Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Hogan Lovells have advised Belgian beer maker Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) on the $7.8 billion sale of its eastern European brands to Japanese brewer Asahi Group Holdings, which was represented by Allen & Overy.

ABInBev had acquired the sold-off brands – Pilsner Urquell from the Czech Republic, Tyskie and Lech from Poland, Dreher from Hungary and Ursus from Romania –  from its  $100 billion takeover of SABMiller, which was finalised in October. The sale is intended to help ABInBev secure clearance from competition regulators for the SABMiller deal, reported Reuters.

Freshfields partners Bruce Embley, Natascha Doll and Andreas von Bonin oversaw the transaction, which is subject to European Commission (EC) regulatory approval and is expected to close in the first half of 2017. 

Corporate partner Andrew Pearson headed the Hogan Lovells team while the A&O team was led by partners Richard Hough, Jim Ford, Alasdair Balfour and Trevor Borthwick.

Related Articles

Appointments

Freshies counsel joins Simmons as HK regulatory head

by Asian Legal Business《亚洲法律杂志》 |

UK law firm Simmons & Simmons has announced the appointment of Kenneth Hui as its regulatory head for Hong Kong and Greater China. He was most recently a counsel at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer.

Deals

Reed Smith, Freshfields, Kirkland on Henlius’ $691 mln take-private deal

by Hu Yangxiaoxiao 胡阳潇潇 |

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer is representing Hong Kong-listed biotech company Henlius on its $691 million take-private deal offer from Shanghai Fosun New Medicine Research Company, which is being advised by Reed Smith.

Appointments

KWM restructuring pro joins Freshfields in HK

by Nimitt Dixit |

Global law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer had hired Tony Chow from King & Wood Mallesons to lead the firm’s contentious insolvency practice in Hong Kong.