CEE Legal Matters

Category: News

  • Clifford Chance Advises United Petfood on Acquisition of Two Cargill Facilities in Poland and Hungary

    Clifford Chance has advised Waterland Private Equity portfolio company United Petfood on its acquisition of Cargill’s production facilities in Krzepice, Poland, and Karcag, Hungary. Lakatos Koves and Partners reportedly advised the buyer as well.

    According to Clifford Chance, the production facilities specialize in the production of dry pet food for cats and dogs.

    United Petfood is a Belgium-headquartered company that produces dry and wet pet food, biscuits, and snacks.

    Cargill is an American food and beverage manufacturing company providing food, agriculture, financial, and industrial products and services. The company is active in 70 countries worldwide.

    According to a United Petfood press release, “with the additional production plants in Poland and Hungary, the United Petfood Group operates now out of 21 pet food facilities situated in nine different European countries. The takeover is in line with the strategy of United Petfood to reinforce and grow the business.”

    The Clifford Chance team included Warsaw-based Counsel Tomasz Derda, Senior Associates Tomasz Szekalski, Aleksandra Ulatowska, Anna Pawlowska, and Marta Michalek-Gervais, Associates Michal Besciak, Adam Szyndler, Mariusz Wisniewski, Oliwia Hutnik, and Agata Parys, Junior Associate Kamila Hora, as well as Bucharest-based Of Counsel Eleonora Udroiu and Associate Maria Ciulica.

    Editor’s Note: After this article was published, Lakatos Koves and Partners confirmed it had advised United Petfood on Hungarian law-related matters. The firm’s team included Partner Ivan Solyom, Counsel Pal Rahoty, Senior Associates Gyorgy Toth and Tamas Balogh, and Associate Szandra Remete.

  • KSB and Relevans Advise on Seyfor’s Acquisition of Commander Services

    Kocian Solc Balastik and Relevans have advised Seyfor on its acquisition of Commander Services.

    Established in 2005, Commander Services is a Slovak company specializing in the GPS vehicle monitoring segment. The company has branches in Slovakia and the Czech Republic and provides services including electronic logbooks, fuel cards, automatic tachograph data downloads, and active vehicle monitoring.

    Seyfor is an information and communications technology supplier which serves customers in 38 countries worldwide. The company operated under the Solitea brand before December 1, 2022.

    The KSB team included Managing Partner Pavel Dejl, Partner Drahomir Tomasuk, Lawyers Jan Beres and Martin Vrab, and Junior Lawyer Karolina Vosatkova.

    The Relevans team included Attorney-at-Law Juraj Freudenfeld.

    Editor’s Note: After this article was published, Havel & Partners announced it had advised PosAm – majority owned by Slovak Telekom – on the sale. Seyfor acquired a 100% stake in Commander Services. The firm’s team included Partner Ondrej Majer, Counsel Petra Corba Stark, Senior Associate Pavel Zahradnicek, and Associate Ivana Gajdosova.

  • Closing: MOL, Lotos, and Orlen Petrol Station Transactions Now Closed

    On December 1, 2022, SMM Legal announced that MOL’s acquisition of Lotos Paliwa (reported by CEE Legal Matters on February 2, 2022) had closed. Subsequently, Baker McKenzie announced that Orlen Unipetrol’s acquisition of Hungarian petrol stations from MOL (reported by CEE Legal Matters on February 1, 2022) had closed as well. 

    According to a MOL Group announcement, Lotos Paliwa will “be re-branded under the MOL brand as a part of MOL’s portfolio expansion. With a strong presence in the region, our company is a major contributor to the whole Central and Eastern European economy; therefore, entering Poland was not only an obvious and natural extension to our portfolio but also a massive step forward.”

    According to Baker, through the other transaction, “Orlen Unipetrol entered the Hungarian fuel retail market and becomes a significant player by acquiring a nationwide network of 79 petrol stations from MOL. The transaction also covers the acquisition of further 64 petrol stations in Hungary to be handed over by the end of the first half of 2024. This transaction is a part of the complex acquisition of Lotos by PKN Orlen approved by the European Commission.”

    As previously reported, CMS had advised the MOL Group on its acquisition of Lotos Paliwa, with assets including 417 petrol stations in Poland. Rymarz Zdort advised the Lotos Group on the sale. As the deals were part of a broader asset swap between MOL and PKN Orlen (arising from the merger of PKN Orlen and Grupa Lotos), SMM Legal advised PKN Orlen on the Lotos Paliwa transaction.

    According to CMS, the transaction value was set at nearly USD 610 million, with a “variable element depending on the company’s debt and working capital.”

    Separately, CMS had also advised the MOL Group on its sale of 185 service stations located in Hungary and Slovakia to PKN Orlen for a total of USD 259 million. Baker McKenzie advised Orlen. As part of the same deal package, Noerr advised the Normeston Group on the sale of 79 service stations in Hungary to MOL – which were then transferred to PKN Orlen.

    Noerr’s updated team was led by Partner Zoltan Nadasdy and Counsel Akos Mates-Lanyi.

    The SMM Legal updated team was led by Partner Tomasz Jaranowski.

    The Baker McKenzie updated team was led by Senior Lawyer Daniel Orosz supported by Associate Botond Tass and Junior Associate Dominik Csaszcsu and supervised by Partner Akos Fehervary. The firm’s Polish team was led by Partner Magdalena Nasilowska and Associate Pawel Jaros and supervised by Partner Tomasz Krzyzowski.

    Rymarz Zdort’s updated team included Managing Partner Pawel Rymarz, Partner Jakub Zagrajek, Counsel Aleksandra Dobrzynska-Grezel, Senior Associates Diana Sofu and Pawel Mazur, and Associates Patrycja Gliwka and Filip Goledzinowski.

    CMS’ team included Partners Lukasz Szatkowski, Blazej Zagorski, Rafal Zwierz, Piotr Ciolkowski, Malgorzata Urbanska, Agnieszka Skorupinska, Eva Talmacsi, and Helen Rodwell, Senior Associates Rafal Burda, Piotr Prawda, Magdalena Zmyslowska, Grzegorz Paczek, Adam Kedziora, Jagoda Nowakowska, Eliska Copland, Krzysztof Sikora, Wojciech Szopinski, and Maciej Olejnik, and Associates Szymon Klimkowski, Anis Ben Amer, Pawel Ura, Michal Tutaj, Mateusz Mazur, Patrycja Styczynska, and Moritz Kopka.

  • Closing: Wirtualna Polska’s Acquisition of Szallas Group Now Closed

    On November 30, 2022, the BLS-CEE Law Firm announced that Wirtualna Polska’s acquisition of the Szallas Group from Portfolion Capital Partners and private individuals (reported by CEE Legal Matters on September 16, 2022) had closed.

    According to BLS-CEE, “one of the most substantial digital acquisitions of recent years in the Central European tourist sector has been finalized: Wirtualna Polska, registered on the Polish stock exchange, has purchased the Szallas Group, which operates Szallas.hu, among others. The accommodation booking site plays a major role in the Hungarian market and has now been purchased for EUR 82 million. Plans include adapting the successful Hungarian model to regional players to allow them to compete with global platforms in the tourism sector.”

    As previously reported, DLA Piper advised Wirtualna Polska on the acquisition of the Szallas Group from Portfolion Capital Partners and private individuals. Baker McKenzie advised Portfolion. BLS-CEE advised the Szallas Group.

    The Szallas Group owns travel platforms for booking accommodation in Hungary, the Czech Republic, Romania, Poland, and Croatia. The group also operates services offering spa packages, hotel discount coupons, tour operator services, and vouchers for tourist attractions.

    The Wirtualna Polska Holding is a Warsaw-based public e-commerce company.

    Portfolion is a Hungarian venture capital firm.

    The BLS-CEE team was led by Partner Erzsebet Szalay.

    The DLA Piper team was led by Poland-based Partner Jakub Domalik-Plakwicz and Counsel Marek Kleczek and included Associates Emilia Kalecka, Arkadiusz Karwala, and Kamila Mozdzen, and Junior Associates Dominik Mizerski and Agnieszka Tarasiuk; Hungary-based Partners Andras Posztl, Gabor Molnar, Gabor Fejes, Helga Feher, and Gabor Borbely, Local Partner Zoltan Kozma, Counsel Attila Sari, Senior Associates Gabor Spitz, Blanka Borzsonyi, Daniel Necz, and Imre Beres, Associates Kristof Szeredi and Bettina Bonczok, and Junior Associates Gergo Korodi, Mark Rozsavolgyi, Andor Boros, Fanni Oroszi, Bettina Ujfalusi, Krisztina Varkonyi, and Reka Reisz; Czech Republic-based Partner Miroslav Dubovsky, Senior Associates Petr Samec, Jan Zidek, and Ondrej Chlada, and Associates Jan Metelka and Petr Varvarovsky; Romania-based Counsels Ana-Maria Andronic and Monica Preotescu, Managing Associates Bogdan Buta and Corina Badiceanu, and Associate Diana Nacuta; as well as a team from the firm’s London office.

    The Baker McKenzie team was led by Senior Counsel Pal Takacs and included Senior Associate Daniel Orosz.

  • Sorainen Provides Pro Bono Advice to Entrepreneurs for Peace in Refurbishing Ukrainian Society of the Deaf Premises

    Sorainen has provided pro bono legal advice to the Entrepreneurs for Peace foundation on repairing all the explosion-damaged windows at the Ukrainian Society of the Deaf educational and manufacturing company in Chernihiv and preparing the building for the winter. 

    According to Sorainen, the facility provides jobs for 73 deaf people. “As a result of the Russian aggression, severe and targeted damage has been caused to critical infrastructure facilities, social infrastructure, and housing in Ukraine,” Sorainen reported. “By providing support for the preparation of the premises for the winter period, the members of the Society of the Deaf are enabled to continue their work, even in the winter period.”

    “The urgency of the support projects is driven by the onset of the cold season and the desire to enable at least some villagers to live in adequate conditions as soon as possible,” Entrepreneurs for Peace Board Member Ieva Driksna commented. “We are pleased with what we have achieved in renovating the facilities of the center for the deaf, and in promoting economic continuity, which is especially important in times of war.”

    The Sorainen team included Partners Janis Taukacs, Lelde Lavina, and Jorens Jaunozols, Counsel Raivo Raudzeps, Senior Associate Katrine Plavina-Mika, Associate Annija Straupe, and Assistant Lawyer Sofia Kurochka.

    Editor’s Note: After this article was published, Kinstellar announced that it had also advised Entrepreneurs for Peace. The firm’s team included Partner Illya Sverdlov, Counsel Oleg Matiusha, and Associate Maryna Shulyk.

  • White & Case Advises MidEuropa on Acquisition of Optegra

    White & Case has advised MidEuropa on its acquisition of a majority stake in Optegra. Eversheds Sutherland reportedly advised the seller.

    Optegra is an ophthalmology platform in the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic, and Poland. The company offers services for issues such as cataracts, age-related macular degeneration, and vision correction for public and private patients.

    MidEuropa is a Central European private equity firm and has over EUR 6 billion in assets under management.

    The White & Case team was led by London-based Partner Ken Barry and included Partner Colin Harley and Associates Joe Bradley, Asta Tukiainen, Anthony Isichei, Oliver Trotman, and Jacob Heath.

  • Ellex and Wardynski & Partners Advise on Hampidjan’s Acquisition of Morenot from FSN Capital Partners

    Ellex and Wardynski & Partners, working with Thommessen, have advised Hampidjan on its acquisition of the Morenot Group from FSN Capital Partners. Norway’s Haavind and Iceland’s BBA Fjeldco advised FSN Capital.

    Morenot is a Norwegian group consisting of companies that operate as suppliers to customers in the fisheries, aquaculture, and marine seismic industries.

    Founded in 1934, Hampidjan is a Reykjavik-headquartered fishing gear developer and manufacturer.

    FSN Capital Partners is a Northern European private equity firm with offices in Oslo, Stockholm, Copenhagen, and Munich.

    “Hampidjan’s rope and net factory in Lithuania is among the world’s most technologically advanced facilities, which manufactures a number of products that Morenot currently purchases from external suppliers, as well as patented products for fishing, oil production, and specialized deep-sea projects,” Ellex informed. “The consolidation of the companies will enable significant synergy potential due to increased product availability, optimization of production, integration, and a stronger position within core markets.”

    “During the last few years, Morenot has continued its sales growth by developing into a more structured company with improved production, organization, and product portfolio,” FSN Capital Partners Co-Managing Partner Ulrik Smith commented. “The combination with Hampidjan will create a global leader, and is a natural next step on this industrialization journey, of which FSN Capital V is excited to be a part.”

    The Ellex team included Partner Ruta Armone, Associates Arnas Liauksminas, Edvinas Dzulis, and Andrej Jemeljanov, Junior Associates Ieva Badikonyte and Benas Marcalis, and Lawyers’ Assistant Atene Silyte.

    The Wardynski & Partners team was led by Partners Izabela Zielinska-Barlozek and Bartosz Kuras and included Partners Michal Glinski and Joanna Prokurat, Counsels Adam Pawlisz and Joanna Krakowiak, Attorneys-at-Law Joanna Dudek, Pawel Szumowski, and Daria Goliszewska, and Lawyers Klaudia Czarniecka, Gabriela Pagacz, and Mateusz Tusznio.

  • Hogan Lovells and PRK Partners Advise on RGW Express Alliance with Groupe BBL

    Hogan Lovells and PRK Partners have advised Polish-Czech RGW Express Group owner Hartmut Luetz on the sale of all shares in the company to French Groupe BBL.

    According to PRK Partners, “founded in 1983 by Hartmut Luetz, the RGW Express Group operates as an IATA cargo agent and Authorised Economic Operator licensed customs broker offering complete transport solutions for road, air, and sea freight. Founded in 1997, BBL Groupe is a corporate network of companies with specific know-how in the fields of contract logistics, overseas transport, freight and groupage traffic, and customs clearance.”

    Hogan Lovells’ team included Warsaw-based Senior Counsel Marek Wroniak, Counsel Tomas Zak, and Senior Associate Mateusz Mazurkiewicz and Frankfurt-based Partner Torsten Rosenboom and Senior Associate Matthias Murr.

    PRK Partners’ team included Partner Radan Kubr and Attorney Jan Varecha.

    The firms did not respond to our inquiry on the matter.

  • Schoenherr and Vukina & Partners Advise on Integral’s Acquisition of Chips Way

    Moravcevic Vojnovic and Partners in cooperation with Schoenherr has advised Integral Venture Partners on its acquisition of a controlling stake in Chips Way alongside co-investor and industrial partner Nelt Group. Vukina & Partners advised sellers Jagoda Bajevic, Dobroslav Barbaric, Ivana Vujcic, Matko Dropuljic, Vlatko Barbaric, Djordje Dragicevic, Ivana Einfalt, and Tomislav Bajevic.

    Integral Venture Partners is an independently owned private equity and growth capital investments firm.

    Chips Way, a Serbian salty snacks manufacturer, was founded in 1971 as the first and then only Yugoslavian potato chips manufacturer. According to Schoenherr, “supported by a new institutional shareholder group, Chips Way aims to continue growing its market share across both local and regional markets while further strengthening its legacy brand equity and product portfolio and maintaining high-end quality standards.”

    Schoenherr’s team included Partners Luka Lopicic and Andrea Radonjanin and Attorneys at Law Djordje Trifunovic, Pavle Eric, and Bojan Rajic.

    The Vukina & Partners team included Partner Fran Vukina and Senior Associate Mislav Vukina.

  • Koutalidis Advises Wren House Infrastructure on Acquisition of Equity Stake in Zorlu Enerji

    Koutalidis, working alongside White & Case’s London office, has advised Wren House Infrastructure on its USD 88 million acquisition of equity stakes in Turkish EV charging station company Zorlu Enerji and its Dutch subsidiary, ZES NV. 

    Wren House Infrastructure is an affiliate of the Kuwaiti state-owned wealth fund, the Kuwait Investment Authority.

    According to Koutalidis, “the deal also involved a  USD 150 million loan restructuring aspect.”

    Koutalidis’ team included Partner Evans Courakis and Associate Dimitrios Andriopoulos.

    Koutalidis did not respond to our inquiry on the matter.