Our M&A practice group is organised to coordinate, as applicable with its leading correspondent law firms, all aspects of heavy and complex multijurisdictional operations (mergers & acquisitions, tax, antitrust, financing, due diligence).

Experience includes:

• PFR / Bank Pekao / Unicredit: advising on the acquisition of 32.8% of shares in Bank Pekao from UniCredit S.p.A.
   
• Portfolio of 85 hotels - AccorHotels / Eurazeo: advising AccorHotels on the sale of a portfolio of 85 budget and mid-range hotels located in Europe (real estate assets and business assets). These hotels are part of Grape Hospitality, a platform dedicated to hotel accommodation that is 70% owned by Eurazeo and 30% by AccorHotels.
   
• RBS Asia Limited: advising CA-CIB on the acquisition of RBS Asia Limited, a subsidiary of Royal Bank of Scotland NV, which controls RBS Korean and Hong Kong market activities in Asia.
   
• Société Générale / Central Europe: advising Société Générale on the acquisition of Banque PSA Finance assets in central Europe.
   
• ABC / China / Africa: advising Agricultural Bank of China, one of China’s Big Four banks, on the establishment of a bank in the Republic of Congo, the Sino-Congolese Bank for Africa (BSCA).
   
• HNA Tourism Group / Pierre et Vacances : advising the tourism division of the Chinese conglomerate HNA Group on its 10% equity investment in Euronext Paris-listed Pierre et Vacances SA.

• PSA ChangAn: advising PSA Peugeot Citroën on the creation of a 50-50 joint venture in China with China ChangAn Automobile, with a view to manufacturing and marketing in China several ranges of light commercial vehicles and personal vehicles. Advice also covered the introduction of the DS Citroën range in the country, as well as the launch a new market-specific brand.
   
• Eurostar International Limited: advising SNCF on the creation of Eurostar International Limited, a company operating the Eurostar international traveller transport service.
   
• Areva T&D: advising Areva on the sale of its Transmission and Distribution (T&D) activity to the Alstom and Schneider consortium.
   
• Polkomtel: advising KGHM Polska Miedź S.A., Polish leader in the extraction of copper and silver, on the sale of its 25% stake in the capital of Polkomtel S.A. to Zygmunt Solorz-Zak.
   
• Rosbank Russie: advising the Société Générale bank on the application of its option to acquire 30% of the capital of Rosbank, held by Interros (on top of the 20% it already owns).

Gide Loyrette Nouel A.A.R.P.I. is particularly active in the large and upper-mid cap market segments. The practice is well known for its work on cross-border transactions, leading on Total's  acquisition of the Energías de Portugal’s portfolio of 2.5m customers and combined cycle power plants. Olivier Diaz, who is described as an 'excellent technician' leads the department, specialising in acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, joint ventures and corporate restructurings. The team has deep bench strength, with key names including Charles de Reals, Julien David, Christophe Eck and Jean-Gabriel Flandrois. It was further strengthened by the arrival of Jean-François Louit  and Caroline Lan who joined from Mayer Brown in September 2019.

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