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Clifford Chance advises Klara Renewables on the conclusion of power purchase agreements (PPAs) for a wind farm portfolio

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 14:05:42 GMT

The Clifford Chance legal team was led by Paweł Puacz (Partner, Energy &Resources) and supported by Anna Pawłowska (Senior Associate).

Clifford Chance adds Insurance M&A counsel Lewis Fickett in New York

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 14:00:00 GMT

Joining from a major international reinsurer where he served as Vice President, General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer, Fickett brings more than two decades of experience advising on reinsurance and other insurance transactional work and insurance regulatory matters, both in the US and internationally.

Joe Cosentino, co-head of Clifford Chance's US Insurance practice, said, "We're thrilled to welcome Lewis to the team as we expand our insurance capacity in the US. His background advising on reinsurance and insurance transactional and regulatory matters, and his unique experience of ten years of in-house reinsurance experience plus ten years of in-house insurance experience will add real value to our clients as they navigate market shifts and regulatory frameworks across jurisdictions."

Fickett said, "I'm looking forward to returning to private practice with the strong, global team at Clifford Chance. My in-house experience allows me to bring a different perspective to matters and I can't wait to collaborate with the network to advise clients in the US and internationally."

Clifford Chance advises BNP Paribas on the acquisition of HSBC's custody and depository bank business in Germany

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 11:07:55 GMT

The transaction will strengthen BNP Paribas’ position as a leading custodian and top depositary bank in Germany, supporting its targeted growth strategy in the region, notably in the institutional funds and financial intermediaries segments.

In September 2024, Clifford Chance had already advised BNP Paribas on their acquisition of HSBC's private banking activities in Germany.

The Clifford Chance team, advising BNP Paribas on the most recent transaction, was led by partner Thomas Krecek (Corporate) with a core team comprising senior associate Thomas Conradi and associate Julien Schickling (both Corporate), partner Christopher Fischer and associate Julia Kolb (both Employment), partners Dominik Engl and Felix Mühlhäuser, senior associate Christian Klein and consultant Leonie Gebauer (all Tax) as well as partner Marc Benzler (Financial Regulatory, all Frankfurt). Partner Dimitri Slobodenjuk, counsel Anne Filzmoser, senior associate Arne Gayk and associate Lisa Rotterdam (all Antitrust, Düsseldorf), of counsel Stefan Simon (Employment), partner Holger Lutz (Tech/Digital, both Frankfurt) as well as legal project managers Marlene Böker (Frankfurt) and Pascal Weber (Düsseldorf) also advised on the transaction.

Clifford Chance advises on Thai coconut water company IFBH’s IPO and listing in Hong Kong

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 07:35:00 GMT

Partner Jean Thio said, "The successful listing of IFBH reflects Hong Kong’s strength as a leading fundraising hub for South East Asian companies and its efforts to attract issuers from beyond Hong Kong and Mainland China. This deal is a major milestone for the Exchange, being the first IPO in recent years from a company headquartered outside Greater China."

Partner Virginia Lee added, "We’re proud to support this milestone deal, which adds to our track record of advising on high-profile IPOs – particularly as IFBH, the market leader in coconut water-related beverage in Mainland China and Hong Kong, joins a growing roster of standout listings."

Jean and Virginia co-led the deal, with support from teams in Hong Kong and Singapore consisting of counsel Claire Cao, senior associate April Zhang, associates Elaine Lau and Didi Hu, trainee solicitor Luna Wang and legal assistant Hardy Ye.

Incorporated in Singapore, IFBH is a Thai ready-to-consume beverage and food company. IFBH is the second largest coconut water beverage company globally. Its flagship if brand of ready-to-drink, natural coconut water is the top-selling coconut water beverage in Mainland China and Hong Kong.

Clifford Chance has advised on the successful listings of several consumer companies, particularly in the food and beverage sector, most recently advising on Foshan Haitian Food and Flavoring’s US$1.29 billion listing, as well as the listings of China Resources Beverages, Auntea Jenny and ChaPanda.

Clifford Chance advises Unisound AI on its IPO and listing in Hong Kong

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 07:02:00 GMT

Partner Fang Liu said, “We are proud to support Unisound on its landmark listing, which highlights Hong Kong’s role as a fundraising destination of choice for innovative technology companies. This transaction builds on our strong track record advising AI and tech leaders as they scale and commercialise breakthrough technologies, and reflects our continued commitment to supporting the next generation of transformative businesses.”

Partners Fang Liu and Tianning Xiang co-led the deal, with support from counsel Janet Fok and Haoze Zheng, senior associate Tao Yang, associates Yuer Shao, Ashley Sun, Aili Zhu and Hester Choi, trainee solicitor Julie Luo and legal analyst Anthony Shen.

Unisound provides AI and speech recognition solutions, which are built on its proprietary central technology platform, UniBrain, and serves as the foundation of a wide range of applications, from intelligent customer service, healthcare diagnostics to multilingual conversational assistants.

Clifford Chance is a leading legal adviser of innovative technology companies in China, having advised on the listings of companies in AI-related sectors such as Xunfei Healthcare, AInnovation, Mobvoi and Black Sesame.

Clifford Chance names Will Lavery as Washington, DC Office Managing Partner

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 16:56:00 GMT

Lavery, who joined the firm as a partner in the Global Antitrust Litigation practice in 2023, regularly advises high-stakes, “bet the company” antitrust litigations, government investigations, and class action lawsuits across the United States. He regularly appears before the Department of Justice, the Federal Trade Commission, and in federal courts nationwide, defending pharmaceutical, healthcare, technology, chemical, energy, and transportation clients, among others, against antitrust and competition claims.

"I'm thrilled to announce Will as our Office Managing Partner here in DC," said Regional Managing Partner for the Americas Sharis Pozen. "His dynamic energy will translate to ongoing success in this important legal market, advancing our strategic US growth ambitions."

Lavery said, "We have a remarkable team in DC, as part of our incredible global network -- it's truly an honor to be appointed to this role. I look forward to working with everyone to support our business, clients and the wider Clifford Chance team. "

Lavery succeeds partner Megan Gordon, who remains in her role as Co-Head of the US Data Privacy and Cybersecurity Group.

"We want to thank Megan for her great leadership and guidance over the past four years. She steered the office through the uncertainty of the pandemic, market shifts, and the expansion of our offices in ongoing growth," Pozen said.

Clifford Chance advises Viking Global Investors on majority stake investment in AI-powered retail tech platform Voyado

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 09:36:00 GMT

This investment marks a significant step in Viking’s continued commitment to supporting high-growth technology companies. With Viking as the new majority stakeholder, Voyado is well-positioned to accelerate its product development and further enhance its ability to deliver measurable business value to retailers worldwide.

Voyado’s existing shareholders—Novax, Verdane, eEquity, and the H&M Group—will remain invested in the company alongside its founders, reinforcing a strong and collaborative shareholder base.

The transaction, led by private equity partners Neil Barlow and Carla Ruggero and associates Peter Guinnane, Emely Luna, Michelle Green and trainee solicitor Atiah Zohura, highlights the firm's strength in advising global investors on complex cross-border private equity deals in the technology and retail sectors.

The wider cross-border team included:

Tax – Partner Philip Wagman (New York) and associate Gil Shauly (New York)
Antitrust – Partner Brian Concklin (Washington, DC) and counsel Santiago Roca Arribas (Washington)
Corporate – Partners Moritz Petersen (Frankfurt), Tim Heerschop (Amsterdam), senior associate Ruben van Diepen (Amsterdam) and associate Helge Bruck (Frankfurt)
IP – Counsel Daryl Fairbairn (New York) and associate Xanadu Halkias (New York).

Clifford Chance advises on the EUR 140 million project financing for Baltic Towers

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 09:20:51 GMT

The project stands out not only for its scale, but for its innovative and highly comprehensive financing structure:

unique consortium between Narodowy Fundusz Ochrony Środowiska i Gospodarki Wodnej, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation – leading Japanese financial institution, and Spanish development company Cofides, supported by Bank Polska Kasa Opieki S.A., serving as the VAT Facility provider, as well as the Facility and Security Agent;
complex hedging arrangements implemented with Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation and HSBC acting as hedging providers.

The Clifford Chance team advising on the transaction was led by Piotr Węcławowicz (Senior Associate) and supervised by Irena Floras-Goode (Partner). The team working on the transaction included Agnieszka Kozikowska (Senior Associate), Natalia Karasiewicz (Associate), Gabriela Kobak (Associate), Aleksandra Korniluk (Trainee) and Anna Kalinowska (Trainee). Hedging aspects of the transaction were taken care of by Artur Gładysz (Senior Associate).

Piotr Bogdanowicz (Counsel), Adrian Król (Senior Associate) advised on the infrastructure aspects of the transaction.

Epifanio Perez (Partner), Ignacio Magariños (Abogado) and Juan Conde-Pumpido Corró (Abogado) advised as to the Spanish law aspects of the transaction.

CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang Pośniak i Bejm sp.k. advised the lenders and Watson Farley and Williams advised Cofides.

Clifford Chance strengthens Antitrust practice with hire of counsel Jotte Mulder in Amsterdam

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 08:55:00 GMT

Mark-Jan Arends, Partner and Head of the Corporate practice in Amsterdam, says: "Bringing over 15 years of unique experience from both public and private sides of the table, Jotte's hire further bolsters our capabilities and client service offering. As an experienced litigator in complex high-stake cases, with a solid reputation on the market, Jotte is a great addition to our team, at a time where regulatory complexities are evolving."

Marc Besen, Partner and Head of the Global Antitrust Group, adds: "Jotte's hire supports our global strategic ambitions and highlights our continued commitment to further strengthening our bench of Antitrust experts globally. With our market-leading team, we are uniquely positioned to help clients navigate complex regulatory challenges across all jurisdictions."

Jotte previously worked as legal counsel at the ACM, where he led major competition law proceedings and played a central role in shaping the agency’s new groundbreaking sustainability policy. He joins Clifford Chance from a prominent Dutch law firm. He studied European law at the University of Amsterdam and holds a PhD in European economic law from the European University Institute in Florence. He continues to lecture regularly in the Law & Economics master program at Utrecht University. He is ranked in legal directories Chambers and Legal500.

Jotte Mulder says: "I am delighted to join Clifford Chance and its dynamic and talented Antitrust team. I look forward to leveraging my experience to contribute to the growth of the practice in Amsterdam and globally, and to help our clients navigate increasingly complex regulatory challenges."

The firm's global Antitrust practice of more than 200 lawyers covers all the key hubs of Europe, Asia Pacific and the US. The team has vast government and private industry experience. Earlier this year, Clifford Chance announced the promotion of three Partners, one Senior Counsel and nine Counsel across its Global Antitrust Practice.

Clifford Chance advises Frontera Energy Corporation on successful capped tender offer and consent solicitation

Wed, 25 Jun 2025 16:05:00 GMT

The Clifford Chance team advising on the deal comprised partner Hugo Triaca and associates Joyce Moore and David Rondon. Partner Avrohom Gelber and associate Gil Shauly advised on tax matters.

Clifford Chance advises on many similar transactions in the market, including Peru's COFIDE on its new sustainable bond offering and related tender offer and on the US$1 billion notes issuance and tender offer by the Republic of El Salvador.

M&A transaction in the food tech segment: Clifford Chance advises Green Generation Fund on combination of its portfolio company Libre Foods with Planetary

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 12:47:37 GMT

Specifically, the complex and cross-border transaction involves the redemption of financial instruments at Libre Foods and the issuance of new convertible financial instruments at Planetary. In addition, GGF receives warrants, while Libre Foods transfers certain assets and know-how to Planetary in return.

The transaction includes Libre Foods’ core brand, commercial agreements, intellectual property, and access to its machine learning-powered discovery platform FungAI, representing a major step forward in advancing mycelium innovation at scale in Europe.

The Green Generation Fund is a Berlin-based European early stage impact investor that invests in Europe and the USA. With €100 million, the fund is one of the largest in this field in Europe and is the only one run exclusively by women, namely Dr. Manon Sarah Littek and Janna Ensthaler. It aims to promote growth in the two most important ecosystems of this decade - food tech and green tech - and thus make an important contribution to solving the climate crisis.

Libre Foods is a Spanish food tech company based in Barcelona and a holding company in the US that develops fungi-based meat alternatives using proprietary fermentation and artificial intelligence technologies. The company's mission is to liberate the food system from industrial animal agriculture by developing fungi-powered products that are more sustainable for people and the planet.

Planetary is a Swiss biotech scale-up and manufacturing platform with capabilities in mycelium, precision fermentation and bio-based materials. As the operator of Europe's most advanced fermentation facility in Arberg, Switzerland, Planetary provides the infrastructure and expertise to scale up sustainable bio-innovations from discovery to industrial production.

The Clifford Chance team for GGF was led by partners Moritz Petersen (Corporate/M&A) and Axel Wittmann (Global Financial Markets) and comprised associate Lara Esser and transaction lawyer Valeria Umanet (both Global Financial Markets) as well as of counsel Jutta Aichele (Tax, all Frankfurt). The Swiss law firm Niederer Kraft Frey assisted with the due diligence.

Clifford Chance advises Cuckoo International on its IPO and Listing on Bursa Malaysia

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 03:25:00 GMT

Lead partner Jean Thio said, "We are delighted to support Cuckoo International on its landmark listing, a testament to our deep capital markets expertise across South East Asia. This transaction reinforces Clifford Chance’s long-standing commitment to the Malaysian market and our dedication to helping clients achieve their growth ambitions in the region.”

Partner Jean Thio, counsel Ying Chiang Chong and senior associate Charlotte Tan advised on US federal securities law and Singapore law. Rahmat Lim & Partners advised on Malaysian law.

The firm has previously advised on several major IPOs in Malaysia, including DXN Holdings' IPO, Farm Fresh's US$238.8 million IPO and Leong Hup International's US$247 million IPO.

Clifford Chance advises Zhejiang Sanhua Intelligent Controls on its US$ 1.19 billion IPO and listing in Hong Kong

Mon, 23 Jun 2025 12:02:00 GMT

Shenzhen-listed Sanhua is the world’s largest manufacturer of refrigeration and air-conditioning control components and a global leader in automotive thermal management system components.

Partner Jean Thio said, "We're delighted to have supported Sanhua Intelligent Controls on its successful listing, which reflects the growing momentum of A-to-H share listings, as Mainland Chinese companies tap into Hong Kong's deep capital pool and international investor base. Recent regulatory changes and growing market optimism have also contributed to a resurgence in Hong Kong IPO activity."

Partners Jean Thio and Tianning Xiang co-led the deal, with support from teams in Beijing, Hong Kong and Shanghai consisting of counsel Lorna Lyu, senior associates Yuhang Li and Joy Chen, associates Meng Mao and Aili Zhu, trainee solicitors Cian Fang and Julie Luo, legal specialist Bryan Lu, legal analysts Kelsey Lu and Jill Zhao.

Sanhua plans to use the proceeds to further its research and development efforts, expand production facilities and automation in China, implement supply chain localisation strategies and enhance digital intelligence infrastructure across various business processes.

Clifford Chance has advised on several successful A-to-H share listings, including Foshan Haitian Flavouring and Food's recent US$1.29 billion listing and SF Holding's US$750 million listing.

Clifford Chance advises Nido Living on the acquisition of the Livensa portfolio

Fri, 20 Jun 2025 08:25:00 GMT

This strategic transaction reinforces Nido’s presence in the Iberian market and accelerates its ambition to reach 25,000 beds in continental Europe by 2031.

Legal advice was provided by a multidisciplinary team from Clifford Chance including the offices in Madrid, Luxembourg and London, led by Real Estate Partner Carlos Portocarrero, along with Counsel María Pradillo and Senior Associate Jorge Barrero, and Associates Clara Ortells, Itziar Kraus and Paula Abad. Partner Felipe Font advised on the financing, together with Counsel Carl Fitzgerald and Associates Sofía Riaño and Elena Euba, with anti-trust advice from Senior Counsel Begoña Barrantes and Associate Ana Latorre, and Associate Juan Valcárcel advising on the insurance angle. Sonsoles Callejo advised on Compliance matters. The employment team included Counsel Jorge Martín-Fernández and Associates Íñigo Olabarri and María Fernández. The London team also included Partner Riaz Pirmohamed, Senior Associate Sophie Stratton and Partner Adrian Levy. The Luxembourg team was formed by Partners Katia Gauzès and Saskia Myners, Counsels Dunja Pralong-Damjanovic and Simone Schmitt, Senior Associate Frédérique Davister, Associates Reda Azaoum and Alexandre Mereghetti, and Trainees Ramona Willems and Marie Georg.

We worked together with law firm Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Silva & Associados in connection with the assets in Portugal.

This transaction, destined to be the most important of the real estate market in Spain in 2025, contributes to highlight Clifford Chance's leadership in advising in the PBSA sector, coming on top of the advice provided by Clifford Chance on the sale of Resa and on the purchase of EQT’s student residence owner group.

Clifford Chance advises Foshan Haitian Flavouring and Food Company on its US$1.29 billion IPO and listing in Hong Kong

Thu, 19 Jun 2025 12:50:00 GMT

Chair of China Practice and partner Tim Wang said, “This transaction reflects our strong leadership in Hong Kong listings, particularly for companies tapping into China’s dynamic consumer economy. Haitian’s IPO – one of the largest in Hong Kong this year – demonstrates the city’s enduring appeal as a global fundraising hub and our ability to guide prominent mainland enterprises through complex cross-border offerings. Our capital markets expertise and long-standing commitment to supporting the growth of home-grown Chinese businesses remain central to our client partnerships.”

Partners Tim Wang, Jean Thio and Tianning Xiang led the deal, with support from a cross-border teams in Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Singapore, consisting of counsel Claire Cao, senior associates James Zhang, April Zhang and Ran Bi, associates Yuer Shao and Hester Choi, trainee solicitor Jin Qin, legal specialist Janssen Yang and legal analyst Anthony Shen.

Most recognised by its household 'Haday' brand of soy sauce and condiments, Haitian plans to strengthen its market leadership and expand into new categories, and further upgrade and optimise its technological capabilities, production capacity and supply chain.

Clifford Chance has advised on the successful fundraising of several well-known food and beverage brands in China, including the IPOs of China Resources Beverages, ChaPanda (tea beverages), Shiyue Daotian Group Co Ltd (kitchen staple food company) and Weilong Delicious (spicy snacks company).

Clifford Chance advises ADNOC Drilling on partnership with SLB in their land drilling operations in Kuwait and Oman

Thu, 19 Jun 2025 12:28:26 GMT

The transaction involves 8 rigs and associated infrastructure, which will be integrated into a newly formed entity jointly owned by ADNOC Drilling (70%) and SLB (30%) once regulatory approvals are obtained. The deal will significantly enhance ADNOC Drilling’s operational presence in the region, supporting its strategic, disciplined and value-driven expansion in regional markets.

Clifford Chance provided end-to-end cross-border legal support on the transaction, advising on M&A structuring and regulatory issues, as well as on transitional and operational matters.

Daud Khan, Partner at Clifford Chance (Abu Dhabi), commented:

“It was a privilege to support ADNOC Drilling on this strategic joint venture and investment. This deal is a milestone for the regional energy sector and reinforces ADNOC Drilling’s commitment to delivering best-in-class operations across the GCC. Our team was proud to help structure and negotiate a transaction of this scale and complexity.”

The Clifford Chance cross-border team was led by partner Daud Khan (Abu Dhabi), with support from partners Milena Robotham (Brussels), Katrin Schallenberg (Paris), Edward Page (London) and Alistair Woodland (London), with a core team including senior associates Jordan Knowles (Abu Dhabi), Mhairi Cruickshank (Dubai), Rizwan Butt (Dubai), Noor AlKooheji (Abu Dhabi), Sean Wood (London), Tess Forge (Counsel, Singapore) and Paul Harrington (London), as well as associates Mehran Azzam (Abu Dhabi), Alistair Green (London), Francesco Pasquarelli (Brussels), Valia Aravantinou Zafeiri (Brussels), Octave Schyns (Brussels), Helga Gudmundsdottir (Brussels), and Camille Gautier (Paris).

Clifford Chance advises DEG, Finnfund and Proparco on US$135 million financing for telecom energy projects in West Africa

Tue, 17 Jun 2025 13:10:00 GMT

The development financiers provided a first US$55 million long-term loan to IPT Powertech Group in 2019. Most recently, DEG, Finnfund and Proparco announced the financial close of another US$80 million DEG-led syndicated facility for the IPT Powertech Group. The recent financing supports working capital and capital expenditure for telecom energy projects in several developing jurisdictions including Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, and Sierra Leone.

IPT Powertech Group invests in decentralised energy solutions for mobile network operators in Africa and the Middle East. The company delivers hybrid energy solutions - solar, batteries, and generators - for mobile networks, cutting costs and CO2. Optimized hybrid solutions reduce energy use by up to 40% and lower diesel reliance through a shift to solar energy.

The Clifford Chance team advising the lenders on this transaction was led by partner Anna Thwaites and comprised of counsel Jason London, senior associate Jan Adriaan Botha and trainee solicitor Colette Butler (all Global Financial Markets, Frankfurt).

Clifford Chance Advises Partners Group on Acquisition of Premium Pet Food Company MPM Products from 3i

Tue, 17 Jun 2025 12:01:00 GMT

MPM operates market leading premium wet cat food brands, including Applaws, Reveal and Encore. MPM sells its products in over 50 countries and maintains sales channels across e-commerce and retail stores.

Partners Group will work with MPM's experienced management team to accelerate the Company's future growth. Key value creation initiatives will focus on further expanding sales in MPM's largest markets, building operations in new markets, and reinforcing supply chain resilience.

The PE team advising Partners Group is led by UK Private Equity Head Spencer Baylin, Senior Associates Mark Inkester, Victoria Ho and Joshua Higgins and Associates, Eleanor Burkin, Angus Hancock and Sebastian de Boer.

Other teams advising on the transaction included: Tax partner Nicola Hemsley and senior associate Kirsten Hunt, Incentives partner Sonia Gilbert and associate Leon Kidd, Finance partner Richard Day and associate Joshua Malek, Antitrust partner Jennifer Storey, counsel Shruti Hiremath and associate Emmanuel Goriola, Tech Digital partner Zayed Al Jamil and senior associate Midori Takenaka, Employment partner Alastair Windass and senior associate Kristen Hammond, Regulatory partner Gunnar Sachs and associate Niklas Heinkes, Litigation partner Michael Lyons and senior associate Hannah Ovaisi, IP partner Don McCombie and associate Hayley Kwan, Derivatives partner Paget Dare Bryan and senior associate Rachel Robertson and Real Estate partner Alis Pay and associate Madison Hughes.

AS&H Clifford Chance advises Almarai Company on its strategic acquisition of 100% of the shares in Pure Beverages Industry Company for SAR 1.040 billion

Tue, 17 Jun 2025 09:33:00 GMT

This strategic acquisition aligns with Almarai's growth strategy to expand its beverage portfolio and enhance its consumer offerings.

The team advising Almarai was led by Majid Al-Sheikh, Partner and Head of Corporate, and Partner Daniel Royle, Senior Associate Alexander Duffy and Associate Omar Al Harbi. Counsel Selman Ansari led on the Antitrust aspects of the transaction. Their expertise ensured a smooth transaction process, addressing all legal and regulatory aspects efficiently.

AS&H Clifford Chance is proud to have played a pivotal role in this significant transaction, contributing to Almarai's continued success.

Clifford Chance advises the initial purchasers on Vår Energi's US$1.5 billion dual-tranche senior notes offering

Mon, 16 Jun 2025 14:05:23 GMT

Vår Energi is a leading independent upstream oil and gas company on the Norwegian Continental Shelf, with a diversified asset portfolio and a strong exploration track record. The company is committed to safe and responsible operations, aiming to become carbon neutral in its net equity operational emissions by 2030.

The Clifford Chance team advising on the transaction included partners Michael Dakin and Trevor Lavelle, counsel Laura Scaglioni, and associate Sarah Wetzel.