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Clifford Chance boosts global offering in private capital, energy and infrastructure by hiring two new partners in Paris

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 07:58:00 GMT

Patrick Tardivy is an M&A and private equity lawyer and is particularly active in the energy and infrastructure fields as well as the tech sector, working alongside investment funds, financial investors, French and foreign groups, on both domestic and cross-border transactions.

Paul Loisel's practice focuses on project finance and strategic finance transactions in energy and infrastructure. He advises sponsors and financiers on large greenfield and brownfield financings, both cross-border and domestic, primarily in France and EMEA.

Mathieu Remy, Managing Partner at Clifford Chance's Paris office, comments: "We are thrilled to welcome Patrick Tardivy and Paul Loisel, whose extensive experience will further strengthen our ability to support clients across the entire private capital lifecycle. Their top-tier expertise in the energy and infrastructure sectors will enhance our global capability to create lasting advantage for our clients".

These appointments are the latest in a series of high profile global Private Capital lateral hires at Clifford Chance. Over the recent months, the firm has been joined by David Schultz and Vince Ferrito in New York, Jamie McLaren in Singapore, Aimee Sharman and Matt Lilley in London, Arnaud Fromion and Frédéric Guilloux in Paris and Matthias Kerbusch in Luxembourg.

Clifford Chance advises Instone on launch of joint venture with Urban Partners

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 08:15:00 GMT

On a site of around 11,000 m² on Ottobrunner Straße, near the corner of Ständler Straße, 145 rental apartments and a daycare centre are being built. The project addresses the continuing high demand for modern living space in the Bavarian capital. Construction is scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2026.

The new residential quarter is being built in an established, family-friendly district in the south-east of Munich with good public transport links and a wide range of shopping facilities. There are also a number of major employers in the immediate vicinity. The project is specifically tailored to the needs of the neighbourhood and aims to provide modern housing for families, those in employment and workers in systemically important professions.

The Clifford Chance team was led by partner Dennis Blechinger and further comprised counsel Martin Barlösius (both Real Estate, Munich), senior associate Magda Pawela-Häusler (Real Estate, Frankfurt), associate Johannes Adam (Corporate/Private Equity, Munich) as well as partner Olaf Mertgen and counsel Steffen Waadt (both Tax, Frankfurt).

Clifford Chance advises Global Power Generation on the USD 1.3 billion refinancing of a portfolio of operational energy generation assets in Latin America

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 14:05:00 GMT

The Clifford Chance team advising on the transaction was led by José Guardo, partner in the Global Financial Markets practice, with the support of senior associate Pablo Cancelo.

This transaction further strengthens Clifford Chance’s position as a leading firm for complex energy‑sector financings in Latin America.

Clifford Chance accelerates US growth with partner Adriana Zhan

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Zhan brings experience advising on cross-border and domestic taxation, including advising clients on tax aspects of domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions and private capital transactions, securities offerings, restructurings and investment funds. Additionally, Zhan advises clients on US tax issues relating to partnerships, FIRPTA and sovereign investors.

Sarah Jones, Global Head of Corporate, said, "Welcoming Adriana is an exciting step in continuing to build our platform for delivering sophisticated, multi-jurisdictional tax advice across the full spectrum of funds, M&A and other corporate transactions. Adriana’s experience in these areas will meaningfully enhance our ability to support clients throughout the entire investment lifecycle and further strengthen our broader private capital capabilities."

Paul Seraganian, Americas Practice Area Leader for TPE, said, "The work our team does involves transformative cross-border transactional problem-solving, novel issues in private capital and private credit, and bespoke corporate transactions. It's a complex, but incredibly exciting practice, and Adriana brings exactly the kind of experience, talent, and enthusiasm that strengthens our ability to tackle these sophisticated tax challenges. She will be a terrific addition to the global team and a key part of our continued growth."

Zhan said, "I’m thrilled to be joining the firm and for the opportunity to contribute to a truly global and innovative team. It is exciting to be part of a practice that approaches complex, high‑impact client challenges with such creativity and ambition."

Zhan's hiring further reinforces the firm’s private capital offering, building on the recent appointments of private equity partner Michal Netanyahu and funds partner Chris Phillips‑Hart earlier this year. Zhan is also the third addition to the US tax team in New York over the past 12 months, joining partner Reuven Falik (May) and counsel Meghan Fox (August).

Clifford Chance advises Unilever on the $45bn combination of Unilever Foods with McCormick and Company, Inc.

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 12:55:00 GMT

Global law firm Clifford Chance is advising Unilever on the $45bn combination of Unilever Foods¹ with McCormick.

The team is led by Melissa Fogarty and Dominic Ross from Clifford Chance working alongside Ben Roth and Jenna Levine from Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz and the Unilever deal team led by Prakash Kakkad (Chief Legal Officer and Group Company Secretary, Unilever) and Ritesh Tiwari (Global Head of M&A and Treasury, Unilever).

Melissa Fogarty, Partner at Clifford Chance commented:

“We wish Unilever and McCormick every congratulations on the announcement of this exciting combination of two fantastic businesses. Our immense thanks go to Fernando (CEO), Srini (CFO), Mairéad (CPO) and Prakash (CLO) for their support and leadership towards this significant milestone and for our long-standing partnership. It has also been a great pleasure to work with Ben and Jenna and their team at Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz.”

The Clifford Chance team includes partners Alanna Hunter and Harriet Martin, and senior associates Jennifer Xue, Chelsea Bruk-Jackson, Sheridan Jones and Daniel Ayad (M&A). Partner Sue Hinchliffe and senior associate Nissim Massarano (Antitrust), partner Zayed Al Jamil and senior associate Midori Takenaka (Separation), partner Stephen Reese and senior associate Briony Byrne (IP), partner Nicola Hemsley and senior associate Viktoria Parkhomenko (Tax), partner Chinwe Odimba-Chapman, director Florence Wong and senior associate Francesca Baker (Employment), partner Clare Hoxey and director Rebecca Trapp (Pensions), partner Andrew Patterson and associate Richard Compton (Incentives) and partner Alis Pay and senior associate Melissa Jones (Real Estate).

For more information on this transaction, please click here.

^{_{1. Excluding Unilever's food business in India, Nepal, and Portugal; its Lifestyle Nutrition business; its Buavita business; and its Lipton Ready-to-Drink business}}

Clifford Chance advises lenders of Covestro AG on the €1.5 billion refinancing of its syndicated revolving credit facility

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 10:09:00 GMT

Fifteen banks participated in the new €1.5 billion syndicated revolving credit facility, led by Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft and UniCredit Bank GmbH as coordinators. The syndicated revolving credit facility has a term of three years with two options to extend the term by one year each. The new facility replaces the existing €2.5 billion revolving credit facility and continues to serve as a backup facility, offering Covestro financial flexibility and liquidity reserves at favorable terms.

The Clifford Chance team comprised partner Simon Reitz, senior associate Vanessa Steiner (both Global Financial Markets, Frankfurt) and senior transaction lawyer Christoph Finsterwalder (Global Financial Markets, Munich) as well as partner Olaf Mertgen and associate Christina Wanner (both Tax, Frankfurt).

Clifford Chance advised a leading global investment bank on their investment in a portfolio of Italian NPLs and UTPs

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 09:02:48 GMT

In the context of the transaction, the legal relationships from which the unlikely-to-pay receivables arise were purchased by doNext S.p.A., as fronting entity.

Clifford Chance acted with a team led by partner Gianluca Fanti and composed of senior counsel Giuseppe Barra Caracciolo, associate Federico Notarianni and trainees Francesco Balli and Pietro Zocche (all GFM, Milan).

Firm advises a global investment bank on the structuring and syndication of a financing for acquiring a portfolio of Italian UTPs

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 08:54:00 GMT

Clifford Chance acted with an Italian team led by partner Gianluca Fanti and composed of senior counsel Giuseppe Barra Caracciolo, counsel Riccardo Verzeletti, associate Francisco Santini and trainee Pietro Zocche (all GFM, Milan) and assisted by partner Maggie Zhao (GFM, London).

Clifford Chance advised a US investment fund and its affiliates in the acquisition a €60 million portfolio of NPLs from NOBA Bank Group

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 08:43:27 GMT

Clifford Chance acted with a team led by partner Gianluca Fanti (Milan) and including counsel Riccardo Verzeletti and trainee Pietro Zocche (all Milan).

Clifford Chance advised two leading global investment funds on their investment in a €48 million portfolio of Italian NPLs and UTPs

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 08:19:40 GMT

In the context of the transaction, the legal relationships from which the unlikely-to-pay receivables arise were purchased by Banca Finanziaria Internazionale S.p.A., as fronting entity.

Clifford Chance acted with a team led by partner Gianluca Fanti and composed of counsel Riccardo Verzeletti, associate Federico Notarianni and trainee Francesco Balli (all GFM, Milan).

Clifford Chance advised a US investment fund and its affiliates in the acquisition of a €72 million portfolio of NPLs from Morrow Bank ASA

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 08:16:37 GMT

The transaction reduced the Bank's NPL exposure risk, improved capital ratios and did not affect profitability.

Clifford Chance acted with a team led by partner Gianluca Fanti (Milan) and including partner Adam Craig (London), counsel Riccardo Verzeletti, associate Federico Notarianni, and trainee Francesco Balli (all Milan).

Clifford Chance advised a US investment fund and its affiliates in the acquisition of a €95 million portfolio of NPLs from a leading European peer-to-peer (P2P) consumer lending platform

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 08:16:00 GMT

Clifford Chance advises Huayan Robotics on its Chapter 18C listing in Hong Kong

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 09:52:00 GMT

Chair of China Practice and partner Tim Wang co-led the transaction with partners Fang Liu and Virginia Lee, with support from counsel Janet Fok, senior associates Astrid Zhuang and Veronica Liu, associates Ruonan Tang, Rita Cao and Sibin Hong, trainee solicitors Pu Wang and Nianyi Ye and paralegal Jay Lee.

Tim said, "Huayan Robotics' listing is notable as one of the more commercially mature offerings under the Chapter 18C regime, reflecting a 'hard tech' business with established revenues, diversified end-markets and proprietary IP supported by integrated manufacturing capabilities. This transaction reflects the role of intelligent automation and robotics in China’s push to upgrade its manufacturing base, as the economy shifts toward higher‑value, technology‑driven industrial production."

Huayan Robotics is a leading developer and manufacturer of collaborative robots (cobots). The company specialises in the research, development, production and commercialisation of cobots and core motion components for industrial applications, with products widely used across sectors including consumer electronics, automotive, healthcare, logistics and semiconductors. It is one of the leading Chinese cobot exporters globally, and serves customers across Asia, Europe and the Americas.

Clifford Chance previously advised on the Chapter 18C listings of CiDi, Deepexi Technology and Black Sesame.

Clifford Chance advises Airbus on acquisition of Ultra Cyber Ltd

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 15:20:00 GMT

This strategic move reinforces Airbus’ position as a trusted, sovereign partner for the UK and a key supplier to its allies, while strengthening its presence in the European cybersecurity landscape.

The cross‑practice team, working alongside Airbus’ in-house M&A Counsel Maxime Labonne, was led by partners Gareth Camp and Dominic Ross and senior associates Catherine Freeman and Mitchell Paul, with additional support from colleagues across Corporate M&A, Antitrust, Commercial Contracts, Tax, IP, Incentives, Pensions, Employment, Compliance and Real Estate.

Read the transaction press release here.

Clifford Chance advises Eurofiber on the acquisition of LuxNetwork

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 11:19:17 GMT

Founded in 2012, LuxNetwork has established itself as a key provider of high-capacity internet, ethernet, and international data connections, linking Luxembourg to major European digital hubs including Frankfurt, Brussels, Paris and Amsterdam. The acquisition will enable Eurofiber to expand its open access connectivity and enhance its service offering to financial institutions, media, technology companies and data operators across Europe.

Katia Gauzès, Managing Partner at Clifford Chance Luxembourg, commented: “We are delighted to support Eurofiber on this strategic acquisition. This transaction demonstrates the continued growth and integration of Europe’s digital infrastructure sector. Our cross-practice and cross-border team worked closely with Eurofiber to deliver a seamless process, reflecting our commitment to supporting clients on complex, high-value transactions.”

The cross-border Clifford Chance team was led by Katia Gauzès (Managing Partner, Corporate and M&A, Luxembourg) and Niek De Pauw (Partner, Corporate and M&A, Brussels), and further comprised Stefanie Ferring (Partner, Global Financial Markets, Luxembourg), Xavier Remy (Partner, Corporate and M&A, Brussels), Sébastien Schmitz (Senior Counsel, Litigation & Dispute Resolution, Luxembourg), and Gillis Waelkens (Counsel, Corporate and M&A, Brussels). The Luxembourg team also included Alma Custovic, Charles-Henri Laevens, Danira Mustafic, John Ted and Fanny Gabaudan (all Senior Associates, Litigation & Dispute Resolution), Sadan Ramovic (Senior Associate, Global Financial Markets), Philippe Sadler (Senior Associate, Corporate and M&A), Maxime Majerus and Jens Müller (both Associates, Corporate and M&A), Xavier Salden (Associate, Global Financial Markets), and Caroline Felici, Romi Grumberg and Johanna Mazy (all Associates, Litigation & Dispute Resolution).

Clifford Chance a conseillé Bpifrance sur son émission inaugurale de "EU Green Bonds" d'un montant de 1 milliard d'euros

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 10:31:00 GMT

Cette émission fait suite à la publication, en 26 janvier 2026, de son nouveau Cadre Général sur les Émissions Vertes (Green Financing Framework). Ce nouveau Cadre Général, confirme le rôle de pionnier de Bpifrance sur les marchés des émissions vertes et reflète la forte adhésion des investisseurs à la solidité de son modèle financier ainsi qu'à l'ambition écologique de sa stratégie.

Bpifrance devient ainsi la première banque publique française à émettre sous ce format "EU Green Bond" et le troisième émetteur français à intégrer ce marché.

La transaction a reçu un soutien solide des investisseurs, avec un livre d'ordres final de plus de € 8.8 milliards d'euros.

Clifford Chance a conseillé Bpifrance sur cette opération avec une équipe composée à Paris de Jonathan Lewis, of counsel, Sophie Guilhem-Ducléon, senior counsel, Jessica Hadid, avocate senior, et Mathilde Drilleau, avocate.

Clifford Chance advises International Finance Corporation on a financing for IPT Powertech's expansion in West Africa

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 16:42:37 GMT

IPT Powertech Group (IPT) delivers integrated, energy‑efficient power solutions for mobile network operators, providing hybrid systems that combine solar generation, battery storage and high‑efficiency generators to reduce both operating costs and carbon emissions. Through these optimised hybrid solutions, IPT can reduce energy consumption by up to 40% and materially decrease reliance on diesel.

The cross-border Clifford Chance team from Frankfurt, London and Paris was led by partner Christof Häfner (Frankfurt) and comprised senior associate Thomas Chneiweiss (Paris), associates Jeffrey Arthur (Frankfurt), Sarah Ahmad and trainee Leo Chan (both London, all Global Financial Markets). Partner Delphine Siino Courtin and associate Jorge Andres Portocarrero Delgado (both Global Financial Markets, Paris) advised on French law matters.

Clifford Chance advises Talanx on the sale of a stake in transmission system operator Amprion to AllianzGI

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 14:04:31 GMT

Amprion is a leading transmission system operator in Europe with an extra-high-voltage grid spanning over 11,000 km and supplies electricity to around 29 million people in Germany. Significant investment will be required over the next few years to construct or upgrade a total of 9,300 km of power lines.

The transaction is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2026, subject to the usual closing conditions.

The Clifford Chance team advising the Talanx Insurance Group was led by partner Moritz Petersen and further included of counsel Frank Scholderer, partner Annette Röhder and associates Stefan Karle and Debora Nöltner (all Corporate/M&A, Frankfurt), partner Gregor Evenkamp (Global Financial Markets, Munich), as well as partner Dimitri Slobodenjuk and counsel Anne Filzmoser (both Antitrust, Düsseldorf).

Clifford Chance advises investors on funding for Sistema.bio’s new vehicle, FarmCarbon

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 09:54:00 GMT

The investment supports climate finance to scale methane reduction in smallholder agriculture. FarmCarbon will finance more than 90,000 Sistema.bio digesters on farms worldwide to capture and destroy methane, reducing emissions by over nine million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent. Read more about this transaction here.

The Clifford Chance team advising on this transaction was led by Angela McEwan, Marc Mehlen, David Woolmer and Antonio Arenas Torres.

Clifford Chance advises lenders on refinancing and increase of the existing capex facility for Ferngas Group

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 13:03:29 GMT

The new credit facilities amount to a total volume of €445 million and are intended for future investments, including in hydrogen infrastructure.

The Ferngas Group operates, as a combined network operator, a gas transmission and distribution network in various regions of Germany.

The Clifford Chance team for the lenders comprised partner Florian Mahler (Düsseldorf), counsel Georg Lübbehüsen (Frankfurt), and senior transaction lawyer Rima Lenders (Düsseldorf; all Global Financial Markets).