Hengeler Mueller advises OptiGroup on combination of German paper distribution businesses with Inapa

25. October 2018

OptiGroup AB (through its affiliate Papyrus AB) and Inapa Investimentos, Participações e Gestão, S.A. (Inapa) have signed an agreement to sell OptiGroup's German paper distribution business, Papyrus Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, to Inapa who intend to combine it with their German subsidiary, Papier Union GmbH. As part of the transaction consideration, Inapa intends to issue, subject to the approval of the general meeting of Inapa, a convertible bond which would in the discretion of OptiGroup be convertible into 23% of all shares and voting rights in Inapa. The transaction is subject to approval by the German Federal Cartel Office.

Hengeler Mueller advises OptiGroup comprehensively on the transaction in an integrated team with its "Best Friends" firm Uría Menéndez. The team is led by Martin Ulbrich (M&A, Düsseldorf) and includes partners Nikolaus Vieten (Finance), Martin Klein (Tax) (both Frankfurt), Christian Möller (Corporate/M&A, Düsseldorf), Christian Hoefs (Employment, Frankfurt), Ulrich Blech (Real Estate, Berlin), counsel Matthias Berberich (IP/IT, Berlin) as well as associates Tobias Schneiders (Düsseldorf), Elisabeth Kreuzer (Munich), Eric Becker, Alexander von Bernstorff (both Düsseldorf) (all Corporate/M&A), Sebastian Heinrichs (Tax) and Eckbert Müller (Employment) (both Frankfurt).

At Uría Menéndez the team includes Francisco Brito e Abreu (Partner), António Castro Caldas (Counsel), Ana Sá Couto (Counsel), Inês Caria Pinto Basto (Managing Associate), Joana Torres Ereio (Senior Associate) and Rita Canto (Associate) (all Lisbon/Portugal, all Portuguese Corporate and Capital Markets Law).

Hengeler Mueller also represents the parties in the merger control proceedings. The team includes partner Christoph Stadler and associate Philipp Neideck (both Antitrust, Düsseldorf).