KPS Capital Companions, LP has efficiently acquired Sport Group, a number one producer of synthetic turf methods and artificial ground coverings for the sports activities and leisure business. The acquisition concerned buying all shares beforehand held by Equistone Companions Europe and different shareholders.
Sport Group, based in 1969, generates an annual turnover exceeding 500 million Euros and operates globally with 19 subsidiaries and over 1,900 staff. The corporate has manufacturing services in Europe, North America and the Asia-Pacific area.
NEUWERK, in collaboration with Kirkland & Ellis London, offered authorized counsel to KPS and was liable for all German regulation elements of the deal. The monetary phrases of the transaction stay confidential pending regulatory approval.
Latham & Watkins suggested Equistone Companions Europe as they exited from their stake in Sport Group.
“Right here at NEUWERK, experience meets innovation – throughout disciplines.”
Q&A with Borge Seeger, Associate at NEUWERK
Borge, are you able to inform us your expertise throughout this challenge and the roles you took on alongside along with your crew to make sure a clean transition for KPS Capital Companions?
All through this challenge, my crew at NEUWERK performed a vital position in facilitating a clean transition for KPS Capital Companions. Because the IP/IT associate, I collaborated carefully with Kirsten Seeger, our Company/M&A associate, and the Kirkland & Ellis crew in London. Our multidisciplinary crew, comprising specialists in varied authorized fields, labored diligently to deal with challenges and guarantee a seamless acquisition for our shopper.
How did your self and Kirsten Seeger resolve on a technique to start on this challenge and did this technique need to adapt in any respect?
Initially, Kirsten and I devised a technique specializing in our specific experience in IP/IT and knowledge safety. Nevertheless, it quickly grew to become clear that our shopper required broader authorized assist. Leveraging NEUWERK’s cross-disciplinary setup, we swiftly expanded our scope to cowl varied elements of German regulation. This adaptability underscores NEUWERK’s power in addressing evolving shopper calls for throughout various authorized domains—a functionality we take nice delight in.
What areas of German regulation have been essential to cowl for this and if this have been uncared for what would the result of this be?
On this specific deal, our NEUWERK groups offered recommendation on company regulation, employment regulation, actual property regulation, company finance, industrial contract regulation, litigation, mental property regulation, data expertise regulation, knowledge safety, environmental regulation, and compliance. Neglecting any of those areas may have resulted in regulatory hurdles, contractual or compliance points, which may have doubtlessly jeopardized the deal’s viability.
Throughout this you have been working alongside Kirkland and Ellis as they have been counselling your shopper on different elements, how does this relationship transpire and what’s the key to working successfully with different regulation corporations?
Working with a number one agency like Kirkland & Ellis on complicated M&A transactions is each a privilege and a testomony to our specialised experience. M&A offers are intricate by nature, requiring not solely sharp authorized abilities but additionally the capability for swift, decisive motion. The important thing to our partnership lies in our dedication to being extra than simply drawback identifiers: we try to be resolution suppliers.
Over the previous 15 years, I’ve offered transaction assist in additional than 100 offers – that stage of experience is shared by my companions right here at NEUWERK. Our expertise permits us to combine our providers seamlessly, align carefully with the lead regulation agency, and supply clear, complete options. Our collaboration is predicated on mutual respect and a targeted, goal-oriented strategy – we consider that’s completely important for the completion of any M&A deal.
Are there any extra thrilling tasks at the moment or developing for Neuwerk that you just want to share with us, are there plans for continued development?
Right here at NEUWERK, we’re embracing technological developments which might be reshaping our business. A primary instance is NEUWERK.AI, an progressive on-line course we’ve developed for authorized professionals who need to deepen their understanding of synthetic intelligence. This initiative is a part of our broader effort to fulfill the rising shopper demand for knowledgeable counsel in AI-related issues, an space the place we’re actively main and shaping the dialog.
Up to now 12 months, we’ve welcomed two new companions, strengthening our agency’s experience and management. Since our institution eight years in the past with an preliminary crew of 5 attorneys, NEUWERK has grown to 32 at this time, with over 50% ladies, reflecting our dedication to variety and excellence. These efforts are key to our technique for staying on the reducing fringe of authorized providers.
