PRESS RELEASE (October 15th, 2009)
PeliFilip has advised leading global private equity firm CVC Capital Partners (“CVC”) on its agreement to acquire the Romanian operations of the Anheuser-Busch InBev (“ABI”) group. The transaction is part of a larger acquisition of all ABI’s Central European operations, for an overall enterprise value of approximately USD 2,231 million, and additional rights to a future payment contingent on CVC’s return on its initial investment. This is not only one of the largest private equity transactions ever in Central and Eastern Europe but the largest buyout in Europe so far this year.
According to the agreement, CVC has acquired ABI’s operations in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia and Slovakia and agreed to brew and/or distribute Stella Artois, Beck’s, Löwenbräu, Hoegaarden, Spaten and Leffe in these countries under license from ABI.
Magic circle law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer acted as international counsel to CVC and coordinated top independent local firms. In Romania, Carmen Peli and Alexandru Birsan led a team of ten lawyers and assisted with due diligence, documents and transaction structuring. “We were honored and delighted to have advised CVC in this landmark transaction, as well as to have again worked with our colleagues from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer”, commented Carmen Peli, while Alex Birsan said “It was truly a pleasure for us as well to be part of such an excellent team and we are very happy to hear the client appreciated the joint efforts”.