28 July 2004 Read legal news, law firm press releases & legal research articles at LAWFUELHerbert Smith and US firm Cravath, Swaine & Moore have jointly advised ABF plc, the international food, ingredients and retail group, on its acquisition of the yeast, spices and herbs business of the Australian group Burns Philp and Co for US$1.35 billion (£722 million). The acquisition is subject to regulatory approvals.
Herbert Smith led a worldwide team of lawyers from over 35 countries, including Herbert Smith’s Alliance partners Gleiss Lutz and Stibbe. The Iberian firm Cuatrecasas, with which Herbert Smith often works, advised on the Spanish and Portuguese aspects of the transaction and liaised with lawyers based in Latin America. Herbert Smith’s Singaporean office performed the same role with regard to Asian and Australian lawyers.
The Herbert Smith corporate team advising ABF was led by Stephen Hancock, assisted by Carl Powlson, Elisa Menardo, Victoria Stodart, Ravinder Masaon and Greg Sachrajda in London; and Kevin Morgan and Wayne Atkinson in Singapore.
Other Herbert Smith specialists advising on the transaction included: Dina Albagli and Mark Stevens (finance); Jonathan Scott, Ray Cahill and Hugh Goulbourne (competition); Peter Frost, Lucy Coulter, Annabel Gillham, Duncan Lendrum and Andrew Taggart (employment); Ian Gault and Linda Sweeney (pensions); Joel Smith and Andrew Moir (IP/IT); Ian Cox and Emna Sfar-Gandoura (real estate).
Allens Arthur Robinson acted as Australian legal advisor to ABF; Freehills advised Burns Philp. Mayer Brown Rowe & Maw and Dewey Ballantine provided advice on the UK and US aspects of the deal, respectively, to Burns Philp.
–
