Dr. Mario Hüther

Global law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer (‘Freshfields’) is advising UniCredit Bank GmbH (‘UniCredit’) in connection with the debt financing of the intended voluntary takeover offer for all outstanding shares of Stemmer Imaging AG by MiddleGround Capital. UniCredit is acting as exclusive underwriter, mandated lead arranger and bookrunner under the debt financing transaction. The Freshfields core team consisted of Partners Michael Josenhans (Lead) and Mario Hüther, Counsel Alexander Pospisil, Principal Associate Laura Korndörfer and Associates Lucas Lengersdorf and Aleksandar Djurdjevic (all Finance, Frankfurt). Additionally Principal Associate Daniel Roggenkemper and Associate Jean Mohamed (both Corporate, Frankfurt/Hamburg) have advised in connection with the takeover-related aspects of the transaction as well as the financing confirmation thereunder.

Jul 26

1 min

Global law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer (‘Freshfields’), together with Moalem Weitemeyer, has advised DSV A/S (‘DSV’) on its €14.3bn acquisition of Schenker AG (‘Schenker’) from Deutsche Bahn. The transaction is still subject to various approvals. DSV, founded in 1976, is a global transportation and logistic company based in Hedehusene, Denmark. Schenker, based in Essen founded in 1872 by Gottfried Schenker, is the logistics division of Deutsche Bahn and one of the world's leading logistics service providers. Together, DSV and Schenker have around 147.000 employees in more than 90 countries and generate pro-forma sales of around €39.3bn. Freshfields and Moalem Weitemeyer also advised DSV in 2023 on a $10bn US-Dollar exclusive logistics joint venture to support the development of the ambitious projects taking shape in NEOM, in north-western Saudi Arabia. See further details here. The Freshfields team regarding Schenker was led by Partner Heiner Braun (Frankfurt) as well as by Principals Associates Friedrich von der Heydt-von Kalckreuth (Hamburg) and Viviane Cismak (Frankfurt, all Corporate). The team also included: Partners: Patrick Cichy (Corporate, Hamburg), Mario Hüther (Finance, Frankfurt), Uta Itzen (Competition Law, Düsseldorf), Frank Schaer (Employment Law, Frankfurt), Norbert Schneider (Tax, Düsseldorf), Andreas von Bonin (State-Aid Law, Brussels) Counsel: Uwe Salaschek (Foreign Investment, Berlin) Special Counsel: Anouschka Zagorski (Finance, Vienna) Principal Associates: Marius Li-Yang Stein (Corporate, Frankfurt), Fabian Zöpfchen (Labour Law, Frankfurt), Simon Fitzpatrick (Finance, Vienna), Florian Reiter-Werzin (Vienna), Enrica Schaefer (both Competition Law, Brussels), Julian Reinecke (Real Estate, Düsseldorf), Thomas Richter, Dr. Markus Stoffels (both Tax, Düsseldorf) Associates: Niklas Andree, Marleen Franka Böhm (both Competition Law, Düsseldorf), Alexander Bräuer (Finance), Tainá Moreira de Araújo (both Frankfurt), Max Lennart Dürkop, Bruno Gebhardi (all Corporate, both Hamburg), Valentin Lang (Employment Law, Frankfurt), Asta von Kienitz (Intellectual Property, Hamburg) Senior Transaction Lawyers: Panagiotis Rentzeperis, Elsy Stephanie Sedano Rojas, Pieter Daniel van der Ploeg, (all Frankfurt) and Adriana De Andrade (Düsseldorf) Transaction Lawyer: Simon Blaschka (Frankfurt) The team was supported by its offices in Amsterdam, Beijing, Berlin, Brussels, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Hanoi, Hong Kong, London, Madrid, Milan, Munich, New York, Paris, Riyadh, Rome, Shanghai, Silicon Valley, Tokyo, Vienna and Washington. Freshfields worked on this transaction together with Copenhagen-based law firm Moalem Weitemeyer and other members of its worldwide StrongerTogether network.

Sep 13

2 min

Global law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer (‘Freshfields’) advises the international consortium of lenders providing debt financing for the acquisition of a 50% stake in the Gode Wind 3 offshore wind farm. Purchaser are funds managed by Glennmont Partners who commit to fund 50% of the construction. Seller is Danish offshore wind developer Ørsted. The transaction is expected to complete in the coming months, subject to regulatory approvals. Gode Wind 3 consists of 23 turbines with a total capacity of 253 MW and was awarded with a feed-in tariff. The offshore wind farm is currently under construction with commissioning targeted for 2024. The transaction is a continuation of the collaboration between Ørsted and Glennmont Partners who already acquired a 50% in Ørsted’s 900MW Borkum Riffgrund 3 wind farm. The Freshfields team was led by Finance Partners Mario Hüther (Frankfurt) and Michael Josenhans (Frankfurt), Counsel Mirko Masek (Corporate, Hamburg) and Principal Associate Marlin Jürgens and included Counsel Alexander Ruschkowski, Principal Associate Dennis Chinnow and Associate Alexander Bräuer (all Finance, Frankfurt), Associates Steffen Blume, Florian Nicolas Schröder and Esther von Bronk (all Corporate and Projects, Hamburg), Counsel Sascha Arnold (Regulatory, Hamburg) and Associate Philipp Reinecke (Energy, Düsseldorf) and Transaction Lawyers Sazan Isufi and Aydan Oorzhak. Freshfields also acted as lenders’ legal adviser when Glennmont Partners engaged in Borkum Riffgrund 3 wind farm.

Oct 31

1 min

Global law firm Freshfields advised the financing banks on the successful signing of a new green credit facilities agreement in a total amount of €5.25bn for Eurogrid. ABN AMRO (Documentation Agent), Commerzbank, Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank and ING acted as coordinating banks. The financing supports investments in Germany’s electricity transmission grid. Eurogrid is an energy company based in Berlin and the parent company of 50Hertz Transmission GmbH, one of Germany’s four transmission system operators. Through its grid, 50Hertz plays a central role in ensuring security of supply and enabling the energy transition. The new revolving credit facilities replace and increase existing credit lines with a total volume of €3.75bn. It provides financing for Eurogrid’s investment programme, including the expansion and modernisation of critical grid infrastructure required for the integration of renewable energy. The transaction strengthens Eurogrid’s financial flexibility and represents a further step in Eurogrid’s green financing strategy. The Freshfields team was led by Partner Mario Hüther with support by Principal Associate Dennis Chinnow and Associate Thilo Köhler (all Finance, Frankfurt).

Feb 24

1 min

Global law firm Freshfields has advised Takko Fashion GmbH and its shareholders on all aspects of the comprehensive refinancing of its existing debt through the issuance of €350m senior secured high yield bonds and a new €203m revolving credit facility. Takko is a leading European vertically integrated discount fashion retailer based in Germany, with around 1,950 stores in 17 European countries and almost 18,000 employees. The multi-jurisdictional cross-practice Freshfields team included the leveraged finance and capital markets groups across Germany, England, the Netherlands and Austria and was led by Partners Simone Bono (High Yield, London), Mario Hüther and Michael Josenhans (both Leveraged Finance, Frankfurt). They were supported by Counsel Anouschka Zagorski (Finance, Vienna), Senior Associate Shruti Dusaj (High Yield, London), Principal Associates Andreas Thümmler (Leveraged Finance, Frankfurt), Simon Fitzpatrick (Finance, Vienna), Laura Korndörfer (Leveraged Finance, Frankfurt), Associates Enzo Paganetti, Ahmed Yacout Saleh (both High Yield, London) and Trainee Solicitor Georgina Baker (London).

Dec 18

1 min