Linklaters

The firm focuses on complex and high value domestic and multi-jurisdictional deals. Leading global companies and financial institutions particularly value the expertise of Linklaters’ Italian offices in corporate/M&A, antitrust, employment, banking & finance, restructuring, energy, infrastructure, project finance, public law, capital markets, structured finance and regulatory work.

Recent significant transactions include advising

• private equity fund HG Capital in relation to the €565 million acquisition of Teamsystem in a leveraged-buy-out
• private equity fund Carlyle in relation to the acquisition of a 65% stake in Giannoni France
• the lenders in the leveraged financing for the €800m acquisition of Findus Italy by Birds Eye Iglo Group and Permira, the largest LBO in Italy in 2010;
• Japan-based conglomerate Sharp in the establishment of two joint ventures in the solar sector with Enel Green Power and STMicroelectronics to produce photovoltaic panels with the leading edge thin-film solar cell technology in the single most important production facility for solar panels in Italy and to develop solar farms for up to 500 MW by the end of 2016
• UniCredit as issuer in its €4 billion rights issue
• BNP Paribas in setting-up a joint venture in the non-life bancassurance sector together with Fortis and UBI Banca and in the subsequent acquisition of a stake equal to 50% + 1 share in UBI Assicurazioni
• the lenders in relation to the €2.5 billion restructuring of the Valentino Fashion Group’s financial indebtedness
• Safilo, the Italian worldwide leader in the premium eyewear sector, in connection with the €600m restructuring of its financial indebtedness
• the lenders in connection with the leveraged financing of the acquisition of Permasteelisa by a consortium of investors led by Investindustrial, the largest LBO in Italy in 2009
• Bayerische Hypo- und Vereinsbank in the €24 billion residential mortgage loans securitisation originated by UniCredit Banca per la Casa
• the Joint Global Coordinators on the €3 billion rights issue by UniCredit and on the related offering of exchangeable securities (CASHES)
• the lenders in connection with the restructuring of the €600 million indebtedness of the Pininfarina group
• Banco Santander in the €1 billion sale of Interbanca to General Electric’s Commercial Finance division
• the senior and mezzanine mandated lead arrangers in connection with the financing of the leveraged buyout of N&W Global Vending S.p.A. by funds managed or advised by InvestCorp SA and Barclays Private Equity

Linklaters operates in Italy through a local partnership, Studio Legale Associato, which is an affiliate of Linklaters LLP.