Leaders League

Adenauer&Co. GmbH., the German fashion and retail group founded in 2010, is set to continue its operations under new ownership following the acquisition of substantial assets of the insolvent company by an investor consortium led by BK Retail Group, Daniela Rumberg and Axel Heiter. The transaction was structured as an asset deal through the newly established Adenauer & Co. Retail GmbH. The consortium is taking over significant assets of the Adenauer & Co. Group as well as a large part of its workforce, securing more than 160 jobs. The objective is to place the brand on a stable footing, preserve its identity and values, and continue developing the business together with its customers and retail partners. Adenauer & Co. has built a strong presence in the fashion retail market since its foundation in 2010. The group operates 53 locations across Europe, with a retail concept focused on lifestyle and fashion. The restructuring process began on 15 May 2026, when the group's management filed for the opening of insolvency proceedings under self-administration with the Düsseldorf Local Court. The insolvency proceedings for the individual companies of the group were subsequently opened as planned under self-administration on 1 August 2026. BK Retail Group, founded by Kai Teute and Benedikt Beins, will become the majority shareholder of the new operating structure. Daniela Rumberg, who operates numerous Adenauer & Co. locations along the North Sea coast and in North Rhine-Westphalia, will also play a key role in the company's future development. Axel Heiter, meanwhile, has been responsible for building and managing Adenauer & Co.'s online shop since the brand was founded in 2010. The new shareholders bring extensive experience in the retail sector and intend to use their combined expertise to ensure the continuity and further development of Adenauer & Co. LOSCHELDER advised the consortium of purchasers, BK Retail Group, Daniela Rumberg and Axel Heiter, on all relevant legal aspects of the acquisition of assets from insolvency. Sophie Stevenard Image: Meertextil https://lnkd.in/dFCEvYFc #FashionRetail #RetailIndustry #MergersAndAcquisitions #Restructuring #FashionIndustry

French recycling and circular economy group PAPREC Group has acquired a majority stake in Brantner green solutions, the environmental and waste management division of Austria’s Brantner Group. The transaction marks Paprec’s entry into five Central and Eastern European markets and represents its largest investment since the 2016 merger with Coved. Founded in 1936, Brantner Green Solutions operates across waste collection, sorting, recycling and resource recovery. The company employs approximately 2,500 people at 65 locations in Austria, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Romania and Serbia, serving more than 28,000 municipal, industrial and commercial customers. It generates annual revenues of more than EUR 320 million. With its investment in Brantner Green Solutions, Paprec is entering these five Central and Eastern European countries for the first time. This is the largest investment for the Paprec Group since its merger with Coved in 2016. When the transaction is complete, they intend to employ around 26,000 people in 15 countries and generate annual revenue of more than EUR 4.5 billion. Bernd Brantner, Deputy Chairman of the newly formed company, commented: “Following an intensive process, the entire Brantner family unanimously concluded that Paprec is the ideal partner to shape the next stage of development of Brantner Green Solutions. It is important to emphasise that this partnership relates exclusively to Brantner Green Solutions; Brantner Logistic Solutions and Brantner Real Estate remain wholly owned by the Brantner family.” The Brantner Family Foundation was advised by the E+H Attorneys-at-Law teams led by Peter Winkler and Clemens Lanschützer, which supported the family throughout the international investor process. The firm's work covered the preparation of the transaction, negotiations with international investors and the drafting and negotiation of the transaction documentation. https://lnkd.in/disnsYbk #CircularEconomy #Recycling #WasteManagement #Sustainability #MergersAndAcquisitions

Schalast has strengthened its tax practice with the appointment of Dr. Stephan Schnorberger as Tax Partner. A nationally and internationally recognised expert in international tax law and transfer pricing, Schnorberger will establish Schalast’s Transfer Pricing practice and work closely with the firm’s existing practice groups as well as its international network, Multilaw. https://lnkd.in/e_wfgb4v #TransferPricing #InternationalTax #TaxLaw #TaxAdvisory #LegalAppointments

Daimler Truck AG has appointed Dr. Tobias Brandis as its new Chief Legal and Compliance Officer, effective October 1, 2026. He will oversee Legal, Compliance and Corporate Audit and will also serve as the company’s Human Rights Officer. https://lnkd.in/dhN3GKz7 #LegalLeadership #CorporateGovernance #Compliance #HumanRights #LeadershipAppointments

Private equity firm Apax Partners has agreed to acquire two pharmaceutical packaging businesses from German healthcare supplier Gerresheimer in a transaction valued at approximately €1.5 billion, including debt. For Gerresheimer, the divestment represents an important step in reshaping its portfolio and strengthening its balance sheet. The Düsseldorf-headquartered group expects the transaction to generate significant cash proceeds, enabling it to optimise its capital and financing structure and reduce leverage. For Apax, the acquisition provides exposure to businesses operating at the intersection of healthcare, pharmaceutical packaging and specialised manufacturing. Centor is a US-based supplier of prescription packaging, while Gerresheimer’s Primary Packaging Plastics business provides packaging solutions for pharmaceutical and healthcare applications. Its portfolio includes bottles, containers, closures, dispensing systems and other primary packaging products. The businesses operate 16 production sites across nine countries, with 15 sites dedicated to primary plastic packaging and Centor’s manufacturing facility in the United States. Together, they generated approximately €570 million in revenue in 2025 and employ around 2,400 people. The transaction will therefore give Apax control of a sizeable international manufacturing platform serving pharmaceutical and healthcare customers across multiple markets. The transaction is also notable for its international scope. The assets span Europe, the Americas and other key healthcare markets, requiring the separation of businesses from Gerresheimer while maintaining operational continuity across a complex manufacturing network. The transaction reflects continued private equity appetite for specialised healthcare and industrial assets, particularly businesses with recurring demand, global customer bases and high barriers to entry. Apax was advised by Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, with the firm working across its London, Frankfurt and US offices. The core team included London partners Karan Dinamani and Tyler Hill, Frankfurt partner Florian Spaeth, as well as Ian Ferreira and Rob Kearns. The transaction represents Sullivan & Cromwell’s first deal for Apax in Germany, according to industry reports, adding a significant cross-border private equity transaction to the firm's German track record. The mandate illustrates the increasingly international structure of large-cap private equity transactions involving German businesses, with the buyer, seller, assets and legal teams spanning several jurisdictions. https://lnkd.in/dWVn5rGc #PrivateEquity #Healthcare #PharmaPackaging #MergersAndAcquisitions #HealthcareInvestment

FSN Capital Partners is continuing to build its presence in Germany’s fragmented bakery market with the creation of BrotWert Group, following the acquisition of a majority stake in Der Bäcker Eifler, a traditional Frankfurt bakery business founded in 1921. The transaction brings Der Bäcker Eifler together with Bäcker Görtz GmbH and Papperts Bäckerei GmbH, two family-owned bakery businesses already backed by FSN Capital Partners. The three companies will form the new BrotWert Group, which will operate approximately 500 locations across Northern Bavaria and the Rhine-Main and Rhine-Neckar regions. The deal represents the latest step in FSN Capital’s buy-and-build strategy in the German bakery sector. The private equity investor initially acquired a majority stake in Bäcker Görtz in 2022 before expanding the platform through its investment in Bäckerei Pappert in 2025. The combination is designed to bring together regional bakery brands while preserving their individual identities and family-led operating models. In the case of Pappert, the families remained involved following FSN Capital’s investment, with the companies emphasizing regional roots, traditional craftsmanship and continuity alongside investment and operational scale. Founded more than a century ago, Der Bäcker Eifler has been operated by the Eifler family for four generations. Despite the majority investment, the family will remain a shareholder and continue to play an active role in the business. Gerhard Eifler and Michael Eifler will remain as managing directors, ensuring continuity in the company's management and preserving the family’s involvement in its future development. For FSN Capital, the transaction marks the third family-run bakery to join its portfolio and strengthens a platform built around regional expertise, established brands and long-standing customer relationships. The strategy reflects a broader trend in Germany’s bakery sector, where traditional family businesses are seeking partners capable of supporting investment and expansion while maintaining their regional identity. Consumer research has also highlighted the strength of the existing brands: in a 2025 survey of German bakery chains, Pappert ranked first for customer trust, while Bäcker Görtz achieved the highest score for taste. LARK acted as legal adviser to FSN Capital on the transaction, the transaction further underlines the longstanding relationship between FSN Capital and the LARK team led by Dr. Ludger Schult. LARK also advised FSN Capital on its investment in Bäcker Görtz in 2022 and subsequently on the investment in Bäckerei Pappert. https://lnkd.in/dHctMXBf #PrivateEquity #MergersAndAcquisitions #FoodIndustry #BusinessGrowth #GermanyBusiness

San Francisco-based investment firm Pinegrove Opportunity Partners has agreed to acquire a stake of approximately 21% in German listed financial services company sino AG from HSBC Trinkaus & Burkhardt Gesellschaft für Bankbeteiligungen mbH. The transaction will make Pinegrove the largest individual shareholder of sino, a Düsseldorf-based financial services institution specialising in high-end brokerage services for highly active private investors, or “heavy traders.” sino is also known for having been an early investor in Trade Republic Bank and is listed on the Düsseldorf Stock Exchange’s open market. Pinegrove specialises in venture and growth secondaries, investing in leading technology companies at the mid- to late-growth stage. The San Francisco-based investment firm is backed by asset management firms HRTG Partners, formerly known as Sequoia Heritage, and Brookfield, and manages more than USD 2 billion in assets. HSBC had held its stake in sino for approximately 25 years prior to the transaction. The acquisition reflects Pinegrove’s continued focus on investment opportunities in high-growth technology and financial services businesses. Completion of the transaction remains subject to regulatory clearance as part of the German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) ownership control procedure. Gleiss Lutz advised Pinegrove on the transaction, with a multidisciplinary team led by M&A partner Dr. Christian Cascante in Stuttgart, alongside Dr. Julius-Vincent Ritz and Laurenz Scheuring. https://lnkd.in/gexDfPiT #MergersAndAcquisitions #PrivateEquity #FinancialServices #CrossBorderTransactions #CorporateLaw

European automotive technology and services platform Cosmobilis, together with private-debt investor Park Square Capital, has acquired the commercial rights to the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) and the FIA European Rally Championship (ERC), marking a major strategic step for the French group and the two renowned motorsport championships. The transaction is set to open a new chapter for the WRC and ERC, with both championships seeking to expand their international reach and develop new commercial opportunities across more than 30 countries. The two series are among the most prestigious competitions in international motorsport and are aiming to strengthen their position as leading global sports franchises. With an annual television audience of more than 1.3 billion viewers, the championships will gain access to Cosmobilis’ extensive automotive, retail and technology expertise, as well as its broad industrial ecosystem, which includes 30 automotive manufacturers, 12,000 commercial touchpoints and 100,000 automotive professionals. The combination of mobility, technology, data, media and motorsport is expected to create new opportunities for partnerships with manufacturers, distributors, commercial partners and event organisers. It is also intended to further develop the fan experience and unlock new commercial and international growth opportunities for both championships. For Cosmobilis, the acquisition represents a significant expansion of its activities and marks its emergence as a global operator of a high-profile sports franchise. The transaction builds on the group’s positioning at the intersection of automotive, mobility, technology and services, while giving it a new platform in the international sports and entertainment ecosystem. The acquisition was supported by Bird & Bird, which advised Cosmobilis through a cross-border French-German team. The team included partner Etienne Guillou and associate Mérine Avaby (Tax, France); counsel Lionel Berthelet (Corporate, France); partner Dr. Rolf Schmich, counsel Michael Brüggemann, and associates Thomas Schmidt and Julian Straßel (Tax, Germany); as well as partner Dr. Sandra Schuh and associates Michelle Pohl and Alexander McAboy (Corporate, Germany). https://lnkd.in/gBd9PGg3

Pusch Wahlig Workplace Law (PWWL) is strengthening its Berlin office with the arrival of employment lawyer Isabelle Puhl, who joined the firm as a partner on August 1, 2026. https://lnkd.in/ghHJ5VgY #EmploymentLaw #LawFirmGrowth #LegalLeadership #PartnerAppointment #GermanyLegal

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