy company Green Bess Developments.

Green Bess develops large-capacity battery storage facilities.

According to BPV Braun Partners, “the transaction involved four major battery storage projects in the UK. Three of these projects are located in Scotland and each has a planned capacity of 500 megawatts. The fourth project, located in England, will be developed in two phases – the first phase envisages a capacity of 450 megawatts and the second is expected to reach up to one gigawatt.”

Earlier this year, BPV Braun Partners advised Creditas company UCED on its acquisition of GGE (as reported by CEE Legal Matters on June 12, 2024). In 2023, BPV Braun Partners advised UCED on its investment in the Prostejov power plant (as reported by CEE Legal Matters on May 18, 2023) and advised Creditas on the acquisition of British energy group InterGen (as reported by CEE Legal Matters on January 30, 2023). 

The BPV Braun Partners team included Partner David Vosol and Attorneys at Law David Plevka and Pavel Brezina.

BPV Braun Partners could not provide additional information on the matter.

Former Taylor Wessing Partner Karin Pomaizlova has left the firm to become a sole practitioner.

Before setting up her own office, Pomaizlova was a Partner with Taylor Wessing between 2015 and 2024. She also served as the Head of IP/IT at Taylor Wessing Prague.

Earlier, she was a sole practitioner between 2008 and 2015. Earlier still, Pomaizlova worked for Linklaters between 1998 and 2008.

Former Clifford Chance Counsel Aneta Disman has joined Wikov as its Chief Legal Officer in the Czech Republic.

Wikov is a group of engineering companies developing and manufacturing gears and gearboxes.

Before the move, Disman was with Clifford Chance as a Lawyer between 2011 and 2017, Senior Lawyer between 2017 and 2020, and Counsel between 2020 and 2024.

“I’m excited to dive into Wikov’s strategic acquisitions and the group’s restructuring,” commented Disman. “These initiatives present unique challenges and opportunities, and I’m eager to leverage my expertise to ensure that we navigate these processes smoothly and effectively. My goal is to support our growth while aligning our legal framework.”

Originally reported by CEE In-House Matters.

White & Case has advised CEZ Group on the issuance of EUR 700 million 4.125% sustainability-linked notes due 2031 and EUR 750 million 4.250% sustainability-linked notes due 2032 under its EUR 8 billion EMTN program. Dentons reportedly advised the underwriters.

CEZ Group is the largest electricity generation and electricity and gas distribution company in the Czech Republic.

According to White & Case, “the notes are admitted to trading on the regulated market of the Luxembourg Stock Exchange and followed the annual update of CEZ Group’s EUR 8 billion EMTN program.”

The White & Case team included Prague-based Partner Petr Hudec, Counsel Petr Smerkl, Associate Jan Vacula, and Legal Intern Josef Levy as well as further team members in London.

White & Case has advised BNP Paribas and J.P. Morgan as the joint global coordinators, BNP Paribas, Goldman Sachs Bank Europe, and J.P. Morgan as the joint lead managers and joint bookrunners, and J&T Banka as the co-manager of Moneta Money Bank’s issuance of EUR 300 million fixed-to-floating rate senior preferred notes due 2030. A&O Shearman Sterling advised Moneta.

According to White & Case, “the notes, rated A3 by Moody’s, attracted interest from more than 200 investors across 32 countries and have been admitted to trading on the regulated market of the Luxembourg Stock Exchange.”

The White & Case team included Partner Petr Hudec, Counsel Petr Smerkl, Associate Jan Vacula, and Legal Intern Josef Levy in Prague as well as further team members in London.

The A&O Shearman team included Partner Petr Vybiral, Associate Jan Mourek, and Junior Lawyer Jan Tocik.

Glatzova & Co has advised on the merger of Shopsys, Reservio, Smartsupp, and Survio into the new Abugo group.

According to Glatzova & Co, “in addition to the joint investors – Reflex Capital and Novira Capital – all the companies share a focus on e-commerce and software-as-a-service: Shopsys creates customized e-shops, Reservio operates online booking systems, Smartsupp develops chatbots, and Survio focuses on customer questionnaires and data management. The newly formed group is the largest of its kind in the Czech Republic and is expected to offer comprehensive e-commerce services to customers.”

The Glatzova & Co team included Partner Jan Vesely, Associate Jan Perinka, and Junior Associate David Becvar.

Finreg Partners advised Fondee founders and majority shareholders Jan Hlavsa and Eva Hlavsova on the sale of the company to Direct Group. Erudit Law Firm reportedly advised Direct Group.

The transaction remains contingent on regulatory approval.

Fondee is a fintech company founded in 2017. It operates a retail investment platform across the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Poland. 

Direct Group is a Czech financial conglomerate with revenues exceeding CZK 8 billion CZK.

The Finreg Partners team included Partner Ondrej Mikula, Senior Associate Petra Simunkova, and Associate Marketa Klabouchova.

White & Case has advised PPF Group on an in-depth merger investigation under the EU Foreign Subsidies Regulation.

According to White & Case, “the investigation led to the issuance of the first in-depth conditional merger clearance under the new legal instrument. This landmark decision, in which the European Commission tested how it will apply FSR in merger cases, involved the sale of a 50% plus one share stake in PPF Telecom Group’s assets in Bulgaria, Hungary, Serbia, and Slovakia to Emirates Telecommunications Group Company PJSC and the setting-up of a joint venture between PPF Group and e& to manage the assets. The European Commission conditionally approved the acquisition of parts of PPF Telecom.”

The White & Case team included Partner Ivo Janda and Counsel Magda Olysarova as well as further team members in London and Brussels.