CEE Legal Matters

Category: News

  • Wardynski & Partners and Sayenko Kharenko Advise D3 Fund on Investment in Polish Holding and Ukrainian Startup

    Wardynski & Partners and Sayenko Kharenko have advised D3 Fund on its investment in an unidentified Polish holding company and a Ukrainian drone startup.

    Founded in 2023, D3 Fund is an early-stage venture capital firm that invests in dual-use technologies. D3 invests in drones, EW, autonomy, sensors, AI, demining, and cyber areas.

    The Wardynski & Partners team included Partner Adam Pawlisz, Counsels Kacper Czubacki and Hubert Binkiewicz, Senior Associate Dominik Kaszuba, and Junior Associate Adam Strzelecki.

    The Sayenko Kharenko team included Partner Oleksandr Nikolaichyk, Counsel Dmytro Riabikin, and Associates Nazarii Pylypchuk and Dmytro Zaiachkivskyi.

    Sayenko Kharenko could not provide additional information on the matter.

    Wardynski & Partners did not respond to our inquiry on the matter.

  • Kinstellar and Rymarz Zdort Maruta Advise on Smyk Group Financing

    Kinstellar and Rymarz Zdort Maruta have advised the Smyk Group and its Romanian Smyk All 4 Kids subsidiary on the amendment and extension of their group financing.

    According to Kinstellar, the financing transaction was “conducted simultaneously with Bridgepoint’s sale of shares in the Smyk Group to Accession Capital Partners.”

    Back in March, Rymarz Zdort Maruta advised Bridgepoint on the management buyout of Smyk (as reported by CEE Legal Matters on March 5, 2024).

    The Kinstellar team included Special Counsel Magda Raducanu, Managing Associate Razvan Constantinescu, and Junior Associate Horatiu Cretu.

    The Rymarz Zdort Maruta team included Managing Partner Pawel Zdort, Partner Jakub Rachwol, Counsel Marcin Gruszka, Senior Associate Malgorzata Derus, and Associates Filip Ksiazczak, Engjell Sokoli, Aleksander Jakubisiak, and Szymon Marciniak.

  • Kinstellar and CMS Advise on SAMCO Aircraft Maintenance’s Acquisition of Austrian Airlines Technik – Bratislava

    Kinstellar has advised Dutch aircraft maintenance provider SAMCO Aircraft Maintenance on the acquisition of Austrian Airlines Technik – Bratislava. CMS, working with Netherlands-based BarentsKrans, advised Austrian Airlines on the sell side.

    According to Kinstellar, “located at the Maastricht Airport in the Netherlands, SAMCO provides a wide range of aircraft maintenance activities—from heavy base-maintenance checks, line-maintenance, logistic support, asset and maintenance management to EASA Part 21 approved design changes. With the acquisition of ATB, SAMCO increases its footprint significantly.”

    ATB, located in Bratislava, Slovakia, is equipped to perform base maintenance services.

    The Kinstellar team included Counsel Dominika Bajzathova and Managing Associate Lukas Mrazik.

    The CMS team included Vienna-based Partners Alexander Rakosi, Florian Mayer, and Dieter Zandler, Associate Rebecca Herlitz, and Legal Trainee Matthias Torggler and Bratislava-based Attorney at Law Martina Gavalec and Associate Jan Sevcik.

  • E+H and Schoenherr Advise on PAI Partners’ Acquisition of VAMED Group’s Rehabilitation Business

    E+H has advised PAI Partners on the acquisition of VAMED Group’s rehabilitation business from Fresenius. Schoenherr, working with Latham & Watkins, advised the sellers. Reportedly, Willkie Farr & Gallagher, Novacos, Baer & Karrer, KNPZ Rechtsanwaelte, and Havel & Partners advised on the deal as well.

    The transaction remains contingent on regulatory approval.

    PAI Partners is a private equity firm with approximately EUR 27 billion in assets under management. Since 1994, it has completed over 100 investments in 12 countries and realized more than EUR 24 billion in proceeds from 60 exits.  

    According to E+H, VAMED’s rehabilitation business operates 67 clinics and care centers across Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, and the UK, serving more than 100,000 patients annually. “Supported by around 10,000 highly-skilled staff, the unit provides a comprehensive range of inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation services, as well as specialist acute care.”

    The E+H team included Partners Philipp Schrader, Ulrike Sehrschoen, Steve Jeitler, and Florian Sagmeister, Counsels Titus Kahr, Niklas Nigl, Helena Neuner, and Felix Frommelt, and Associates Franziska Egger, Yvonne Wohlmuth, Alexandra Stadlober, Markus Feneberger, Vincenz Stockert, Gabriela Kaiser, Lorenz Bogensberger, Juliana Haslinger, and Andrea Posch.

    The Schoenherr team included Partners Sascha Hoedl, Constantin Benes, Vladimir Cizek, Christoph Haid, Miriam Simsa, Marco Thorbauer, and Teresa Waidmann, Counsels Michal Jendzelovsky, Helena Hangler, and Johannes Stalzer, Attorneys at Law Zurab Simonishvili, Joseph Moser, Gabriel Ebner, Petr Koral, Jiri Marek, Stefanie Orator-Saghy, and Alexander Pabst, and Associates Stefan Dietrich, Markus Fasching, Stefan Holub, and Nikolaus Stepan.

    Editor’s Note: After this article was published, Havel & Partners confirmed it had advised PAI Partners alongside Willkie Farr & Gallagher. The firm’s team included Partners Martin Peckl and Katerina Slavikova, Counsel David Smida, Senior Associates Silvie Kiraly and Adam Karban, and Associate Hana Erbsova.

     

  • CMS Advises EBRD on EUR 22 Million Loan to Farmak Group for Polish Pharma Acquisition and IT Upgrades

    CMS, working with Harneys Cyprus, has advised the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development on a EUR 22 million loan to the Cyprus-based Farmak Group and Ukraine’s JSC Farmak for the acquisition of Poland’s Symphar and the upgrade of JSC Farmak’s IT systems.

    According to the firm, the Polish strategic acquisition aligns with Farmak’s international expansion strategy, “building upon previous successful acquisitions in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. It also strengthens Farmak’s position in diabetology, psychiatry, neurology, women’s health, and other segments in the EU.”

    “Notwithstanding the challenges faced by Ukrainian businesses these days, the Farmak deal demonstrates strong resilience and willingness to expand into new markets in the pharmaceutical sector, including neighboring markets within the EU,” CMS Partner Ihor Olekhov commented. “With the right financing in place, Ukrainian businesses can create added value and synergies on an international scale.”

    The CMS team included Poland-based Partner Rafal Zakrzewski and Senior Associate Evgeniy Vazhynskiy, Ukraine-based Olekhov and Associates Ivan Pshyk and Iryna Barlit, and additional teams in Switzerland and Germany.

  • Linklaters and Cobalt Advise Mirova on Baltic Storage Platform Strategic Investment

    Linklaters and Cobalt have advised Mirova on its investment in the Estonia-based Baltic Storage Platform energy storage project, a joint venture between Corsica Sole and Evecon established in 2023.

    According to the law firms, Mirova’s investment, channeled through its dedicated Mirova Energy Transition 5 fund, will help facilitate the Baltic Storage Platform’s planned rollout of two large capacity storage parks in Estonia with a total capacity of 200 megawatts and a total production capacity of 400 megawatt-hours, which are planned to be built by 2025. “These storage plants will help the Estonian and Baltic electricity grid in disconnecting from the Russian grid and synchronizing it with the European grid,” Cobalt reported.

    Mirova, an affiliate of Natixis Investment Managers, is a French asset manager.

    Corsica Sole is an independent producer of solar energy and an energy storage company.

    Evecon is a developer of renewable energy in the Baltics.

    The Linklaters team included Warsaw-based Partner Patryk Figiel and Counsel Christopher Quinn.

    The Cobalt team included Partners Martin Simovart and Aivar Taro, Managing Associate Jesse Kivisaari, and Senior Associates Getter Villmann-Nogene, Siim Vahtrus, Sandra Sillaots, and Helen Sool.

  • Havel & Partners Opens Office in Germany

    Havel & Partners has announced it opened an office in Frankfurt am Main on May 1, 2024. The new German office will be managed by former Squire Patton Boggs Partner Philip Smitka.

    Smitka, who will lead a three-person team in Frankfurt, specializes in corporate/M&A (including real estate transactions), international trade and litigation, and commercial and investment arbitration. He joins Havel & Partners after working for over five years as a Partner at Squire Patton Boggs in Stuttgart. Before that, he worked for Noerr for 18 years, including seven years as a Partner in its Prague office. 

    “We want to be closer to our international clients and international law firms that work with us, as well as to international private equity and venture capital funds, investment and private banks, family offices, and other stakeholders and business partners,” Havel & Partners Managing Partner Jaroslav Havel commented. “That is why we have taken the important step of expanding our direct representation to include an office in Frankfurt, the gateway for business worldwide.”

  • Taylor Wessing Advises Denkstatt on Integration with EY in Austria, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, and Slovakia

    Taylor Wessing has advised the shareholders of the international Denkstatt Group on its integration with EY in Austria, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, and Slovakia. EY Law reportedly advised EY.

    The transaction closed in April 2024.

    A sustainability and environmental consulting company, Denkstatt will now operate as EY Denkstatt in those five countries and, according to TW, “will be a leading international management consultancy with three decades of experience in the fields of environment, sustainability, energy, health, safety, and mobility.”

    The Taylor Wessing team included Vienna-based Partners Peter Solt, Claudia Steegmueller, and Martin Eckel, Senior Associate Silvia Schenner, and Associate Cezary Dominik Kinski, Budapest Managing Partner Torsten Braner, and Bratislava-based Partner Juraj Frindrich.

  • CMS Unveils New Managing Partners in Prague and Bratislava

    CMS has appointed Tomas Matejovsky as the new Managing Partner of CMS Prague and Juraj Fuska as the new Managing Partner of CMS (CMNO) in Bratislava, effective May 1, 2024.

    Matejovsky took the role after Helen Rodwell concluded her third consecutive term as the Prague Managing Partner. She will continue to be based in Prague, focusing on clients and complex M&A transactions across CEE, and will also continue to serve as a member of the global Board of CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang.

    Currently head of the Commercial, Regulatory, and Disputes practice, Matejovsky has been with the firm since 2008, first joining as a Senior Associate. In 2011, he was promoted to Partner. Before that, he was a Senior Associate with Vyskocil, Kroslak a spol. between 1999 and 2008.

    “Becoming the Managing Partner of CMS Prague is a privilege,” Matejovsky commented. “I’m genuinely excited about the opportunity to lead and contribute to the continued success of our Prague office and the firm as a whole. I would like to thank Helen for her unwavering commitment to leading the Prague office and building a world-class team dedicated to the success of our clients. The Prague office has grown significantly under Helen’s leadership to become one of the leading law firms in Prague and I look forward to working with Helen and the wider team to deliver on our ambitious plans.”

    Currently head of the Corporate/M&A team at CMS Bratislava, Fuska joined the firm in 2023 (reported by CEE Legal Matters on February 10, 2023). Before joining CMS, he was a Partner with White & Case Slovakia, where he spent over ten years. After that firm’s withdrawal from Slovakia (as reported by CEE Legal Matters on March 8, 2022) Fuska managed the rebranded operation – Aldtree Legal – for a year. 

    “I am honored to take on the role of Managing Partner for CMS in Bratislava,” Fuska commented. “Helen has done a remarkable job leading our Bratislava office since its inception and I am eager to build on this strong foundation. I look forward to bringing my experience to this new leadership role as I am committed to pursuing excellence in every endeavor while continuing to deliver exceptional service to our clients. I have no doubt that working with our talented, globally-minded team will fortify our market reputation as the leading law firm in Slovakia. I am very grateful for the trust and support that I have received from CMS and I am very much looking forward to building on that trust and support in the future.”

  • Clifford Chance, Jalsovszky, and Wolf Theiss Advise on Financing for CVC and Emma Acquisition of Packeta

    Clifford Chance, working with Jalsovszky, has advised a club of banks led by Ceska Sporitelna on the financing for CVC Capital Partners and Emma Capital’s acquisition of Packeta (reported by CEE Legal Matters on January 9, 2024). Wolf Theiss advised Packeta.

    The bank club included Ceska Sporitelna, Ceskoslovenska Obchodni Banka, and Citibank. According to Clifford Chance, “the transaction further involves refinancing and restructuring of Packeta group’s existing financing.”

    Packeta is the parent company of local technology and logistics company Zasilkovna and is a Czech Republic-headquartered e-commerce logistics and out-of-home delivery player with delivery networks in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. It has more than 9,000 third-party pick-up and drop-off points and more than 6,000 automatic parcel machines, providing e-commerce delivery solutions to a customer base of more than 45,000 retailers, as well as straight-to-consumer home delivery services.

    CVC is a private equity and investment advisory firm with a network of 29 offices throughout Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the US, with approximately USD 177 billion in assets under management.

    Emma Capital is a private investment holding founded in 2012 by Jiri Smejc.

    The Clifford Chance team included Partner Milos Felgr, Counsel Dominik Vojta, Senior Associate Hana Cekalova, and Junior Lawyers Ondrej Steco and Sara Bartlova.

    The Jalsovszky team included Senior Associate Adam Boross and Associates Roxana Martinas and Zsombor Gere.