act legal Romania assisted Louis Delhaize in the sale of Cora Romania to Carrefour following Competition Council’s clearance

act Botezatu Estrade Partners (act legal Romania) assisted Louis Delhaize in the sale of Cora Romania to Carrefour following clearance by the Competition Council. The transaction, initially subject to approval by the Competition Authorities, has now received the green light, allowing all parties involved to raise a glass of champagne in celebration of the successful completion of this deal.

The act legal Romania team was led by M&A Partner Laura Estrade, Real Estate Partner Mihaela Poșircă, and Competition Partner Stefan Botezatu, with strong involvement and full dedication of Counsel Iustina Sima, Managing Associate Ruxandra Liștea, Senior Associate Andrei Petre, and Associate Lorena Samoilă.

„I had full confidence that act legal Romania team would successfully drive this deal to completion. After working together for such a long time, we couldn’t have expected any other outcome. ‘Forward-thinking’ is not just a strapline for them; it’s their essence. Thank you, everyone!” stated Olivier André, General Counsel of Louis Delhaize Group.

“I’ve heard a joke that said “Why did the lawyer’s computer go to therapy after closing a deal? Because it had too many attachment issues!” – while we’re not sending laptops to therapy, we have been genuinely attached to this deal, or more accurately, to our client. Our longstanding cooperation and the successful completion of this landmark transaction are things we’re extremely proud of!” shared Stefan Botezatu, Managing Partner.

About the transaction

Cora Romania, owned by the Louis Delhaize Group, comprises 10 hypermarkets, 9 cora Urban stores, and employs over 2,010 professionals. This sale represents a noteworthy development within the Romanian food retail landscape.

Louis Delhaize’s exit from the Romanian market follows the sale and leaseback of seven Cora commercial centers in late 2021 and early 2022, transactions by which Cora sold its real estate properties and continued as tenant. act legal Romania, as the longstanding legal counsel to Louis Delhaize for Romania, provided its assistance in all these strategic transactions.

About act Botezatu Estrade Partners (act legal Romania)

act legal Romania is the local office of act legal, an international law firm with a presence in 11 European capitals. act legal is a one-stop shop, providing a full range of cross-border legal services to companies and investors who intend to enter the continental European markets or are already present in the region.

For more updates on the firm’s activity, you can follow its LinkedIn page.

act legal Czech Republic has been ranked in the IFLR1000 for 2023

The prestigious rating agency IFLR1000 has ranked act legal Czech Republic (act Řanda Havel Legal) among notable law firms in the Czech Republic for the past 12 years. In 2023, once again act Řanda Havel Legal is one of the recommended law firms in the areas of Mergers & Acquisitions, Banking & Project Financing, Restructuring & Insolvency and Projects & Energy.

IFLR1000 carries out independent market research on the legal services market in the financial law sector and identifies leading law firms in individual countries and legal areas. act Řanda Havel Legal has repeatedly been ranked amongst established law firms active in the Czech Republic in financial law on an international scale.

Complete ratings here

act Botezatu Estrade Partners assisted Louis Delhaize in the sale of Cora Romania operations to Carrefour

act Botezatu Estrade Partners assists Franco-Belgian Group Louis Delhaize, owner of Cora retailer, in signing an agreement for the sale of its Romanian operations to Carrefour Group. With 10 hypermarkets, 8 cora Urban and 2,400 employees, this is the most notable transaction in the Romanian food retail market over the last years. The transaction is notably subject to approval by the competent competition authorities.

Cora’s exit from the Romanian market comes after the sale & lease back of 7 Cora commercial centers located in Romania at the end of 2021 and early 2022, transactions by which Cora sold its real estate properties and continued its operations as tenant. act Botezatu Estrade Partners, as traditional legal counsel to Louis Delhaize for Romania, also advised in those deals.

act Botezatu Estrade Partners team on this transaction is led by M&A Partner Laura Estrade, Real Estate Partner Mihaela Poșircă and Competition Partner Stefan Botezatu and includes Counsels Andrei Mureșan and Iustina Sima, Managing Associate Ruxandra Liștea, Senior Associate Andrei Petre and Associate Lorena Samoilă.

About act Botezatu Estrade Partners

act Botezatu Estrade Partners is the Romanian office of act legal, a strong alliance with over 300 attorneys in 9 offices located in the most important markets in continental Europe.

act legal acts as a one-stop shop, offering cross-border regional full-service legal support to companies and investors that intend to do business in or already have a footprint in continental Europe.

For more updates on the firm’s activity, you can follow its LinkedIn page.

picture with the partners at act Botezatu Estrade Partners

act legal Romania assisted Louis Delhaize in the sale and lease-back of Cluj commercial centre to Studium Green, a leading Romanian real estate developer

act Botezatu Estrade Partners assisted the Belgian group Louis Delhaize in yet another high-profile M&A real estate transaction – the sale and lease-back of the Cluj commercial centre anchored by Cora to the leading Romanian real estate developer Studium Green.

The team of real estate and M&A lawyers was led by M&A Partner Laura Estrade and Real Estate Partner Mihaela Poșircă together with Counsels Iustina Sima and Andrei Mureșan.

act Botezatu Estrade Partners assisted in all phases of the transaction, including setting up the Data Room, structuring the transaction, drafting and negotiating the contractual documentation consisting mainly of the share transfer agreement and the long-term lease agreement for existing hypermarket premises.

Thanks again to Mihaela, Laura and act team, special mentions to Iustina and Andrei of course. It is always great to have them onboard, knowing that the transactions are definitely well handled and smooth. We are glad to close the real estate chapter after having sold 6 hypermarket properties to Supernova last December and now Cluj to this best in class real estate developer Studium Green. This transaction will provide a significant retail and mixed use redevelopment potential for the near future, and will definitely benefit Cora as a tenant.” – Josselin Granier, Group Real Estate Director at Louis Delhaize.

Studium Green was assisted by Reff & Associates, the Deloitte legal practice in Romania.

About act Botezatu Estrade Partners

act Botezatu Estrade Partners is the Romanian office of act legal, a strong alliance with 300 attorneys in 9 offices located in important markets in continental Europe.

act legal operates as a one-stop shop, offering cross-border regional full-service legal support to companies and investors that intend to do business in or already have a footprint in continental Europe.

For more updates on the firm’s activity, you can follow its LinkedIn page.

act legal Germany advises owners on the sale of Axel Semrau Group to Australian Trajan Scientific Group

act legal Germany advised the owners on the sale of all shares in the companies of the Axel Semrau Group to the Trajan Scientific and Medical Group („Trajan„), a listed company from Australia.

Axel Semrau has been active in the sales and support of special solutions for sample preparation and chromatography, chemical synthesis and application-optimized workstations for more than 35 years and develops its own hardware and software solutions in order to offer unique and above-average automation solutions can.

Trajan, headquartered in Melbourne, currently operates in Australia, the USA and Malaysia and manufactures devices for the analysis of biological, food and environmental samples. The Axel Semrau Group is, among other things, the owner and developer of the intelligent sequencing software platform CHRONOS, on which Trajan’s automated work processes are based. Against this background, Trajan, together with the previous management team, is planning a further growth strategy to simplify and automate complex analytical work processes.

Background

act legal – with more than 300 professionals throughout Central Europe – act legal offers sophisticated national and international legal advice – the attractive alternative to major international law firms.

act legal Germany maintains a long-term client relationship with Axel Semrau and advised the shareholders on all aspects of the transaction.

Consultants Axel Semrau

act legal Germany: Dr. Fabian Brocke, LL.M. (M&A, lead); Dr. Nina Honstetter (Corporate, Employment); Anna Gatzweiler (IP/IT)

Moog Partnerschaftsgesellschaft mbB: Marc Sälzer (Tax)

Growth Strategy: act legal Germany advises innovative FinTech company fintus on Europe-wide expansion

Last Friday, AnaCap Financial Partners, London („AnaCap„) – one of Europe’s leading private equity investors in the technology and financial services sector – signed a majority investment agreement with fintus GmbH („fintus„).

fintus is the leading low-code banking platform in Germany. Using low-code, banks react to changes within days instead of being dependent on long software development cycles. Since its foundation in 2017, fintus has successfully positioned itself as a provider with its Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform „fintus Suite” enabling the automation and transformation of banks and financial service providers. Founded in the heart of the financial metropolis Frankfurt am Main and without the support of financial investors, fintus was able to attract well-known customers early on. Today, a double-digit number of TIER 1-3 banks in Germany are already among the company’s customers.

AnaCap, based in London, has a long track record of successfully investing in FinTech companies in the DACH region. The investment in fintus was preceded, among other things, by the acquisition of WebID Solutions  in September of this year, which, among other things, is a technology partner of fintus.

The fintus management team led by founder Benjamin Hermanns will consistently drive forward its internationalization and expand its service portfolio with the strong financial partner AnaCap.

The implementation of the transaction is still subject to customary closing conditions.

Background info

act legal: with more than 300 professionals throughout Central Europe, act legal represents an attractive alternative to large international law firms by providing sophisticated national and international legal advice.

act legal Germany has been advising fintus since its foundation and has comprehensively advised fintus on all legal aspects regarding this complex transaction.

Advisors fintus

act legal Germany: Marcus Columbu (Finance, Lead), Dr. Fabian Brocke, LL.M., (Corporate/M&A, Lead); Dr. Thomas Block, MBA (Labor Law); Sarah Landsberg (Corporate/M&A).

IEG – Investment Banking Group: Mirko Heide, Patrick Schüler (Investment)

Berater AnaCap: Proskauer Rose und Norton Rose Fulbright (Law), GCA Altium (corporate finance)

act legal Poland advises Interpump Group on EUR 278m cross-border transaction

Interpump Group S.p.A. acquired White Drive Motors & Steering business unit of Danfoss, consisting of three companies based in Poland, Germany and the US. The transaction value is EUR 278 million.

The seller, Danfoss, is a global supplier of mobile hydraulics and electrification products and solutions. White Drive Motors & Steering has manufacturing facilities in the US, Germany and Poland. The deal was made possible by regulatory bodies’ approval (incl. the EU Commission and the US Department of Justice).

act BSWW legal & tax advised Interpump Group on the acquisition of White Drive Motors & Steering sp. z o.o. (formerly operating as Danfoss Power Solutions sp. z o.o.), a Polish company that forms part of the acquired business unit. The company has two production plants in Poland, located near Wrocław.

The services rendered by the law firm included due diligence of the acquired company, drafting transaction-related documents, negotiation support and closing assistance.

The project team was led by Mariusz Grochowski (Senior Associate) and supervised by Jacek Bieniak (Managing Partner).

“We are pleased to advise on such complex transaction, which plays a pivotal role in our Client’s business strategy,” says Jacek Bieniak.

Interpump Group is the world’s largest producer of professional high-pressure piston pumps, as well as one of the global players in the hydraulic components market. It is listed on the Italian Stock Exchange in the FTSE Italia Mid Cap and FTSE Italia STAR indices. Interpump Group manufactures pumps with pressure up to 500 bar, and professional high pressure cleaners, with 75% of the products intended for export.

Danfoss Group is a multinational company with more than 28,000 employees globally. It produces mechanical and electronic components for equipment on a global scale and in a variety of sectors. Danfoss manufactures approx. 250,000 individual products daily in 50 factories located in 20 countries. The Group’s distribution network consists of approx. 110 agencies. The corporate headquarters are located in Nordborg, Denmark.

zetcom, an HQIB portfolio company, acquires majority stake in Fluxguide

zetcom Informatikdienstleistungs AG (“zetcom”), a Harald Quandt Industriebeteiligungen GmbH (“HQIB”) portfolio company, has acquired a majority stake in Fluxguide Ausstellungssysteme GmbH (“Fluxguide”). The two founders and managing directors of Fluxguide, André and Kasra Seirafi, will remain co-shareholders and continue to manage Fluxguide’s day-to-day operations, as well as work closely with zetcom’s management team to advance the digitalization of museums and cultural institutions worldwide. The parties have agreed not to disclose further details of the transaction.

The combination of zetcom (collections management system) and Fluxguide (digital experiences, apps, media guides) combines competencies in the field of collections documentation and collections management with the digital interface to the visitor, an essential step in the digitalization of museums. The COVID-19 pandemic, among other things, has further accelerated the shift from traditional museum visits to a comprehensive digital experience.
“Digital interactions and the opportunities it offers for museums to create unique customer experiences will become increasingly important in the future. Moreover, museums will be able to significantly multiply their reach through digital content. We are pleased to have found a partner in Fluxguide with whom we can offer our more than 1,000 international customers state-of-the-art solutions in the field of digital experiences. One-stop, integrated software offerings can significantly reduce the complexity and time investment for museums,” says Marcel Zemp, founder and CEO of zetcom.

“We’re excited about working with zetcom. Together, we can offer an unparalleled range of digital solutions: from internal collections management to experience platforms on all digital channels. On the one hand, we offer individualized high-end solutions for specific customer requirements; and on the other hand, also standardized solutions for smaller and medium-sized cultural institutions will be available in the future. These attractively priced alternatives will enable all customers in the cultural sector to deepen and professionalize their digitalization journey,” say André and Kasra Seirafi, founders and managing directors of Fluxguide.

The long-term goal is to build a globally leading group of complementary software products for the cultural sector, inter alia through targeted acquisitions. Besides the two companies’ core markets in Europe, there will be an increased focus on further internationalizing the group, especially in NorthAmerica. The world’s largest museum market contains considerable growth potential for digital solutions, of which zetcom is already benefiting today with a subsidiary in the U.S.

About zetcom


zetcom develops internationally leading software solutions and services for museums, collections, and corporate archives as well as solutions for organizational management (foundations and associations) and environmental data management (administration and companies). Over 1,000 customers in more than 30 countries are using its flexible software solutions (SaaS) to develop and maintain cultural heritage, manage daily business or administer environmentally relevant institutions. They are supported by zetcom’s headquarters in Switzerland, by subsidiaries in Germany, the US, Spain, France and worldwide partners. Since 1998 zetcom is a reliable partner for continuous innovation, high-quality products and services and comprehensive know-how. Since 2020 zetcom belongs to the holding company Harald Quandt Industriebeteiligungen GmbH. Further information can be found at www.zetcom.com.

About Fluxguide

Fluxguide develops unique digital visitor experiences in the fields of culture, science, and learning. The company offers consultation, conception, and end-to-end realization of customized solutions that transform exhibitions into creative and lively experiential spaces. Fluxguide’s many years of experience and its interdisciplinary team guarantee award-winning innovations, didactic excellence, state-of-the-art technologies, and professional handling. Clients include international museums and cultural institutions as well as research institutions and universities. Fluxguide was founded in 2013 and currently has about 20 employees. Further information can be found at www.fluxguide.com.

About Harald Quandt Industriebeteiligungen

Harald Quandt Industriebeteiligungen is the principal investment firm of the family Harald Quandt joined by a small, select number of (industrial) families and partners. HQIB invests in small and medium-sized companies within the German-speaking region, that are leading in established and technologically sophisticated market niches with attractive growth potential. As an industrial holding company, HQIB pursues a long-term, sustainable investment approach and is not subject to any time restrictions or limited investment periods. Further information can be found at www.hq-ib.com.

Advisors HQIB

Addtech acquires systerra computer GmbH

Addtech Automation, a business area in the Addtech Group, has signed an agreement to acquire all shares outstanding in systerra computer GmbH (”systerra”).

systerra delivers high-end standard, customized and own products within embedded computer systems and network solutions. The business is mainly focused on OEM-customers within industrial automation, medical technology, transportation, aerospace and defense.

systerra will very effectively complement Addtech’s current operations in the business area Automation and strengthens our position in the German market. The company has 16 employees and sales of around 9,5 MEUR.

The closing is expected to take place in the beginning of September 2021 and the acquisition is estimated to have a marginally positive effect on Addtech’s earnings per share during the current financial year.

About Addtech

Addtech is a technical solutions group that provides technological and economic value added in the link between manufacturers and customers. Addtech operates in selected niches in the market for advanced technology products and solutions. Its customers primarily operate in the manufacturing industry and infrastructure. Addtech has about 3,000 employees in more than 140 subsidiaries that operate under their own brands. The Group has annual sales of more than SEK 11 billion. Addtech is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm.

Legal Advisors Systerra

Dr. Fabian Brocke, LL.M., (M&A, project management, partner),
Marcus Columbu, (M&A, project management, partner),
Dr. Marco Loesche (commercial law, partner),
Dr. Thomas Block, MBA (employment law, partner).

Tempton group continues to expand

Tempton intends to take over the entire operative business of its competitor Brilliant – with more than 30 branches and around 1,200 employees. With more than 9,000 employees at around 150 locations nationwide, Tempton will thus rise even further among the TOP 10 leading temporary employment agencies in Germany and consolidate its position as one of the most attractive partners and employers in the personnel services sector.

Download the full newsletter about the take over below (in German language only):



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