Netherlands

Amsterdam, 6 March 2025 - AKD welcomes new partner Michiel de Wit to its Real Estate team at the Amsterdam office. With Michiel on board, AKD is able to further deepen its services for international investors, particularly in the fields of Asset Management and ESG. Michiel is a renowned expert in Asset Management and commercial lease law. Having a strong international focus, he has been a trusted legal adviser to institutional real estate investors, German and Anglo-Saxon investors in particular, with dealings in the Netherlands for over 20 years. With his in-depth knowledge of commercial lease law and hands-on experience in Asset Management and ESG, he handles advisory and litigation work for his clients. Michiel has a reputation for effectively negotiating opportunities and legal challenges raised in these areas or to translate them into commercial advantages. His expertise is, accordingly, widely recognised: the Legal 500 commends him as a Leading Partner for Real Estate. What sets Michiel apart, in addition to his legal expertise, is his engaged and strategic approach. "My clients do not just expect legal certainty, they also expect strategic sparring. I help them optimise their real estate portfolios, from an ESG and energy perspective as well, and seize opportunities that go beyond the standard approach. 'Dare to challenge' and 'get the deal done' are not just slogans - they embody my way of working", adds Michiel. With Michiel joining the firm, AKD forges ahead in expanding its international real estate practice. Carlos Pita Cao, Managing Partner of AKD, stresses the strategic value of this appointment: "We are delighted to welcome Michiel as a partner. The real estate sector is becoming increasingly complex, with rising international investments and legal challenges in the areas of sustainability, energy and ESG. Michiel understands better than anyone how to turn this dynamic into strategic opportunities and how to implement those. His experience dealing with international investors makes him a key player in AKD's ambition to remain the leading real estate firm in the Benelux." Boasting one of the largest real estate teams in the Netherlands and Belgium, AKD continues to invest in offering high-quality legal services to national and international real estate market parties. With the addition of Michiel to our 85+ team of real estate specialists, we are able to offer clients even more comprehensive and deeper legal advice on real estate, energy and ESG.

Osborne Clarke - Netherlands has advised the shareholders of Oaky, an award-winning hotel upselling SAAS platform, on the sale of Oaky to Plusgrade, a global leader in ancillary revenue solutions. This strategic combination brings together two proven solutions, united as one, to deliver the most powerful upsell experience in hospitality. The best, made better. Erik Tengen – President of Hospitality Upsell: "Osborne Clarke was the very first counsel we engaged with and we experienced a true full circle as Herke, Wouter and Levi supported us through our acquisition. We continue to be the biggest fans of OC and would highly recommend them to anyone who's looking for professional, hard-working lawyers who are also really nice people". Herke Van Hulst – lead partner: "Since Oaky's incorporation, Osborne Clarke has been closely involved as trusted advisor working with the amazing team of Oaky and its investors, having also assisted in Oaky's Series A financing round. It was therefore an absolute pleasure working with the team again on this exciting milestone. We wish Oaky and Plusgrade all the best in their next chapter of their exciting journey." The Osborne Clarke core team consisted of Herke van Hulst, Wouter Kok and Levi Schutz (Corporate M&A) and was supported by Angela Saldanha, Saliha El Morabit (Corporate M&A), Job van der Pol and Sjoerd Waagmeester (Tax), Jim Margry, Maartje Tan (Employment), Joanne Zaaijer (GDPR), Gianna Hendriks and Coen Barneveld Binkhuysen (Commercial Contracting and IP).

Mirjam van de Hel-Koedoot has been appointed as President of the Dutch Arbitration Association (DAA), an appointment that highlights her dedication and expertise in the field of arbitration. As a partner within our Dispute Resolution team, Mirjam brings a wealth of experience in both national and international arbitration proceedings. Her new role gives her the opportunity to make a significant contribution to the further development of arbitration in the Netherlands and beyond. The DAA is a professional association that brings together lawyers, in-house counsel, academics, arbitrators, and staff of arbitration institutes, all with a shared interest in arbitration in the Netherlands. The association plays a key role in promoting arbitration as a reliable method of dispute resolution and in strengthening the position of the Netherlands as a preferred location for both national and international arbitration. We wish Mirjam every success in her new role and look forward to the impact she will make.

Amsterdam, 1 August 2025 – BUREN is pleased to announce the appointment of Yongmei Evers Cai as partner, effective 1 July 2025. Yongmei brings over 25 years of international experience in banking & finance, corporate and commercial law, and financial regulatory matters, in particular with respect to China-related cross-border matters. Her arrival significantly enhances BUREN’s China-related practice and reinforces the firm’s commitment to serving clients in both inbound and outbound China-related markets. Yongmei joins BUREN from Simmons & Simmons in Singapore, where she was a partner in the Banking & Finance practice. Previously, she was a partner at King & Wood Mallesons in Beijing and worked at Allen & Overy in London and Shanghai. Being dually qualified in both England & Wales and the People’s Republic of China, and having practised extensively in both jurisdictions, she offers a rare combination of legal expertise across two key legal systems. Yongmei specialises in cross-border finance, corporate and commercial law, and financial regulation. She advises multinational corporations, financial institutions, and international investors on corporate finance, real estate finance, trade and commodity finance, project and acquisition finance, asset finance, merger and acquisition, debt restructuring and related disputes. She has also built a leading PRC financial regulatory practice and regularly advises international clients on China-related financial markets, ESG, data compliance, cross-border data transfers, and other relevant regulatory matters. Paul A. Josephus Jitta, Managing Partner at BUREN: "We are delighted to welcome Yongmei to our firm. Her deep understanding of both Chinese and international legal systems, as well as her broad experience across finance, corporate and commercial law, and regulation, make her an invaluable addition to our growing international practice. Her arrival supports our strategic focus on cross-border work and our continued growth in Asia." Yongmei Evers Cai: "BUREN’s multidisciplinary and international approach aligns perfectly with my own practice and ambitions. I am excited to join a team with such strong momentum and look forward to further strengthening the firm’s China practice and supporting our clients across borders." Yongmei’s appointment highlights BUREN’s ongoing ambition to expand its international reach and offer integrated legal, notarial, and tax services tailored to cross-border business. About BUREN BUREN is an independent firm of over 75 lawyers, tax advisers and civil-law notaries, with offices in Amsterdam, Beijing, The Hague, Luxembourg and Shanghai. BUREN is a full-service firm with a broad sector focus and a multidisciplinary approach. BUREN operates an internationally oriented practice. Through its own offices in the Netherlands, Luxembourg and China, dedicated country desks (Japan, China, Germany (DACH), Hong Kong SAR, Kazakhstan and Spain/Latin America), and a carefully developed network of foreign law firms and advisers, BUREN supports both national and international clients in expanding, innovating or restructuring their businesses. Clients include multinationals, mid-sized (publicly listed) companies, institutions and investment funds that rely on BUREN for high-quality, pragmatic and cost-effective advice to achieve their goals. (www.burenlegal.com)   For more information (not for publication): Susanne de Waard Marketing & communication E  [email protected] T  +31 (070) 318 4200