Category: Poland

Greenberg Traurig has advised Redkom Development on its full sale of the Park Handlowy Glinianka retail complex near Warsaw to CEE-BIG Europe in a share deal. CMS reportedly advised BIG.

Redkom Development specializes in large scheme retail parks, and industrial and logistics facilities.

BIG Shopping Centers focuses on developing, operating, and investing in operational shopping and lifestyle centers, logistics, office, and residential properties, as well as renewable energy.

According to Greenberg Traurig, “Park Handlowy Glinianka, opened in March 2023, was recognized in the 2023 European Property Awards, winning in the Retail Development Poland category and was also nominated for a European award in the Architecture Landscape category, receiving five stars for its unique green leisure and recreation area.”

The Greenberg Traurig team included Partners Maciej Jodkowski and Karol Brzoskowski, Counsel Karol Lewandowski, Senior Associate Agnieszka Gul-Czajkowska, and Associates Tomasz Drzewiecki and Przemyslaw Susol.

PwC Legal Polska has established a Pharma and Life Sciences practice with Counsels Anna Wilkowska and Maciej Huzior joining the firm to co-lead the new department.

Wilkowska and Huzior have joined PwC Legal Polska from the Czyzewscy Law Firm.

Before the move, Wilkowska spent five years with Czyzewscy. Earlier, she spent a year and a half with the  Chief Pharmaceutical Inspectorate, four and a half years with SQL Adwokaci i Radcowie Prawni, and two years with Kancelaria Adwokacko Radcowska. She started out as a Junior Lawyer with Coface, in 2007, where she spent a year and a half.

Prior to joining PwC Legal Polska, Huzior spent six years with Czyzewscy starting in 2018, five years in solo practice, a year with Schoenherr, and more than five years with Chadbourne & Parke, between 2007 and 2012.

Also joining PwC’s new practice is Senior Associate Kamil Rzeczkowski, himself an addition from Czyzewscy. And rounding out the team is Mariusz Ignatowicz, joining as an independent Advisor to the Management Board for Health Protection at PwC.

Dentons has advised mBank on its PLN 199 million facility agreement with Enwind to refinance the existing Gluchow I wind farm and finance construction of the new Gluchow II wind farm, with a combined capacity of 40 megawatts. Clifford Chance reportedly advised Enwind.

According to Dentons, the financing is secured by a 15-year power purchase agreement (PPA) signed with Respect Energy as the off-taker.

Enwind is a project company belonging to the TotalEnergies Group.

The Dentons team included Partners Piotr Nerwinski and Christian Schnell, Counsels Justyna Jamrozy and Pawel Dlugoborski, Senior Associate Jerzy Oppeln-Bronikowski, and Associates Malgorzata Czarnecka and Katarzyna Kaptur.

Editor’s Note: After this article was published, Clifford Chance confirmed it had advised Enwind. The firm’s team included Partner Pawel Puacz, Counsel Michal Jadwisiak, Senior Associates Oliwia Hutnik and Adrian Krol, and Associate Joanna Korycinska.

Gessel has advised Depilacja.pl on its acquisition of a majority stake in Polish beauty and spa network Yasumi Polska, the related financing transaction, and its new shareholding structure. KPMG Legal reportedly advised the sellers.

According to the firm, “the brands plan dynamic development in Poland and abroad, as well as the advancement of technology, including devices for treatments. The combined network of Depilacja.pl and Yasumi comprises over 200 cosmetic institutes, laser hair removal salons, and spas, employing more than 1,000 cosmetologists and physiotherapists. Yasumi also offers a line of cosmetics for professional and home use, available at Hebe drugstores and in their online store.”

Depilacja.pl focuses on laser beauty treatments, relying on its proprietary LED-based laser, with locations in 40 Polish cities, and also in the UK.

Yasumi Polska operates a network of Japanese-themed spa locations, with a broad offering of health and beauty treatments.

The Gessel team was led by Partner Michal Bochowicz and Managing Associate Edyta Podgorska and included Partners Maciej Boryczko, Dominika Ramirez-Wolkiewicz, Christian Schmidt, and Adam Kraszewski, Counsels Agnieszka Nowacka and Inarda Bielinska, Senior Consultant Iwona Gielo-Benza, Senior Associates Katarzyna Zarzycka, Rafal Smolik, Emilia Szkiela, Erazm Dutkiewicz, Agnieszka Kolenda-Kuchcicka, and Daria Golus, and Junior Associates Pawel Osmolski and Magdalena Rzepka.

Rymarz Zdort Maruta has advised Polish state-owned company Weglokoks on its acquisition of an 80% stake in Port Polnocny from Belgian group Sea-Invest. DLA Piper advised the seller.

Weglokoks will not be the sole shareholder in Port Polnocny, as 20% will continue to be held by steel manufacturer ArcelorMittal.

According to Rymarz Zdort Maruta, PPS Port Polnocny is the “largest and most important bulk port in Poland and a key asset to securing imports of bulk goods into Poland, particularly thermal coal, coking coal, and iron ore.”

Weglokoks is a state-owned holding company operating in the mining, metallurgical, energy, and logistics sectors, and a coal producer and distributor in Poland.

Sea-Invest manages 23 seaports in Europe and Africa, operates oil tanks and terminals in global ports, and is a port transshipment operator for dry bulk goods and fruit in Europe.

“This transaction has strengthened the market position of Weglokoks and furthers the company’s plans to operate in foreign markets,” Rymarz Zdort Maruta reported. “Having purchased the shares, Weglokoks will be able to develop its business in the logistics sector and ensure better integration of its services. Furthermore, the return of Port Polnocny to Polish hands will significantly enhance Poland’s energy security.”

The Rymarz Zdort Maruta team included Managing Partner Pawel Rymarz, Partners Jakub Krzemien and Iwona Her, Counsel Irmina Watly, Senior Associates Diana Sofu, Tomasz Bakowski, and Piotr Wawrzeniuk, and Associates Justyna Niezgoda and Karol Wojtkowski.

The DLA Piper team included Partner Jakub Marcinkowski, Counsel Izabela Gebal, Senior Associate Jakub Szczygiel, Associate Jakub Niemiec, and Junior Associates Aleksander Stanek and Natalia Cichocka.

Allen & Overy has advised Mutares SE & Co on its acquisition of Eltel Networks Energetyka and Eltel Networks Engineering. Greenberg Traurig advised seller Eltel AB on the deal.

Mutares SE & Co is a Germany-based holding company that acquires medium-sized companies in turn-around situations and restructures them.

Eltel Networks Energetyka and Eltel Networks Engineering provide electrical power engineering services in Poland. According to Allen & Overy, “as an integrated entity with a one-stop shop model, the companies are providers of high voltage services with planning, construction, commissioning, and maintenance services.”

The Allen & Overy team included Partners Magdalena Nasilowska and Marta Sendrowicz, Counsel Piotr Szczecinski, Senior Associates Maciej Szykut, Konrad Zawistowski, Pawel Bartosiewicz, and Malgorzata Jastrzebska, Associates Jakub Zebrowski, Pawel Grzesik, and Jacek Mainardi, and Consultant Malgorzata Dobrzynska-Dabska.

The Greenberg Traurig team included Partners Stephen Horvath and Andrzej Wysokinski, Local Partner Maciej Pietrzak, Counsel Agnieszka Stopinska, and Senior Associate Anna Celejewska-Rajchert as well as further team members from Berlin.

MFW Fialek has advised the shareholder of specialized waste management company Bioproten on the full sale of the operation to Eneris. Grant Thornton advised Eneris.

Bioproten specializes in handling Category 3 waste, which includes by-products of animal origin that pose no threat to the health of humans or animals, as well as withdrawn food products of animal origin. The company also collects kitchen waste from gastronomy establishments and expired food from stores and distribution centers.

Eneris operates in the environmental protection sector. The company provides services to 1.4 million residents and is present in over 100 municipalities throughout Poland.

The MFW Fialek team included Partnern Miroslaw Fialek, Senior Associate Michal Kret, and Associates Mateusz Wieckowski, Cezary Gizinski, Maksymilian Kulczycki, and Wojciech Lichterowicz.

The Grant Thornton team included Partner Karol Guzdziol, Counsel Marek Hoffmann, and Senior Associate Jedrzej Kucharski.

Partners Janusz Dzianachowski and Marcin Schulz have become the new National Managing Partners at Linklaters Warsaw, taking over from Artur Kulawski, who has been at the firm’s helm for the past 12 years.

According to Linklaters, “both homegrown partners, Janusz and Marcin have risen through all of the stages of their careers at Linklaters, embodying the firm’s DNA in every aspect of their journeys. With a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to legal innovation, they are set to steer our firm towards success.”

Regarding the transition, the firm stated: “As we turn this page, we also express our deepest appreciation to Artur Kulawski, whose leadership has profoundly shaped our firm’s journey. Artur’s legacy of innovation and his dedication to nurturing talent have left a lasting mark on us all.”

Dzianachowski, a real estate specialist, has been with the firm since 2005 and has been a Partner since 2017. Before joining Linklaters, he spent a year and a half with Grot Lempicki Sarbinski Zimny.

“I am thrilled to take on this new challenge alongside Marcin,” Dzianachowski said. “Our collective experience and commitment to the firm’s values position us well to lead our talented team and serve our clients with the unparalleled expertise they expect from Linklaters.”

Schulz joined Linklaters as an Associate in 2000 and was promoted to Managing Associate in 2008, Counsel in 2015, and Partner in 2018. He is a corporate/M&A and finance expert.

“It’s a privilege to step into this role and build on the strong foundation that Artur has established,” Schulz added. “Janusz and I are eager to lead Linklaters Warsaw into its next chapter of growth and success.”

“It has been an honor to lead such a dedicated team of professionals and contribute to Linklaters’ remarkable journey in Poland,” Kulawski commented. “I am confident that Janusz and Marcin will continue to uphold our values of excellence and innovation, driving the firm to new heights.”

Taylor Wessing has advised the MLP Group on its public offering of Series G bonds and their listing on the Catalyst alternative trading system of the Warsaw Stock Exchange. CMS reportedly advised arranger mBank.

The MLP Group is a European developer, owner, and manager of industrial and logistics parks. According to Taylor Wessing, 35 investors subscribed to the bonds, with the offering being made to qualified investors.

Taylor Wessing also advised the MLP Group on a similar offering back in 2022 (as reported by CEE Legal Matters on August 3, 2022).

The Taylor Wessing team included Partners Jakub Pitera and Andrzej Mikosz, Counsels Marta Janowska and Jan Adamus, and Senior Associate Patrycja Sojka.

Rymarz Zdort Maruta, working with Ropes and Gray, has advised Virtusa International on its acquisition of shares in ITmagination. Taylor Wessing advised ITmagination founders Daniel Arak, Dawid Lazinski, and Pawel Borowski on the sale.

Virtusa International, owned by the Virtusa Corporation, is a provider of digital business strategy, digital engineering, and IT services and solutions.

ITmagination is a Polish IT company specializing in the development of dedicated software and systems for outsourcing and business intelligence data analysis.

The Rymarz Zdort Maruta team included Managing Partner Pawel Zdort, Partner Marcin Serafin, Counsels Aleksandra Kabac, Marcin Cwener, and Monika Gieraltowska-Karpowicz, Senior Associates Malgorzata Banaszkiewicz, Michal Matysiak, and Justyna Wigier, and Associates Szymon Rutecki, Natalia Jaskolska-Kowalczyk, Maksymilian Kaszubowski, Patrick Kozliczak, Szymon Marciniak, Eryk Ryciak, and Anna Wadolowska-Widurek.

The Taylor Wessing team included Warsaw-based Partners Andrzej Mikosz and Lukasz Szymanski and Senior Associate Patrycja Sojka, alongside further team members in the Netherlands.