DLA Piper Poland has been acting as the legal adviser to Banco Santander S.A. (“Santander”), which announced today that it has entered into an investment agreement with KBC Bank NV to combine their Polish banking subsidiaries, Bank Zachodni WBK S.A. (“Bank Zachodni WBK”) and Kredyt Bank S.A. (“Kredyt Bank”).

Kirkland & Ellis International LLP represented Cinven and GS Capital Partners (GSCP) on the disposal of Ahlsell, the leading distributor of construction products in the Nordic region, to CVC Capital Partners for SEK 15.5 billion (€1.8 billion). Completion is subject to relevant merger control clearances.

Building on our commitment to serve our clients in the Arabian Gulf region, Bennett Jones has established a legal practice in the Qatar Financial Centre in Doha, Qatar, one of the world’s leading international financial centres. Bennett Jones is the only Canadian law firm licensed by the Qatar Financial Centre Authority. The firm’s expertise in corporate law and energy, oil and gas, aircraft and project financings both conventional and Islamic, commercial transactions, infrastructure and project development, foreign investment and finance, allows us to better serve our clients in Qatar and the Gulf region. The firm also has offices in Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.

Hogan Lovells announced today that an international team of its lawyers advised on a US$1.5 billion oil-backed prepayment financing between its client Petroleos de Venezuela and Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Limited (ICBC). The financing closed on 27 February following two months of collaboration among a team of Hogan Lovells lawyers in Beijing, Caracas, London, and Washington, D.C.