Areas Of Practice

 

Mergers & Acquisitions

KBA has extensive experience in the field of M&A and other forms of both domestic and cross-border corporate transactions involving business acquisitions, leveraged buyouts and divestitures. KBA’s lawyers represent various parties involved in the transactions, including sellers, acquirers, target companies, shareholders, financial advisors, etc. Our lawyers are involved in transactions ranging from telecommunications and media to energy and utilities to technology and intellectual property.

Selected engagements in the field of M&A in which lawyers of KBA have been involved include representation and advising of:

  • PKN Orlen S.A., the biggest company in Poland, in its successful bid during the privatization of Unipetrol, a.s., the biggest petrochemical concern in the Czech Republic, and its subsequent acquisition. This transaction was valued at USD 550 million and was the largest direct foreign investment by a Polish company in the Czech Republic.
  • Central European Media Enterprises Ltd. (CME) in its acquisition of TV Nova, the leading private TV station in the Czech Republic, in a transaction valued at USD 900 million in cash and stock. This transaction was the largest ever private investment by a US company in the Czech Republic.
  • CME and its wholly-owned subsidiary CME Media Pro B.V. on the acquisition of 100% of the shares of Bontonfilm a.s., a home entertainment, digital and television rights distribution company with operations in the Czech Republic and Slovak Republic and with a leading market position in each country, from an affiliate of Bancroft Private Equity, LLP and various minority shareholders for up to USD 12.5 million.
  • CME Group in connection with the sale of assets in the Czech Republic in a transaction amounting to USD 53 million.
  • CET 21 spol. s r.o. in connection with the acquisitions of: TV Markíza, a leading Slovak TV broadcaster; Jyxo, s.r.o., the information technology provider and operator of the leading blog site in the Czech Republic, “blog.cz,” and Jyxo's affiliate, BLOG Internet, s.r.o.; Galaxie sport, s.r.o., a leading Czech TV sports channel.
  • CET 21 spol. s r.o. in connection with the sale of ERIKA, a.s., a provider of Audiotex and various telecommunication services.
  • Czech subsidiaries of the CME Group in connection with the multi-level restructuring of the TV Nova Group, including several intra-group mergers and demergers in 2005 – 2010.
  • Czech subsidiaries of the HBO Group, one of the leading worldwide television broadcasting groups, in connection with the restructuring of the HBO Group in Central Europe, including a related intra-group merger.
  • KORADO, a.s., a major European producer of radiators, in connection with the sale of their transport division.
  • Brink’s Incorporated, a leader in business and security services, in the disposal of its business in the Czech Republic and the subsequent sale of the Czech subsidiary.
  • Media Pro Management, one of the leading European movie production groups, in connection with the potential acquisition of a leading operator of multiplex cinemas in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary.
  • A major international bank and some of its subsidiaries and affiliates in connection with certain transfers arising from the acquisition of Investiční a Poštovní banka a.s. by Československá obchodní banka, a.s.
  • South African Breweries plc (now SABMiller) in connection with its acquisition of a controlling interest in Plzeňský Prazdroj, a.s. (the brewer of Pilsner Urquell beer) and Pivovar RADEGAST, a.s. from Nomura International plc for USD 600 million.
  • The shareholders of NEV – DAMA, a.s., one of the leading travel agencies in the Czech Republic, on the sale of 100% of its shares to SKI TRAVEL, a.s., a company from the KKCG Group, which encompasses, among others, the travel agency known as “CK Fischer”.