Romania

Bank Privatization:

• Counseling on the sale of a controlling shareholding in Banca Comerciala Romana to international financing institutions and of a minority shareholding to the bank’s management and employees;
  
• Advising with respect to the privatization of Banc Post S.A. pursuant to a two-phase sale-purchase transaction with GE Capital Corporation and Banco Portugues de Investimento.

Advised throughout the years with respect to the establishment in Romania of:

• ABN Amro Bank (Romania) S.A;
  
• Raiffeisenbank (Romania) S.A;
  
• Demirbank (Romania) S.A;
  
• United Garanti Bank International N.V. Amsterdam – Bucharest branch,
  
• Volksbank Romania S.A.

Provided legal assistance to the following:

• the European Union, through the European Commission, on a supplemental loan agreement for the second installment of the EUR 200 million loan agreement granted to Romania;
  
• MobiFon, the leading GSM mobile telecommunications operator in Romania, in a EUR USD 200 million bond issuance on the Luxembourg market;
  
• PETROM, the Romanian national oil company, in connection with a EUR 150 million loan facility;
  
• Erste Bank der Oesterreichischen Sparkassen AG in a EUR 135 million loan to IDAG Immobilienbeteilingung Development Aktiengesellschaft;
  
• the Japan Bank of International Co-operation in a EUR 100 million financing to the Ministry of Public Works, Transportation and Housing of Romania;
  
• Purolite International in restructuring its EUR 52 million financial arrangements with General Electric,
  
• HSBC Bank in a EUR 40 million loan to the National Company Bucharest-Otopeni International Airport;
  
• Chase Manhattan Bank, as lead lender, to structure and implement a USD 200 million revolving credit line with the state-owned petroleum exporter and importer;
  
• Alpha Bank on a EURO 50 million loan granted to the Ministry of Public Works, Transportation and Housing of Romania;
  
• Gazprombank in connection with a financing facility to the Romanian company for gas transportation;
  
• Credit Suisse First Boston in connection with a USD 150 million syndicated loan to Sidex;
  
• Nomura’s financing of the Tofan Tire Group;
  
• HSBC for financing Phase 1 and 2 of the Otopeni Airport development;
  
• Bank Austria Creditanstalt in connection with a EUR 250 million to Raiffeisen Bank S.A.

local counsel to

• Heineken International BV,
  
• Philip Morris Holland B.V. in the acquisition of the Romanian subsidiary of the Greek-based company Papastratos Cigarette Manufacturing SA.

provided assistance to

• Microsoft Corporation in the acquisition of GeCad Antivirus,
  
• Philip Morris in the acquisition of Papastratos,
  
• Heineken International B.V. in the strategic alliance made with GETRANKE-BETEILIGUNGS AG Austria,
  
• Novartis in the acquisition of LEK Pharmaceutical & Chemical Company dd,
  
• Hewlett-Packard Company in the acquisition of Compaq Computer Corporation,
  
• Buderus Heitztechnik GmbH in the acquisition of two Romanian companies,
  
• Compaq Computer Corporation in the acquisition of Digital Equipment Corporation.