Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer (‘Freshfields’) has guided Nippon Express Holdings, Inc. (‘Nippon Express’) to the closing of its acquisition of the global logistics group Cargo-Partner, headquartered in Austria and consisting of 63 target companies around the world, for a total consideration of up to €1.4bn. The transaction was announced in May 2023, and closed on 4 January 2024 following the receipt of regulatory approvals. Nippon Express is a Japan-based logistics company with a global reputation. The company began working as a logistics provider more than 80 years ago and its global network, today comprising over 739 locations, allows it to smoothly connect the world through advanced logistics. Cargo-Partner has a strong logistics business platform in the Central and Eastern European regions, areas that have attracted attention as an industrial base for Europe. The company operates its air and sea forwarding business across Europe, Asia and North America in the automotive, electric and electronic pharmaceutical and medical industries. This transaction marks a significant step towards Nippon Express’ objective of becoming a global logistics company that supports its customers’ global expansion plans by providing supply chain solutions across the world. The Freshfields team advising on the transaction was led by Global Transactions partners Tomoko Nakajima, Jochen Ellrott and Konrad Groeller and included Hugh Goodwin as the lead associate, with support from Global Transactions partner Takeshi Nakao and associates Martin Zankl, Wataru Shono, Haley Zhang and Vincent Ko. Partner Kaori Yamada advised on antitrust issues supported by senior associate Lena Boucon and associate Hitoshi Nakajima. Partner Katharina Kubik and senior associate Anna Binder-Gutwinski advised on tax matters. Counsel Felix Neuwirther and principal associate Can-Michael Nural advised on real estate issues. Partner Karin Buzanich-Sommeregger advised on employment matters and counsel Gernot Fritz advised on data privacy IT and IP related matters. The transaction leads were supported by a large, multidisciplinary team spanning Freshfields offices in Asia, Europe and the U.S..