Mergers & Acquisitions Law Firm Lebanon | Abou Jaoude & Associates

The Firm’s recent notable representative experience in Mergers & Acquisitions includes:

• Advised Jableb Holding led by the prominent investment banker Philippe Jabre on the multi-million acquisition of the renowned Lebanese beer company ALMAZA from global Dutch company Heineken, involving a highly complex dual-currency valuation in US dollars and Lebanese pounds amidst Lebanon’s unprecedented financial crisis, and a hybrid transaction structure with a buyout and a recapitalization.

• Advised leading energy US multinational Chevron on the complex spin-off of its Lebanese affiliate acting as member of a consortium with six major fuel companies to supply aviation fuel to airlines at Beirut’s International Airport.

• Advised leading private bank FFA acting as fiduciary on the US$25 Million acquisition of an equity stake in 4 legal entities forming the prominent aluminum manufacturing group SIDEM based on a dual-currency financing and a highly complex fiduciary structure with two types of profit-sharing loans, involving a regulatory approval process before the Capital Markets Authority of Lebanon (CMA) under the Offers of Securities Regulation.

• Advised premier venture capital firm The Luxury Fund (TLF) on the multi-million cross-border divestment of its equity stake in the renowned international luxury fashion house Elie Saab in 5 jurisdictions, involving a highly complex structure with a swap of equity and real estate assets and regulatory approvals from the Central Bank of Lebanon (BDL).

• Advised pioneer tech start-up and developer of first-of-its-kind heart-monitoring technology CardioDiagnostics on the multi-million divestment of the equity held by the leading venture capital fund Berytech, involving a dual-currency valuation in “fresh” and “local” US Dollars amidst Lebanon’s unprecedented financial crisis, and a complex regulatory approvals process under Circular 331 of the Central Bank of Lebanon (BDL) governing investments in Lebanon’s knowledge economy.

• Advised a renowned businessman on the multi-million acquisition of an equity stake in the “Save-Our-Startups” Fund (SOS Fund) (the main component of the new USAID Lebanon Investment Initiative) which aims to invest in 13 pioneer tech start-ups operating out of Lebanon (including Toters, Cinemoz, Klangoo, and Designer 24), through a highly complex structure involving 4 distinct dual-currency financing rounds of “fresh” and “local” US Dollars among the participating investors, which include prominent investment funds such as Berytech, IM Ventures, Cedar Mundi, and MEVP.

• Advised leading pharma group Benta on the US$60 Million cross-border acquisition of a pharmaceutical plant in France, involving a highly complex government-supported reorganization plan and compliance with complex healthcare and labor regulations.

• Advised leading pharma group Benta on the multi-million strategic cross-border divestment of its equity stake in a major pharmaceutical plant in Egypt.

• Advised on the multi-million complex merger of the two biggest F&B groups in Lebanon Sioufi and Massoud with a corporate and operational presence in Lebanon, KSA, Jordan and Syria.

• Advised on a US$600 Million complex merger of two prominent banks, the Lebanese Canadian Bank Sal (LCB) and Banque Société Générale Sal (SGBL), involving a highly complex regulatory process before the Central Bank of Lebanon, the premature redemption of preferred shares issued by LCB, and the liquidation of LCB.

• Advised Holding M. Sehnaoui on the acquisition of an equity stake in AstroBank (Cyprus) Ltd from BLC Bank SAL, through a complex structure involving a locked-box mechanism, share swaps, and a complex regulatory approvals process.

• Advised BLC Bank on a US$90 Million cross-border acquisition of Piraeus Bank (Cyprus) Ltd, the eleventh largest bank in Cyprus and one of the four banks listed on the Cyprus Stock Exchange, involving a complex loan restructuring and regulatory approvals from the Central Bank of Cyprus.

• Advised the leading money transfer institution OMT-Western Union on the acquisition of an established money transfer company in Lebanon.

• Advised major telecom group Africell on the multi-million acquisition of Orange Uganda, the third largest telecom operator in Uganda, involving a complex regulatory approvals process before the telecoms regulators.

• Advised specialized global investment group Capital Trust Group on the contemplated multi-million  acquisition of premier private hospital group CMC (affiliated with John Hopkins Medical Center) in a complex transaction involving capital increases, restructuring of equity, issuance of convertible bonds, and a pre-acquisition corporatization.

• Advised prominent investment fund Euromena in joint venture with Amethis Finance on the multi-million acquisition of a major group of companies operating in paper waste recycling and jumbo roll manufacturing in Nigeria, involving a complex convertible loan structure.

• Advised leading regional diversified investment group M1 on the multi-million acquisition of a group of companies operating a major US$800 Million 87,200 hectares animal feed agricultural project in Sudan.

• Advised the prominent Edde Family Office on the contemplated multi-million acquisition of an equity stake in pioneer bio-agriculture group Biomass, involving a complex real estate component.

• Advised Careem (an Uber subsidiary) on the complex cross-border acquisition of pioneer tech app Markit.

• Advised pioneer tech app company MySay as the target on the multi-million cross-border acquisition by prominent Kuwaiti telecom group Zain, through a complex two-tier structure involving a buyout of equity held by an investment fund, and a subscription to shares by way of loan recapitalization and equity swaps between the Lebanese and UAE affiliates.

• Advised premier developer FFA Real Estate on the multi-million acquisition of the Naas Springs real estate company through the issuance of convertible bonds for the development of a first-of-its-kind wellness resort.

• Advised on the multi-million complex merger of two prominent F&B groups Geadah Bros and Obegi Consumer Products.

• Advised on the acquisition by a renowned businessman of an equity stake in the pioneer start-up CGreen, the developer of a patented sludge treatment solution for the production of organic fertilizers in compliance the FAO guidelines.

• Advised major telecom group Africell on the contemplated multi-million total divestment of its telecommunications operations in Sierra Leone, Gambia and DRC, involving a group consolidation and the issuance and private placement of preferred stock organized by prominent financial advisors Lazard Frères.

• Advised a major group in the wig industry in Africa on its US$300 Million multi-phased total divestment to investors, involving a partial sale of assets and a group consolidation.

• Advised a group of investors led by major money transfer institution OMT-Western Union on the contemplated multi-million acquisition of LibanPost, the Lebanese private operator of the postal sector.

• Advised premier luxury brand Elie Saab as the target on the contemplated multi-million cross-border divestment of an equity stake to a leading Chinese strategic partner as part of its expansion plans in Asia.

• Advised the regional leader in the coffee brewing industry Café Younes on the cross-border strategic divestment of an equity stake to an investor as part of its expansion plans in the Middle East.

• Advised leading FMCG group Kallassi on the multi-million acquisition of “I. Hakim Dowek & Sons Sal” and “B-Food Sal” to expand its market share.

• Advised Ahli bank on the acquisition of an equity stake in a London-based financial services firm focused on carbon credit.

• Advised leading diversified group Malia on a US$10 Million acquisition of a real estate company for the development of the Deir/Natour project, a unique tourist village in Anfeh.

• Advised prominent investment company GLB Invest as the target on a highly complex US$50 Million acquisition by a Chinese conglomerate China Animal Husbandry Group (CAHG).

• Advised Lebanese digital start-up Tri-Arc as the target on the acquisition by Impact Fund, a venture capital fund established by leading investment fund MEVP.

• Advised prominent media company Rainbow Media on the acquisition of the major media group in the MENA region Arab Network for Research & Publishing.

• Advised major regional F&B chain Kabab-ji as the target on the divestment of a majority equity stake through a US$40 Million private placement.

• Advised on several acquisitions of equity in banks, financial institutions, investment funds, brokerage firms, and money transfer companies subject to the regulations and approval process of the Central Bank of Lebanon (BDL) and the Capital Markets Authority, including for Credit Suisse Lebanon Finance, OMT (Western Union), FFA Private Bank, IBL Bank, Arab Finance Corporation, and The Luxury Fund.

• Advised prominent investment groups on the multi-million acquisitions of a stake in the leading Lebanese newspapers Assafir and Al Balad, involving complex pre-acquisition corporate restructurings and combined transfers of assets and equity arrangements.

• Advised on several acquisitions and divestments in the automotive industry involving exclusive dealership agreements, including Land Rover, Ford, Opel and Nissan.

• Advised on several multi-million acquisitions and divestments of operators in Africa by major telecoms groups, including Novaphone, and Comium.