News | Corporate Finance

Monday 19th March 2007

Leading corporate commercial firm SJ Berwin LLP advised Lord Sterling, former Chairman of The Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company ("P&O") and Life President of P&O Cruises, on his purchase of certain of the assets of Swan Hellenic including its trademarks, and marketing database from Carnival plc.

Lord Sterling plans in due course to continue to run cruises using the Swan Hellenic brand. Swan Hellenic is a market leader in discovery cruising which has been perfecting the 'Art of Discovery Travel' since 1954.

The transaction was led by corporate partner Ylan Steiner assisted by commercial associate James Gill. Carnival plc was advised by UK general counsel Simon Walters, and Ian Holden of Bond Pearce. 

For further information please contact:

Ylan Steiner, Partner on +44 (0) 20 7111 2400, email ylan.steiner@sjberwin.com    
Aurelia Spivey, Business Development Manager on +44 (0) 20 7111 2060, email aurelia.spivey@sjberwin.com 

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• With more than 200 corporate finance lawyers, the depth and breadth of expertise of our pan-European Corporate Finance Department is considerable.  We offer the complete range of corporate finance services, which extends to all aspects of domestic and cross-border M&A and buy-outs, private equity, equity capital markets, financial services and tax. 
  
  
• SJ Berwin was created and thrives as a leading-edge legal services business, focusing on the European and international market place. Our clients are sophisticated buyers of legal services, principally entrepreneurial companies and financial institutions, whom we advise on a comprehensive range of services including Corporate, Commercial, Real Estate, Finance, Reconstruction & Insolvency, Financial Services, Litigation, Employment & Pensions, EU & Competition and Tax.
  
  
• The private equity team has won a number of recent awards including:
    - "Fund Formation Team of the Year" 2006 at the Financial News Awards for Excellence in Private Equity Advisory Services,
    - "European Law Firm of the Year" 2004 -  2006 at the EVCA/Real Deals European Private Equity Awards,
    - "European Law Firm of the Year" (fund formation) 2001 - 2007 by subscribers to PrivateEquityOnline and Private Equity       International
    - "Private Equity Law Firm of the Year" 2004 -  2007 at the European Venture Capital journal awards 2004
    - "LBO Firm of the Year" 2004 at the Finance and Law Awards in Paris
  
  
• On 1 June 2005, SJ Berwin became SJ Berwin LLP, a limited liability partnership. SJ Berwin LLP or an affiliated undertaking has an office in Berlin, Brussels, Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Milan