Hengeler Mueller advises HAL Holding Investments B.V. on sale of AudioNova

11. May 2016

HAL Investments B.V. entered into an agreement to sell all shares in its hearing aid retail subsidiary AudioNova International B.V. (AudioNova) to Sonova AG for EUR 830 m. AudioNova operates more than 1,300 stores in eight European countries. In Germany, the business is conducted under the brand name GEERS. The completion of the transaction is subject to regulatory approval and is expected in the second half of 2016.

In close collaboration with lead counsel and best friend firm De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek, Hengeler Mueller advised HAL Investments B.V. on the transaction. The team was led by Thomas Meurer (Corporate/M&A) and included partners Christian Möller (Corporate/M&A), Alf-Henrik Bischke (Merger Control) (all Düsseldorf), Christian Hoefs (Employment, Frankfurt) and counsel Katharina Wodarz (Health Care, Berlin) as well as associates Dominik Heß, Ute König, Anika Gilberg (all Corporate/M&A, Düsseldorf), Vicki Treibmann (Düsseldorf) and Susanne Walzer (Frankfurt) (both Employment).

In 2010, Hengeler Mueller advised AudioNova on the acquisition of a majority interest in GEERS and the formation of a joint venture with the former family owners. Since this time Hengeler Mueller has been advising AudioNova regularly.