Banking and finance: Borrower side in Netherlands

Allen & Overy LLP

Allen & Overy LLP has a first-class reputation for borrower-side finance transactions thanks to its expertise in matters involving leveraged finance, acquisition finance, syndicated lending and corporate finance. Elsewhere, trade and commodity finance, export finance and asset finance are well-handled by the firm given the specialisation of practice head Niels De Ru.  Recent highlights include de Ru and Andrew Thomas advising KLM on its negotiations with the Dutch state and several domestic and foreign banks to secure €3.4bn in financing. The group also includes Femke Bierman, Aroen Kuitenbrouwer, and recently promoted partner Erik-Jan Wagenvoort. Senior associate Luke Whibley‘s ‘quick thinking and direct communication style’ further reflects the firm’s capabilities.

Practice head(s):

Niels de Ru

Other key lawyers:

Femke Bierman; Andrew Thomas; Aroen Kuitenbrouwer; Erik-Jan Wagenvoort; Luke Whibley

Testimonials

‘Team of experts that guided us very well through the specifics of corporate acquisition financing. Trusted partner with short and direct communication lines made us feel they were fully in control of the process and quickly turned around our inputs into the documentation.’

‘Luke Whibley is a quick thinker with direct communication. He is not afraid to offer different perspectives, if not beneficial to the process or the project at hand.’

Key clients

Kendrion

Glassport

European Central Counterparty

EBN B.V

Beryllium B.V

Waterland Private Equity

Parcom

3i

IK Investment Partners

Work highlights

  • Acting for Group of Butchers (a portfolio company of Parcom) on a refinancing.
  • Advising The Student Hotel Group in respect of a €175 million corporate financing provided by funds managed by LaSalle Investment Management.
  • Advised KLM in its negotiations with the Dutch State and a number of domestic and foreign banks to secure €3.4 billion in financing.

Clifford Chance

Angela McEwan, who is qualified in England and Wales, heads the global financial markets group at Clifford Chance, and has an excellent track record in borrower-related matters involving corporate lending, acquisition finance and project finance, among others. Elsewhere, clients including Dutch and international corporates, as well as private equity firms, seek the advice of the team in transactions relating to leveraged finance, syndicated finance, real estate finance, bond/loan financing and infrastructure finance. In a recent highlight, Titus De Vries assisted PostNL with the completion of a five-year €200m sustainability-linked revolving credit facility, replacing the former €400m multi-currency revolving credit facility, highlighting the firm’s uptick in ESG-related instructions. Nienke van Stekelenburgh, Jelle Hofland and managing partner Folko De Vries are among other key individuals at the firm.

Practice head(s):

Angela McEwan

Other key lawyers:

Folko De Vries; Titus De Vries; Jelle Hofland; Nienke van Stekelenburgh; Boudewijn Vermeer

Testimonials

‘Titus de Vries delivered when the timelines were tight in a commercial yet pragmatic manner whilst keeping us informed and engaged.’

‘Titus is responsive and easy to connect with. His involvement feels exclusive and offers the comfort that the deal receives his full attention.’

Key clients

Pon Holdings B.V.

PostNL

Raben Group

Rivean Capital

Omni Helicopters International

HPI Group

AVR Afvalverwerking

IK Partners

Five Arrows

NPM Capital

Work highlights

  • Advised PostNL in relation to the successful completion of a five-year €200 million sustainability linked revolving credit facility, including two one-year extension options.
  • Advised logistics operator Raben Group on the closing of a €225 million five-year inaugural sustainability-linked loan, with a group of seven banks. This is one of the first club deal sustainability-linked loans in the logistics industry in Europe.
  • Advised private equity firm Rivean Capital (formerly Gilde Buy Out Partners) on the acquisition of ERP software company To-Increase B.V. from Danish listed company Columbus A/S and on the financing of that acquisition (€113 million).

De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek

De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek’s finance and restructuring practice is widely recognised as one of the strongest in the Netherlands. On the borrower side, it has a standout reputation for handling multifaceted cross-border financing transactions for clients including state-owned enterprises, private equity sponsors, and highly leveraged and distressed corporates. Primarily, the team’s expertise is seen in matters involving acquisition finance, leveraged finance and project finance, as well as big-ticket refinancings and complicated restructurings. Practice head Ferdinand Hengst and newly appointed partner Bas Boutellier 'are very strong individuals for complex and international finance transactions'. Head of the firm’s London practice Niek Biegman is another name to note.

Practice head(s):

Ferdinand Hengst

Other key lawyers:

Niek Biegman; Bas Boutellier

Testimonials

‘The team is great at differentiating between important topics and not so important topics.’

Bas Boutellier is a great partner with excellent knowledge and great communication skills.’

‘Very strong borrower side counsel with a team that is highly knowledgeable, responsive and delivers quality with a pragmatic approach.’

‘Ferdinand Hengst and Bas Boutellier are very strong individuals for complex and international finance transactions.’

‘Deep knowledge and local knowhow to deliver the legal product and provide strategic advice when needed.’

Key clients

Royal Philips N.V.

Just Eat Takeaway N.V.

Royal Dutch Shell

Fugro N.V.

Goldman Sachs International

AkzoNobel N.V.

Royal BAM Group N.V.

Port of Rotterdam

The Dutch Railways and the Dutch State

Ministry of Economic Affairs (Dutch State)

National grid operator TenneT

Nuclear Reactor PALLAS

APAX Partners

BME Group

G Square Capital

Centerbridge Partners L.P.

Work highlights

  • Advised Euronext-listed Fugro on a complex cross-border capital enhancing transaction (including debt and equity).
  • Advised BME Group, the Blackstone-held building materials group, on an inaugural pre-IPO financing round.
  • Advised Takeaway.com (now Just Eat Takeaway) on all financing aspects of their recent takeovers of Grubhub and Just Eat and its subsequent refinancing efforts, as lead counsel in a full US/UK financing deal.

DLA Piper

DLA Piper provides specialist advice on a wide range of financings, under the leadership of newly appointed practice head Gerard Kneppers, who has more than 20 years of transactional experience in the Netherlands, England and Wales, as well as in South Africa. Its clients include private equity houses/investors and corporate borrowers. Lex Oosterling focuses on acquisition finance, corporate lending, real estate finance and structured finance, as well as the restructuring of such transactions. Recently, he worked with senior associate Benno Leemans to advise The Kingfish Company N.V. on a €75m ESG-linked refinancing provided by P Capital Partners AB. Other key individuals at the firm include Max Mayer, who is qualified in England and Wales, and real estate specialist Stephanie Menz.

Practice head(s):

Gerard Kneppers

Other key lawyers:

Lex Oosterling; Max Mayer; Stephanie Menz; Adam Abou Habaga; Nine Scheenjes; Benno Leemans; Ceryl Verbokkem

Testimonials

‘One of the leading practices for private equity financing in the Netherlands.’

‘Max Mayer is a very experienced and seasoned partner. He is a strong problem solver.’

Key clients

Torqx Capital

EMK Capital

Bencis Capital

Carlyle Europe Technology Partners

Carlyle European Realty Fund

Ergon Capital

Egeria

G-Square Capital Partners

IK Invest

Parcom Capital

NPM Capital

Avedon Capital

Waterland

Patrizia

Realterm

AVIVA

Brookfield

Holland Capita

RAI Convention Centre

TIP Trailer Europe

Talpa Network

Royal Boskalis

Riwal

VolkerWessels

The Greenery

ACT Commodities Group

Royal A-ware Food Group

ForFarmers

The Kingfish Company

Prothya Biosolutions

Work highlights

  • Advised Royal A-ware Food Group on the ESG-linked asset-based and corporate financing provided by ABN AMRO Bank, Rabobank, ING Bank and KBC Bank.
  • Advised listed company The Kingfish Company N.V. in connection with its ESG-linked (re)financing provided by P Capital Partners AB.
  • Advice to Carlyle Europe Technologies Partners on the unitranche financing provided by Alcentra and the super senior term and revolving providers Rabobank and Oldenburgische Landesbank for its acquisition of the DEPT Group, including additional debt raising processes to facilitate the ongoing growth of DEPT, resulting in the original €185 million financing to reach almost €350 million, with some of the additional debt being provided by CVC Credit.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

Mandeep Lotay, Thijs Flokstra and counsel Tim Elkerbout lead the practice at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, which has a strong pedigree for handling complex and cross-border finance transactions. Drawing on the firm’s wider corporate abilities, the team has assisted several international leading sponsors on Dutch acquisition financings. Most notably, Lotay and Elkerbout acted for private investment house Ardian on the financing of its acquisition of Deli Home in 2021. In addition, the group is able to attract international and specialised investors in the real estate sector as a result of Flokstra’s in-depth experience. His expertise also spans the energy and infrastructure industries. Another important member of the team is Oete Vonk-Schellingerhout, who joined from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in May 2022.

Practice head(s):

Mandeep Lotay; Thijs Flokstra; Tim Elkerbout

Other key lawyers:

Oete Vonk-Schellingerhout

Key clients

Ardian

TEAM, Inc.

Iveco Group

CVC

Warburg Pincus

Apax

iCON Infrastructure

APG Asset Management

Wereldhave

Woonhave

Vitruvian

Charterhouse Capital Partners

Work highlights

  • Advised Ardian on attracting financing in support of its acquisition of Deli Home.
  • Advised Apax and Warburg Pincus on attracting financing in support of their acquisition of T-Mobile.
  • Advised funds managed by CVC on attracting financing in support of its acquisition of Unilever Teas.

Hogan Lovells International LLP

Hogan Lovells International LLP has an outstanding track record in public bid M&A finance transactions across the Netherlands, and is also well-positioned to handle matters involving real estate finance, asset-backed finance and structured finance. The team’s advice is primarily sought after by Dutch and international corporates, as well as private equity sponsors. In a high-profile matter, English and Dutch law qualified partner Wouter Jongen led the advice to Egeria on the financing of its acquisitions of Elastofirm and Social Blue. Robert Masman co-heads the practice with Jongen, which also includes counsel Dylan Goedegebuure and senior associate Siddharth Saxena.

Practice head(s):

Wouter Jongen; Robert Masman

Other key lawyers:

Dylan Goedegebuure; Siddharth Saxena

Testimonials

‘Wouter Jongen has built a strong and unique team with Ilene Baltes and Art Pols, with deep knowledge and communication skills.’

‘Wouter Jongen is knowledgeable and a strong communicator.’

Key clients

Royal Schiphol Group N.V.

Three Hills Capital Partners

Egeria

Parcom

Terberg Group

Waterland

SanoRice

Smile Invest

Work highlights

  • Advised leading Dutch private equity firm Egeria on the financings supporting their acquisitions of Elastofirm and Social Blue.
  • Advised premier Dutch private equity fund Smile Invest (together with Rabo Corporate Investments as minority shareholder) on the financing supporting their investments in IGS GeboJagema, which is specialised in the development, manufacturing and validation of high-end, multi-cavity injection moulds in the healthcare market.
  • Advised Three Hills Capital Partners on a debt investment in Borealis Hotel Group, a market leader in the Benelux hospitality sector, with a successful track record of developing hotel projects across the region.

Loyens & Loeff

Willem Jarigsma, who divides his time between the firm's London and Amsterdam offices, leads the banking and finance practice at Loyens & Loeff, which handles a broad cross-section of transactions on the borrower side. The team includes transportation finance head Ehsan Shirzadi, who has particular expertise in Dutch ship financing and leasing transactions, and Kim Koops, head of the real estate practice and the main contact for a number of leading sponsors, including Blackstone. Gianluca Kreuze handles the firm’s acquisition and corporate finance work, but is also experienced in asset-backed transactions. Elsewhere, boosted by its strong presence in the Belgian market, the firm is well-positioned to handle project finance transactions with a strong nexus to the energy sector (onshore and offshore windfarms, FPSOs and biofuel terminals).

Practice head(s):

Willem Jarigsma

Other key lawyers:

Gianluca Kreuze; Kim Koops; Ehsan Shirzadi; Ruben den Hollander; Michelle Broere

Testimonials

‘Commercial, responsive and strong in its ability to advise international clients.’

‘Kim Koops is our go-to partner in Amsterdam.’

Key clients

The Blackstone Group

De Poli Tankers

M7 Real Estate

Pamplona

Breevast

Parcom Capital Management

HighBrook Investors

Arcadis N.V.

Angelo, Gordon & Co.

LCI (Lease Corporation International) Aviation

KeenSight Capital

Avedon Capital Partners

Fortress Investment Group LLC

EQT AB

SITA N.V.

TDR Capital LLP

Forbion Capital Partners

Seadrill

BB Capital Investments

Equity Estate

Unica Groep B.V.

NautaDutilh

Arjan Pors heads NautaDutilh’s finance practice in the Netherlands, which has a strong reputation in real estate finance and project finance transactions, as well as acquisition finance and corporate lending matters. The team represents listed companies and private entities, in addition to Dutch and foreign sponsors, and is frequently engaged to work alongside international law firms on the Dutch aspects of cross-border transactions. In a high-profile matter, the firm advised Bain Capital Private Equity on the financing for its acquisition of a majority stake in House of HR. David Viëtor and Diederik Vriesendorp are among other key individuals at the firm, as is the managing partner of the New York practice Elizabeth Van Schilfgaarde given the collaboration between the two offices.

Practice head(s):

Arjan Pors

Other key lawyers:

David Viëtor; Diederik Vriesendorp; Teun Strucyken; Michelle van Doren; Jinne van Belle; Saskia Heumakers; Stephan Huis in het Veld

Testimonials

‘Professional team with strong commitment and availability for clients.’

‘The team provided insight into the real characteristics of the contract and how to prepare it in a practical way.’

‘David Vietor and Saskia Heumakers were always available and made the legal aspects of the contract very approachable. They were punctual and made the deal happen in a very short and challenging time frame.’

‘Knowledgeable team that were easy to contact.’

‘Very practical and hands-on approach; not too legalistic, but a solution-driven team.’

‘Able to handle complex transactions, complemented by good availability and flexibility.’

‘Worked closely with Stephan Huis in het Veld, who delivered under significant pressure to get our project over the line in time.’

Key clients

Achmea

AGT Foods and Ingredients, Inc.

Anthony Veder Group N.V.

Apax Partners

Avania Group B.V.

Bergman Clinics

BNP Paribas Fortis SA

Bottega InvestCo S.à r.l.

B.V. Holding Maatschappij Damen

The Carlyle Group

CBRE

Damen Shipyards Group N.V.

Damen Ship Lease Holding B.V.

Damen Shipyards Group

Eredivisie C.V.

ForFarmers N.V.

GSO Capital Partners

High Tech Campus Eindhoven

HSBC Bank Plc

HumanTotalCare B.V.

ING Bank N.V.

KBC Bank N.V.

Levine Leichtman Capital Partners LLP

Lincolnshire Management, Inc.

McDermott International, Inc.

National Westminster Bank Plc

NIBC Bank N.V.

NSI N.V.

Oxbow Carbon LLC

Royal Bank of Canada

Stadion Feijenoord N.V.

Sumitomo Mitsui Banking and Corporation Europe Limited

Venn Partners

Work highlights

  • Advised Bain Capital Private Equity on the multi-billion financing for its acquisition of a majority stake in European recruitment specialist House of HR.
  • Acted for Atrium Agri B.V. in relation to an innovative greenhouse project, with the financing consisting of a club deal with the involved banks.
  • Advised on the funding of a sustainable energy fund (Realisatiefonds) supporting the energy transition, with a.o. Triodos Groenfonds and ASN Groenprojectenfonds as lenders and SVn as borrower and co-manager of the fund.

Stibbe

Stibbe combines its stand-alone advisory and transactional capabilities to act for a number of borrower clients. The team’s workload covers an array of financing matters, including those pertaining to acquisition finance, corporate lending, project finance, real estate finance and debt refinancing, to name a few. Recent highlights reflect the integration of Marieke Driessen, who is dual-qualified to practice English and Dutch law and has more than 20 years of experience in the field. In a matter that gained extensive press coverage, Driessen, alongside co-heads Rein Van Helden and Maarten de Bruin, led the advice to 3G Capital on the financing of its $7.1bn acquisition of a controlling interest in Hunter Douglas. In a recent development, van Helden has relocated to the firm’s London office.

Other key lawyers:

Niek Groenendijk; Barbra Bulsing; Suzanne van Boheemen

Work highlights

  • Advised 3G Capital, the Brazilian-American leading investment firm, on the acquisition and financing of a controlling interest in publicly listed Hunter Douglas, the global market leader in window coverings and a major manufacturer of architectural products. The acquisition implied an enterprise value of approximately USD 7.1 billion.
  • Advised Mitiska REIM on the financings of the acquisition of retail park Makado Beek from Syntrus Achmea, as well as the acquisition of retail park Woonboulevard Arnhem from Highbrook Investors.
  • Advised on the insolvency of the Dutch bank Amsterdam Trade Bank N.V. (ATB), which was declared bankrupt in April 2022. The firm was appointed as its liquidators in bankruptcy and were responsible for the unwinding of financial markets transactions by ATB, including the liquidation of loan portfolios, notes and structured finance transactions.

Baker McKenzie

The Amsterdam-based team at Baker McKenzie has an active borrower-side practice, drawing on the firm’s international reach to advise global companies on cross-border transactions involving acquisition finance, project finance, and trade and export finance, among others. Real estate finance is another key area for the firm given the specialisation of Paul Goedvolk, who heads the Amsterdam real estate department, and counsel Fedor Tanke, who is experienced in all aspects of real estate. Tanke co-heads the practice with Corinne Schot, who is experienced in transactions involving structured finance.

Practice head(s):

Corinne Schot; Fedor Tanke

Other key lawyers:

Paul Goedvolk

Key clients

Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co.

Zenzo Tuindrop B.V.

Work highlights

  • Advising prominent investment fund Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. on the acquisition of 100% of the shares in Sunshine Equity B.V. as parent company.
  • Assisted Zenzo Tuindorp B.V. as borrower’s counsel on the €32m covered bond financing of a portfolio of four apartment buildings to be newly built, with 172 apartments in Tuindorp Utrecht and BerlinHyp AG as lender.

CMS

Led by Marc van Zanten and Eduard Scheenstra, the banking and finance team at CMS has a standout reputation in the real estate space, but it is also noted for its focus on international financial institutions, renewable energy, and the hotels and leisure sectors. In addition to real estate finance, the group is well-placed to handle transactions involving acquisition finance and leveraged finance, project finance, and is often called upon in restructuring matters. In a recent highlight, counsel Etienne Courbois and senior associate Jenny Noordermeer advised VIA Outlets B.V. on its issuance of €600m senior unsecured fixed-rate green bonds, as well as on a revolving credit facility and the subsequent restructuring.

Practice head(s):

Marc van Zanten; Eduard Scheenstra

Other key lawyers:

Etienne Courbois; Jenny Noordermeer

Testimonials

‘Jenny Noordermeer is responsive, involved, personally contactable and solves problems practially.’

‘A very integrated team highly focused on achieving the results in time.’

‘Very professional and experienced team that understands the client’s needs.’

Key clients

Mirastar / KKR

VIA Outlets

Annexum

CitizenM

Delin Capital Asset Management

Nuveen

Work highlights

  • Advised VIA Outlets B.V. on its issuance of €600m senior unsecured fixed-rate green bonds and its senior revolving credit facility.
  • Advised Delin Capital on a €181m green loan refinancing of its existing funds portfolio.
  • Advised Mirastar/KKR on the €93m refinancing by LaSalle Investment Management related to the acquisition of a portfolio of Dutch logistics properties.

Dentons

With the growth of Jacqueline Bell's English law practice in the Netherlands, Dentons has experienced an increase in domestic and multi-jurisdictional borrower-side work. Marcel Janssen leads the banking and finance team, which is prominent in real estate finance and project finance transactions (particularly in ESG investing matters and loans with a green/sustainability component), as well as export, trade and commodity financings. Further reflective of the team’s varied workload are the specialisms of senior associates Gerard Koster and Todd Crosby; Koster focuses on asset-based transactions (receivables finance and supply chain finance) and Crosby is a restructuring expert.

Practice head(s):

Marcel Janssen

Other key lawyers:

Jacqueline Bell; Todd Crosby; Gerard Koster

Testimonials

‘Realistic approach.’

‘Marcel Janssen is a dealmaker who brings parties together and finds suitable solutions.’

Key clients

Baywa Group

STX Group

Cefetra

IXM S.A.

Shell

TUI

Union Investment

Kohlberg Kravis Roberts

Gibson

Savills IM

Invel

Forma

Starwood

Aventicum

Bluefield

Breevast

CTF

Penta

CTP Property

TBM Europe B.V.

Round Hill Capital

Smile2Impress SL

Work highlights

  • Advising on a series of financings for CTP, one of the biggest logistics developers in Central Eastern Europe.
  • Assisting Union Investment Real Estate GmbH, the investment arm of the DZ Bank Group, with the acquisition of Smartlog Venray from DHG.
  • Represented KKR and Global Infrastructure Partners in a successful bid to acquire data centre operator CyrusOne, Inc.

Houthoff

Loet Venrooy heads the banking and finance practice at Houthoff. The team has a varied workload for borrower clients, and is frequently engaged by international law firms on a number of these mandates. Real estate finance transactions and real estate loan transfer transactions generate a significant amount of work for the firm, which is also renowned for its position in the financing and refinancing of large infrastructure investments (including wind power projects). The group includes project finance head Jessica Terpstra, who splits her time between London and Amsterdam, and corporate and structured finance expert André de Neve.

Practice head(s):

Loet Venrooy

Other key lawyers:

Jessica Terpstra; André de Neve; Sjors Panis

Testimonials

‘Deep industry knowledge and a strong and loyal client base owing to commercial, pragmatic and client-focused partners and individuals.’

‘In the Netherlands, they have few competitors. They are responsive, knowledgeable and have a good breadth of team members below partner level who are responsive, give excellent advice and always meet deadlines.’

‘Loet Venrooy has unique experience advising on the borrower-side of financings. He is a great problem solver who offers his clients an unparalleled degree of specialisation.’

‘Jessica Terpstra’s pragmatic and sharp advice is another key success factor for Houthoff’s finance team.’

Key clients

Corporation Service Company

Credit Agricole Consumer Finance

Yarden

eToro

DSB N.V.

AZL

NN

ASR

MediaMarkt

Heimstaden

Work highlights

  • Advising Tristan Capital Partners on the acquisition of a portfolio of logistical assets.
  • Advised Boart Longyear in connection with its group financing, consisting of a $115m term loan financing made available by HPS Investment Partners, Macquarie US Trading and Blue Torch Capital and the $75m ABL financing made available by PNC Bank.

Lexence

The banking and finance practice at Lexence is well-known for its skills in structuring complex financing transactions, sought after by borrower clients who require assistance covering both the Dutch and wider European market. The team combines transactional and regulatory expertise to advise on matters involving asset finance, real estate finance and acquisition finance, as well as corporate lending. Practice head Charles Destrée combines his strength for borrowers with expertise in restructuring.

Practice head(s):

Charles Destrée

Other key lawyers:

Bas Zandvliet; Max de Vreede; Nina Blanke

Testimonials

‘Collaborative, pragmatic, interactive, and able to manage time effectively.’

‘Max de Vreede is available and offers fast and reliable advice.’

‘Charles Destrée offers clear explanations of issues and concerns on the borrower side.’

‘Super proactive in terms of assessing the risks.’

‘Scarily smart, incredibly responsive and knowledgeable team. Their response to questions and solutions for various issues are insightful and accurate.’

‘Dedicated and skilled lawyers.’

Key clients

Bank of China (Europe) S.A.|Rotterdam Branch

Gencap Partners, Inc

Modern Dental Group

Waterland Private Equity

Flextronics International Europe B.V.

Kirloskar Brothers Limited

Uniface B.V.

Intertrust

Agro Merchants Group/Oaktree

MSREF

H2 Private Equity

Osborne Clarke

Recently promoted partner Axel van der Staak heads the banking and finance practice at Osborne Clarke, which is well-placed to handle sizeable mid-market borrowing transactions for high-calibre clients. The team has a particularly strong reputation for real estate finance transactions, with a nexus to the renewable energy and retail sectors, and it also generates a large flow of work through acquisition finance, general corporate lending and restructuring matters. Other key individuals include senior associate Peter Van Der Horst and associate Marlinde Klein Ganseij.

Practice head(s):

Axel van der Staak

Other key lawyers:

Peter van der Horst; Marlinde Klein Ganseij

Testimonials

‘Axel van der Staak is assertive, direct, creative and possesses technical knowledge.’

Key clients

Angelo Gordon & Co, L.P.

Cairn Real Estate B.V.

Aspen Real Estate Investments B.V.

Principal Real Estate AG

Royal Agrifirm Cooperatieve U.A.

Brokking Holding B.V.

Silicon Valley Bank

Deutsche Leasing Finance GmbH

Guggenheim Credit Services LLC

HSBC Bank plc

Barclays Bank plc

Santander Bank plc

Work highlights

  • Advising Royal Agrifirm Coöperatieve U.A. on its €200m working capital facilities arranged by ING Bank, Rabobank and UniCredit.
  • Acting for NewCold on its €215m European refinancing with Goldman Sachs.
  • Advising Bredenoord Holding B.V. on its €100 million debut loan market association financing arranged by ABN AMRO Bank and Rabobank.

Simmons & Simmons

Simmons & Simmons’ team has notable expertise in cross-border finance transactions, working in close collaboration with the firm’s international offices to act for a range of Dutch and international corporates and private equity investors. Under the leadership of Ivo van Dijk, the group has increased its focus on the real estate financing arena, and it has also been active in transactions connected with project finance, corporate and acquisition finance, as well as asset-based finance. Elsewhere, clients turn to the firm for trade and commodity finance advice, one of the various specialisms of associate Emrecan Karacaoglu.

Practice head(s):

Ivo van Dijk

Other key lawyers:

Emrecan Karacaoglu

Key clients

Axiom Partners

Gilde Equity Management (GEM) Benelux

Freepoint Commodities LLP

Stichting AndGreen.Fund

Venture Life plc

Certitudo Real Estate

Eurocommercial Properties N.V.

Omni Bridgeway

Work highlights

  • Advised Axiom Partners on various facility increases, an extension and a novation of a €59.5m trade receivables financing for De Staffing Group B.V.
  • Advised Gilde Equity Management on a €73m senior secured facilities agreement to the Vereenigde Havezathen-group for the acquisition of Vereenigde Havezathen and the refinancing of existing financial indebtedness of the company.
  • Acted as Dutch counsel to Stichting AndGreen.fund on its $33.25m concessional debt facility agreement with Nederlandse Financierings-Maatschappij voor Ontwikkelingslanden N.V. as lender.

Van Doorne

Van Doorne‘s borrower-side practice is well-placed to advise Dutch and international investors, public sector entities, and companies active in the transport, energy and retail sectors, among others. Real estate and development finance is a particular strength for the team, due in large part to the specialisation of Angelique Thiele. She leads the practice alongside the firm’s restructuring and insolvency head Stefan van Rossum, whose expertise includes leveraged finance, project finance and asset-based lending. Further reflective of the team’s abilities, Roel Botter has a strong track record in Dutch healthcare finance transactions.

Other key lawyers:

Roel Botter

Key clients

Centerbridge

Edmond de Rothschild REIM

DRC Savills Investment

Goldman Sachs

Kildare Partners

McArthurGlen

Nationale Nederlanden Investment Partners

Patrizia AG

PGIM Real Estate

RiverBank

Rothesay Life

York Capital

Mogelijk Vastgoedfinancieringen

N+P Group

Crisp

LiveNation

Castlelake

Clarion (Gramercy)

Schroders

Melcombe

Tristan CAP

M7

Sectie5

AIG

Work highlights

  • Advised Mogelijk Vastgoedfinancieringen on the amendment and restatement of its STS (Regulation (EU) 2017/2402) compliant securitisation funding structure effected in partnership with two major international investment banks.
  • Advised McArthurGlen on the €356m refinancing of its outlet centres in Roermond and Roosendaal the Netherlands with Allianz and PBB.
  • Advised N+P Group on several financings (acquisitions loan, convertible loan, working capital) taken out by N+P’s new investor/shareholder.

BarentsKrans

BarentsKrans' team covers a broad spectrum of finance work on the borrower side, acting for a mixture of startup companies, large multinationals and private equity investors. With the experienced Jason Van De Pol at the helm, the group tackles mandates involving acquisition finance and leveraged finance, as well as real estate finance and project finance, in both a Dutch and international context. Elsewhere, asset-based finance transactions and complicated restructurings are handled by the firm.

Practice head(s):

Jason van de Pol

Other key lawyers:

Nuray Aslan; David van Groen

Key clients

Ampleon

Borealis Hotel Group

BMW

BRAC International

Cornelder Holding

DCL Corporation

Ecorus

Saudi Aramco

Zwanenberg Food Group

Ducor Petrochemicals

Urban Gym Group

Huisman Equipment

Bosal

Mid Ocean Group

Quintes Holding

Amvest

Ecorus

MSA Safety

Altor

Amstelside

Work highlights

  • Advised Ampleon with respect to its group financing.
  • Advised Borealis Hotel Group on, among others, its entry into a new senior facilities agreement.
  • Assisting BRAC International on its notes issue programme in order to finance micro finance institutions in various development countries, including assistance with related ISDA agreements to cover currency risk.

Bond Advocaten

Banking and finance boutique Bond Advocaten has a specialist focus on project finance and real estate finance, but is also active in transactions involving acquisition finance, asset finance and syndicated loans. The team acts for Dutch and international corporates, private equity investors and investment funds. In a key development, the arrival of Robert Steeg from Stibbe in March 2022 has expanded the firm’s expertise in structured finance transactions. He co-heads the practice with Jan-Joost van Rijsbergen and Joannes de Bont.

Practice head(s):

Jan-Joost van Rijsbergen; Joannes de Bont; Robert Steeg

Testimonials

‘Jan-Joost van Rijsbergen is a top-notch lawyer able to work efficiently and quickly, demonstrate great commercial awareness, and provide effective and practical advice.’

‘Very hands-on lawyers that specialise in borrower-side work. The boutique banking offering is very compelling.’

‘Accessible and practicable partners that are pleasant to work with and always happy to help or walk the extra mile.’

‘Seasoned lawyers with broad general experience as the basis on which they built their specialist advice.’

Robert Steeg is one of the few Dutch qualified lawyers with ISDA documentation experience.’

‘Joannes de Bont and Robert Steeg are both very pleasant to work with and are swift in their responses. They are able to find pragmatic solutions.’

‘Jan-Joost van Rijsbergen is always available, fully involved and very efficient.’

‘The team consists of experienced lawyers with a clear view of the relevant drivers of a transaction. They can easily highlight the aspects that have an impact on the business after closing.’

Key clients

Arcus Infrastructure Partners

Ausnutria Dairy Corporation

AFI Europe N.V.

Blauwdruk Investeringen

Coöperatieve Rabobank U.A.

Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank

Credit Linked Beheer

De Vrije Blick

EBS Public Transportation

E-Fiber

ENGIE

Freshstream Investment Partners

Holland Casino

ING Bank N.V.

Investec Bank Ltd

Keolis

Nafinco

Rede Partners LLP

Wehkamp

Xeltis B.V.

Work highlights

  • Advised Ausnutria Dairy Corporation on its €233m senior term, revolving and operational lease facilities to facilitate further growth of the group’s business.
  • Advised Blauwdruk Investeringen on the financing of the acquisition of a portfolio of shopping centres with supermarkets, drugstores and other shops.
  • Advised Freshstream Investment Partners on the senior term and revolving credit financing by ABN AMRO and Rabobank for the acquisition of Nafinco.

EVERSHEDS SUTHERLAND (NETHERLANDS) B.V.

The team at Eversheds Sutherland (Netherlands) B.V. is well-regarded for real estate finance transactions, project financings in the renewable energy space, and for advising borrower clients on their refinancing issues. Practice head Pim van Leersum has notable experience in leveraged finance transactions, although more recently international corporates have turned to him for his expertise in real estate finance transactions. Other key individuals in the group include associates Sharon Edoo and Burcin Oral.

Practice head(s):

Pim van Leersum

Other key lawyers:

Sharon Edoo; Burcin Oral

Testimonials

‘Knowledgeable and proactive team.’

‘Each team member, partners included, responds and performs extremely fast and accurately.’

Key clients

Accsys Technologies

Angelo Gordon

Arcline Investment Management

Argent Energy

ASM International

Barclays

BMO Real Estate Partners

Castlelake

CBRE

First Abu Dhabi Bank

HSBC

Intel

Nordea Bank

Microsoft

Omnam

QSix

Rosiro

Savills

Scatec Solar

Solarfields

Starz Capital

Univar

Work highlights

  • Advised Starz Capital on a €68.5m secured credit facility for a portfolio of 8 prominent real estate properties owned by Union Street Investments across the Netherlands.
  • Advised Solarfields on a secured project financing for a large solar carport, Biddinghuizen (35 MW).
  • Advised debt funds fronted by QSix on various real estate portfolio financing transactions.

Greenberg Traurig LLP

Greenberg Traurig LLP‘s finance and restructuring practice has experienced significant recent growth, with Thijs Elseman and Jack Schrijver joining in April 2022 from De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek and Dentons, respectively. Schrijver has notable experience of real estate finance, an area that generates a significant amount of work for the firm. The team is led by Sabine Schoute, whose expertise spans further areas such as leveraged finance and acquisition finance, syndicated lending and corporate finance, as well as project finance and restructurings. It is a strong draw among corporate borrowers, real estate investors and private equity sponsors.

Practice head(s):

Sabine Schoute

Other key lawyers:

Thijs Elseman; Jack Schrijver

Testimonials

‘I enjoyed working with the team because they were very professional, accessible, pragmatic and solution driven.’

‘Working with Sabine Schoute was great. I saw her more as a very knowledgeable colleague rather than an external advisor.’

‘Well composed and diverse team that were always available.’

Key clients

ActivumSG

APi Group Corporation

Banque J. Safra Sarasin (Luxembourg) S.A.

Deutsche Pfandbriefbank AG

Digital Turbine, Inc.

Dream Industrial LP

First Sponsor

Garbe Industrial Real Estate

IntReal International Real Estate Kapital

Madison International Realty

MetLife, Inc.

Nueva Tierra Finance B.V.

Pinnacle B.V.

SintecMedia

Tristan Capital

Union Investment Institutional Property GmbH

Weerts Group

International Campus

Tritax EuroBox plc

Perial Asset Management

Torqx Capital Partners

Cheyne Capital Management

Work highlights

  • Assisted with the financing of APi Group Corporation’s acquisition of the Chubb fire and security business from Carrier Global Corporation for an enterprise value of $3.1 billion.
  • Assisting Tritax EuroBox plc with the required accession of the Dutch subsidiary (owning €144.26 million in prime logistics assets in Roosendaal).
  • Assisting Pinnacle B.V. with the financing of the acquisition, development, and construction of two large development sites for residential real estate in Amsterdam, owned by Haarlemmerweg514 B.V. and Haarlemmerweg520 B.V.

Heussen B.V.

Drawing on its European network, Heussen B.V. is a go-to firm for advice on cross-border finance transactions. Foreign and multinational clients seek the firm's expertise across an array of industries, more recently in the fashion, mining and hospitality sectors. The Netherlands-based team is well-versed in matters involving trade finance, structured finance and commodities finance. The group is led by Martijn Koot, whose expertise includes acquisition finance and leveraged finance, as well as syndicated lending and asset-based lending. Other key individuals include Tim Schreuders and Sandy van der Schaaf.

Practice head(s):

Martijn Koot

Other key lawyers:

Tim Schreuders; Sandy van der Schaaf

Orange Clover Law

Orange Clover Law has continued to strengthen since its formation in 2014, attracting both direct instructions from clients and referrals from international law firms on a number of finance transactions. Kees Hooft leads the team; his transactional experience covers acquisition finance, real estate finance and project finance, asset-based finance and financial restructuring, among other areas. Borrower clients include a mixture of public and private-listed corporates, private equity houses and investment funds. Alex Gonzalez focuses on financial regulatory services.

Practice head(s):

Kees Hooft; Alex Gonzalez

Other key lawyers:

Anita Koster

Testimonials

‘Highly efficient and friendly team.’

‘Kees Hooft is calm and knowledgeable in difficult situations, and always a pleasure to work with.’

Key clients

MCB

ProDelta

Schur Flexibles

Rivean Capital

Avedon Capital

Capital A

Goliath

Triton

Stichting Nationaal Warmtefonds

Ampyr Solar Europe

EverZinc

Work highlights

  • Acting as borrower’s counsel on the €110m asset-based financing for Goliath, a Netherland- based toys and games company.
  • Acting as borrower’s counsel to Stichting Nationaal Warmtefonds, the Dutch energy transition fund, on its €250m financing from CEB, its €325m financing from Rabobank, and its €150m additional financing from EIB.
  • Acting as borrower’s counsel on the $360m financing by EverZinc Corporation in connection with its acquisition of a Dutch-based zinc metals company.

Stek

Stek's transactional expertise makes it a go-to for borrower clients such as large corporates, private equity houses and sponsor-held portfolio companies. The team is in a unique position to advise on healthcare/hospital finance transactions, although other drivers of activity include acquisition finance, leveraged finance and general corporate lending matters. Elsewhere, project finance transactions with a nexus to the energy sector are handled by the group. Maarten van der Graaf, Frans Haak, Sharon Kaufmann and Herman Wamelink head the practice, which also includes counsels Marleen Veenstra and Guy Pegels.

Practice head(s):

Maarten van der Graaf; Frans Haak; Sharon Kaufmann; Herman Wamelink

Other key lawyers:

Marleen Veenstra; Guy Pegels

Key clients

BlackFin Capital Partners

Egeria

FGN

GoodLife Foods

Holland Capital Partners

Nordian

Standard Investment

Virthos

Zeeman Groep B.V.