Milbank advised EMH Digital Growth Fund GmbH & Co. KG and its co-shareholders on the sale of a majority of their shares in Native Instruments GmbH, the Berlin-based global leader in digital music creation software and hardware, to Francisco Partners. EMH and its co‑shareholders, members of the Native Instruments founding team, will remain minority shareholders. The transaction took place as part of an auction process.
EMH Partners is an owner-led investment firm. EMH Partners supports the growth of Mittelstand companies with capital, digitalization and expansion expertise. EMH Partners invests in market-leading, owner-managed companies to accompany them in partnership during the next growth phase. EMH Partners manages more than €1 billion of committed capital.
Native Instruments is a leading supplier of software, hardware and digital services for computer-based audio productions and DJing. The company's products and services are used by renowned stars worldwide on stage and in the studio. Native Instrument has offices in the USA, Japan, China, United Kingdom, France and Germany and employs around 400 people.
The transaction is expected to be completed, once the requisite regulatory authorizations have been obtained, in the first quarter of 2021.
The Milbank team was led by Michael Bernhardt and included partners Matthias Schell (Tax, Munich) and Alexander Rinne (Antitrust, Munich) as well as associates Leopold Riedl, Sarah-Maria Resch, Andreas Rief, Viviane Opitz (all Corporate/M&A, Frankfurt); Arne Hammerich (Tax, Munich) and Nils Bremer (Antitrust, Munich).
