Financial sponsors
We advise on more cross-border M&A deals than any other firm.
We act for the full range of investor types, including private equity, pension and sovereign wealth funds, infrastructure funds, alternative capital providers and real estate investment trusts.
Whether it’s deal structuring, deal execution, acquisition financing, fund structuring, tax, competition or regulation, we provide fully integrated advice that is specific to both each client’s industry and wherever in the world they need help.
And it’s not just advice on a specific deal as it progresses – we keep our clients updated on the trends, terms and techniques to help them identify their next investment.
Client successes
Advising Formula One Group (F1) and CVC Capital Partners on the sale of F1 to Liberty Media, a US-based media and entertainment company.
The consideration comprised cash and newly issued shares in the Liberty Media Group tracking stock (LMCK) and a debt instrument exchangeable into shares of LMCK. The transaction price represents an enterprise value for F1 of $8bn and an equity value of $4.4bn. With Freshfields’ global market-leading experience, the firm was able to showcase the strength of its “one firm” approach across multiple jurisdictions, enabling the team to help deliver this complex and high profile transaction.
Advising Cinven and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board on their acquisition of Hotelbeds from TUI, a travel company, for an enterprise value of €1.165bn.
Hotelbeds is the world’s largest independent business-to-business “bedbank,” offering hotel rooms to tour operators, travel agencies, corporate clients and individuals from its inventory of 75,000 hotels in over 180 countries. It also provides transfers, excursions and tours, meetings and events, visa processing outsourcing and cruise handling services.
Advising a consortium of infrastructure investors on the acquisition of the company that owns and operates London City Airport from Global Infrastructure Partners and Highstar Capital.
The consortium comprised Alberta Investment Management Corporation (on behalf of its clients), OMERS, Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan and Wren House Infrastructure Management (the infrastructure investing arm of the Kuwait Investment Authority). The transaction continued our strong track record in the UK airports sector, having acted on all the major UK airport transactions in recent years.
Advising Permira on its acquisition of Tricor, a provider of integrated business, corporate and investor services in the Asia-Pacific region, from the Bank of East Asia and NWS Holdings.
The total consideration for the acquisition was HK$6.470m (US$835m), including at least HK$400m (approximately US$50m) in cash acquired as part of the transaction.
Advising General Atlantic on its majority investment in Argus Media Limited.
With more than 750 full-time employees, over 160 publications and 21 offices worldwide, Argus is the second largest commodity price reporting agency in the world and plays a crucial role in international commodity supply chains.
Advising Advent International on the $2.2bn sale of behavioral healthcare services provider Priory Group to Acadia Healthcare.
Priory operates more than 300 facilities with approximately 7,200 beds focusing on the provision of mental health care, education and children’s services, adult care and elderly care.
Industries
Dr. Markus Paul Partner
Frankfurt am Main
Alexander Mitchell Partner
London
Alan Mason Managing partner
Silicon Valley, New York
Pervez Akhtar Partner
Dubai
Simon Weller Partner
Singapore, Hong Kong