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Deals 30 April 2004
Middletons acted for Australasian wood-fibre processing company Carter Holt Harvey (CHH) in the $890 million sale of its Sancella and tissue business to Swedish group Svenska Cellulosa…
Lawyers Weekly
Middletons acted for Australasian wood-fibre processing company Carter Holt Harvey (CHH) in the $890 million sale of its Sancella and tissue business to Swedish group Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget (SCA), one of the largest M&A deals in Australia and NZ this year. CHH’s legal team included Middletons in Australia, Bell Gully in NZ and Munro Leys in Fiji. Middletons M&A partner John W. Mann led the Australian legal team. SCA’s legal team comprised Minter Ellison in Australia, Minter Ellison Rudd Watts in NZ and Howards in Fiji.
Freehills is advisor to Just Group on its re-flotation on the ASX. The company is due to list in early May. Freehills has acted for the newly renamed group over the past three years, including for venture capitalist Catalyst when it backed management to acquire the former Just Jeans in late 2001. The firm also assisted in Just’s purchases of Portmans and Urban Brands.
Corrs Chambers Westgarth and Freehills have acted for First Data Corporation in its subsidiary’s purchase of Cashcard for $255 million. Freehills also acted for Cashcard on a “dual-track” IPO and trade sale process held last year that led to the deal. Corporate partner Tony Damian led the Freehills team. Others involved included partner Mark Crean and solicitors Daniel Scotti and Nicole Underhill, with ACCC input from competition partner Paul Hughes. Corrs Chambers Westgarth’s team was led by partner Chris Ahern and included James Rozsa and Simon Rear, with Bill Keane providing input on competition law matters.
Linklaters has advised Panmure Gordon (Lazard), the sponsor, joint lead manager and sole bookrunner and Investec, the joint lead manager on the IPO of Dignity Plc. The gross amount raised by the offering was £150 ($365) million (assuming no exercise of the over allotment option). 65,217,390 shares and the market capitalisation of the company at the placing price was £185 million. The Linklaters team in London was led by corporate partner Matthew Middleditch and included Robert Cleaver, James Sporle, Rayna Taback, Lisa Dean, Alison Purnell, David Watkins (environmental), Ros Knowles (pensions) and James Naylor (property).
Allen & Overy in Hong Kong recently advised Datang Telecom Technology Co., one of the largest mainland-listed telecommunication companies, on a US$70 ($95.7) million private equity investment by various funds managed by Warburg Pincus in relation to Datang Microelectronics Technology, a subsidary of Datang. Datang Microelectronics Technology is engaged in the business of smartcard integrated circuits and related business. Partner and Asian head of the corporate group, Michael Liu, assisted by senior associate Albert Chak, led the transaction. Partner Ian Johnson and associates Yvonne Ho and John Lee, also assisted.
