Jones Day is representing Japan Bank for International Cooperation ("JBIC"); The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd., as lender and administrative agent; Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation; and Mizuho Bank, Ltd., as lenders, in connection with a US$500 million syndicated credit facility for Minera Escondida Limitada ("MEL"), a Chilean mining company and operator of the largest copper mine in the world, jointly owned by BHP Billiton Ltd., The Rio Tinto Corporation plc, and JECO Corporation/JECO 2 Ltd. (consortia lead by Mitsubishi Corporation).

* ChemChina's US$43bn acquisition of Syngenta is the largest overseas takeover by a Chinese company in history
* Linklaters advised lenders on the US$20bn bridge facilities for the acquisition

Linklaters advised HSBC Bank plc on the US$20bn loan facilities for the acquisition of Syngenta AG, the Swiss seed and pesticide maker, by China National Chemical Corporation (ChemChina), the Chinese state-owned chemical company.
 

Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP, advised BNP Paribas, as global coordinator and administrative agent, in a $3.25 billion committed senior secured working capital facility, comprising a $1.25 billion 3-year tranche and a $2 billion 364-day tranche, with an additional $1 billion accordion feature, for Castleton Commodities International LLC (CCI), a global commodities merchant with an integrated set of operations consisting of physical and financial commodities trading and the ownership, operation, and development of commodities-related upstream and infrastructure assets.

Slaughter and May advised FirstGroup plc (FirstGroup) on the amendment and extension of its existing multi-currency revolving credit and guarantee facility totalling £800 million.

The facility was extended by two years, to 10 July 2021. The amendments also included improved pricing.

FirstGroup is a leading transport operator in the UK and North America.
Contacts

Financing: Edward Fife (partner), Andrew Williams (associate), Alexander Short (associate); Tax: William Watson (partner)

Transaction represents one of the largest acquisition financings globally in 2017

Shearman & Sterling represented Investcorp in connection with the financing for its acquisition of ABAX Group, an international market leader in vehicle tracking technology, from Norvestor Equity AS for an enterprise value of NOK 1.8 billion ($210 million).

Advising a banking pool in connection with the senior debt financing for the acquisition by EMZ of a minority stake in the capital of ONET

Advising a banking pool in connection with the senior debt financing for the acquisition by EMZ of a minority stake in the capital of ONET, from FFP the holding of the family Peugeot.

Clifford Chance's Prague office successfully advised leading regional used car dealership AAA Auto International a.s. in connection with the planned refinancing of the acquisition of the company and agreeing the terms of operating loans for its entire group.

Global law firm White & Case LLP has advised Suez on the refinancing of the acquisition of GE Water, jointly with Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec.

The refinancing included several senior unsecured note issues for a total amount of €1.2 billion, an undated deeply subordinated hybrid bond issue for a total amount of €600 million, and a €750 million capital increase without shareholders’ preferential subscription rights.

Clifford Chance advised a consortium of investors led by CREAT Tiancheng Investment Holdings Company Limited on the €940 million financing for the takeover offer by Tiancheng (Germany) Pharmaceutical Holdings AG to acquire Biotest AG, a blood products business listed in Germany.

The financing involved a cross-border team led by partners Timothy Democratis in Beijing and Dr. Bettina Steinhauer in Frankfurt who were supported by associates Dean Bao, Sabrina Bremer and Alexander Hansen Diaz, and trainees Fiona Zhang and Quentin Liu.