Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP (‘Freshfields’) has advised American Express Global Business Travel (‘American Express GBT’), a leading global travel management company, on its acquisition of Hogg Robinson Group PLC (‘HRG’), a global B2B services company specialising in travel management. The acquisition is conditional on the receipt of antitrust and other regulatory approvals and is expected to close in the second quarter of 2018.
 

Squire Patton Boggs has advised leading international luxury travel agency Scott Dunn on its acquisition of Country Holidays, a Singapore-based group of travel companies offering tailor-made vacations and operating in Singapore, Hong Kong, China and Dubai. The strategic acquisition, which sees the merger of Scott Dunn and Country Holidays, makes Scott Dunn one of Asia’s largest bespoke tour and travel agencies. Chang Theng Hwee, founder of Country Holidays, will assume the position of Scott Dunn CEO, Asia.

Clifford Chance has advised the real estate investor Frasers Property Europe (FPE) on the acquisition of a EUR 600 million logistics portfolio from Alpha Industrial Holding S. A. In addition, FPE takes over the subsidiary Alpha Industrial GmbH & Co KG, which is responsible for asset management and project development. The transaction is FPE's second major logistics deal in Germany within three months. Frasers recently acquired an Hermes logistics real estate package from ECE. Clifford Chance also advised FPE on this acquisition.

Travers Smith LLP has advised funds managed by Ancala Partners LLP on their acquisition of South Downs Capital Limited, parent company of Portsmouth Water Limited, from South Downs Trustees Limited as trustee of the South Downs Employee Benefit Trust.

Ashurst is advising Arla Foods on its proposed acquisition of Yeo Valley Dairies Limited, a subsidiary of Yeo Valley Group Limited. The transaction, which announced on 8 February, will give Arla the rights to use the Yeo Valley brand in milk, butter, spreads and cheese under an intellectual property licence. The Yeo Valley yogurt, ice cream, cream and desserts business will continue to be run independently by the Yeo Valley Group.

Clifford Chance has advised early-stage investor Mainincubator GmbH, a subsidiary of Commerzbank, on a single-digit million Euro seed funding for the Berlin-based software company Lana Labs GmbH.

Lana Labs develops software-based process optimisation tools for financial service providers. Vital legal aspects of the transaction were the protection of Intellectual Property (IP) and IT solutions.

King & Wood Mallesons (KWM) has advised Super Retail Group on its acquisition of the outdoor equipment and clothing retailer, Macpac, for NZ$144 million (A$135 million).

Macpac is a vertically integrated retailer which currently has 54 retail stores across Australia and New Zealand, as well as an online webstore which services a number of other countries. Super Retail Group intends to consolidate its existing Rays business with Macpac, under the Macpac brand.

King & Wood Mallesons (KWM) has advised Super Retail Group on its acquisition of the outdoor equipment and clothing retailer, Macpac, for NZ$144 million (A$135 million).

Macpac is a vertically integrated retailer which currently has 54 retail stores across Australia and New Zealand, as well as an online webstore which services a number of other countries. Super Retail Group intends to consolidate its existing Rays business with Macpac, under the Macpac brand.

Taylor Wessing Bratislava advised the biggest Slovak online book retailer and the second biggest book retailer in Slovakia, Martinus, s.r.o., on the acquisition of its competitor, the e-shop Gorila.sk.

Travers Smith LLP has advised funds managed by Ancala Partners LLP on their acquisition of South Downs Capital Limited, parent company of Portsmouth Water Limited, from South Downs Trustees Limited as trustee of the South Downs Employee Benefit Trust.