Leading international law firm Clifford Chance has advised Watford Holdings Ltd. and its wholly owned subsidiary Watford Re Ltd., a newly formed, Bermuda-based multi-line reinsurer, on the completion of Watford Re’s $1.13 billion capital raise.  Watford Re received a financial strength rating of A- from A.M. Best Company and is a Class 4 insurer licensed by the Bermuda Monetary Authority.

More >>

Cooley LLP announced today that it advised Johnson Controls on the formation of a global automotive interiors joint venture with Yanfeng Automotive Trim Systems Co., Ltd. The transaction is subject to limited conditions and is expected to close in the first half of 2015.

Johnson Controls is a global diversified technology and industrial leader, creating quality products, services and solutions to optimize energy and operational efficiencies of buildings; lead-acid automotive batteries and advanced batteries for hybrid and electric vehicles; and interior systems for automobiles. More >>

Herbert Smith Freehills has advised Chinese conglomerate Fosun International Limited on its HK$4.88 billion (US$629.5 million) rights issue in Hong Kong.

Fosun International offered 500,884,371 rights shares at the subscription price of HK$9.76 per share. The offering will commence trading on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on 23 May 2013.

More >>

Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP served as underwriters’ counsel in Fibria Overseas Finance Ltd.’s offering of $600 million of its 5.250% notes due 2024, guaranteed by Fibria Celulose S.A. (NYSE: FBR).

The transaction is the first SEC-registered debt issuance for Fibria, a leading Brazilian pulp and paper company and the world’s largest producer of market pulp.  Fibria’s shares trade through American Depositary Shares registered with the SEC and listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

More >>

Shearman & Sterling represented Citigroup Global Markets Limited in an offering of €185 million 8.500% Senior Secured Notes due 2019 (the “Notes”) by Glasstank B.V., an indirect subsidiary of Yioula Glassworks S.A. The net proceeds from the offering will be used to fund the redemption of Yioula Glassworks’ outstanding €140.0 million 9.0% Senior Notes due 2015 (the “Yioula Notes”) in full (including accrued interest to the date of redemption), to prepay in full term loan agreements with each of the International Finance Corporation and MKB Unionbank AD and for general corporate purposes. The firm also advised Citigroup Global Markets on the offering of the Yioula Notes in 2005.

More >>

The Firm represented NXP Semiconductors N.V. (“NXP”) in connection with a $1.049 billion registered secondary offering of 17,376,611 common shares by certain of its principal stockholders, including NXP Co-Investment Partners L.P. and affiliates of funds managed or advised by Bain Capital Partners, LLC and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P. The offering closed on May 19, 2014.

More >>

Simpson Thacher recently represented the initial purchasers, led by Citigroup, J.P. Morgan and HSBC, as joint book-running managers, in connection with a Rule 144A/Regulation S offering of $400 million of 2.803% Senior Secured Notes due 2016, $400 million of 3.839% Senior Secured Notes due 2018, $400 million of 4.435% Senior Secured Notes due 2020, $400 million of 5.082% Senior Secured Notes due 2023 and $400 million of 5.412% Senior Secured Notes due 2025 by Delek & Avner (Tamar Bond) Ltd., a limited liability company formed by the Delek Drilling Limited Partnership and Avner Oil Exploration Limited Partnership (together, the “Sponsors”). The notes are listed for trading on the system of the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange for trading by institutional investors, and recourse on the notes is limited to the Sponsors’ working interests in the Tamar natural gas reservoir located in the Mediterranean Sea offshore of Israel.

More >>

Akin Gump advised FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC (FET), a wholly owned subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp., with respect to the issuance of $600 million aggregate principal amount of its 4.35% senior unsecured notes due 2025 and $400 million aggregate principal amount of its 5.45% senior unsecured notes due 2044. The Notes were offered in a transaction exempt from registration pursuant to Rule 144A and Regulation S under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

More >>

The Firm is representing DIRECTV’s Compensation Committee in connection to AT&T’s acquisition of DIRECTV in a stock-and-cash transaction with a total equity value of $48.5 billion and a total transaction value of $67.1 billion. The merger is subject to approval by DIRECTV shareholders and review by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, U.S. Department of Justice, as well as a few U.S. states and some Latin American countries. The transaction is expected to close within approximately 12 months.

More >>

A Weil team led by Fred Green and Mike Lubowitz is advising DirecTV in its proposed acquisition by AT&T.

The transaction combines complementary strengths to create a unique new competitor with unprecedented capabilities in mobility, video and broadband services. The combined company will be a content distribution leader across mobile, video and broadband platforms. This distribution scale will position the company to better meet consumers’ future viewing and programming preferences, whether traditional pay TV, on-demand video services like Netflix or Hulu streamed over a broadband connection (mobile or fixed) or a combination of viewing preferences on any screen. DIRECTV will continue to be headquartered in El Segundo, California, after the deal closes. More >>