Public Mergers & Acquisitions

Milbank’s public M&A practice in Germany includes German partners Norbert Rieger, Ulrike Friese-Dormann and Christoph Rothenfusser. Their German public M&A team has a well-known expertise in advising on all aspects of takeovers and mergers of public companies. Close relationships with the Securities’ Agency, a broad experience in advising on all corporate law aspects and our intensive cooperation with our Public M&A teams in London and N.Y. offers a high level service of small teams which is leading in the German market. Public M&A matters often play an important role in the private equity context in connection with public-to-private transactions, where Milbank combines its outstanding private equity practice with its public M&A expertise.

Milbank recently represented German ProSiebenSat.1 Media AG during its intended takeover and subsequent tender offer by Axel Springer and German IXOS Software AG in the context of its takeover by Canadian OpenText. Members of the team also advised The Carlyle Group on its tender offer for, and a subsequent take private of, Edscha AG, Belgium Interbrew S.A. on takeover law aspects of the formation of a joint venture with Munich Gabriel Sedlmayr Spaten-Franziskaner Bräu KGaA and Maryland, the fund of the Herz Family, on its PIPE transaction regarding Puma AG Rudolf Dassler Sport.

Norbert Rieger is recognized by JUVE’s “German Commercial Law Firms 2005/2006” as one of the Leading Rainmakers in Germany for corporate law, M&A and Private Equity. Ulrike Friese-Dormann is ranked by JUVE as Rising Star for corporate law and was recognized by “The Lawyer” as one of the Hot 100 in 2005.

Notable Transactions include:

• Intended 2.5 billion Euros takeover of, and subsequent tender offer for, ProSiebenSat.1 by Axel Springer

• Mayfair, the fund of the Herz family, on its PIPE transaction regarding Puma AG Rudolf Dassler Sport

• The supervisory board of BERU AG in connection with a public tender offer by BorgWarner

• ProSiebenSat.1 Media AG, Germany’s largest private TV station, during a takeover by the US Saban Capital Group and its co-sponsors

• IXOS Software AG in the context of its takeover by Open Text Corporation

• Takeover and subsequent take private of Edscha AG by The Carlyle Group

• Jobpilot AG on its friendly takeover by Adecco S.A.

• The first PIPE transaction in Germany (General Atlantic Partners in IXOS Soft-ware AG)

• Belgium Interbrew S.A. on public M&A and corporate advisory aspects of the formation of a joint venture with Munich Gabriel Sedlmayr Spaten-Franziskaner Bräu KGaA forming the largest brewery in the German market

• BC Partners on its taking private of KTM Sportmotorcycles AG

• ProSieben Media AG on the statutory merger with SAT.1 to form the largest German TV station

 

Partners and Counsel

Ulrike Friese-Dormann
Rieger, Norbert
Rothenfusser, Christoph