News & Events | News

Tuesday 20th November 2007

Leading corporate firm SJ Berwin advised new client Helios Investment Partners LP (“Helios”) on their US$170 million acquisition of a 24.99% stake in Equity Bank Limited (“Equity”), a Kenyan bank listed on the Nairobi Stock Exchange. This was the largest private direct foreign investment in Kenya to date and as a result of this transaction Equity is now Kenya's largest bank. Helios is an investment firm making private equity investments in sub-Saharan Africa.

The SJ Berwin team was led by corporate partner Laura O’Neill and senior associate Bayo Odubeko.

Laura O’Neill commented “This transaction is a fantastic addition to our burgeoning sub-Saharan African practice and demonstrates the wealth of opportunities that exist for global investors like Helios in emerging markets such as Africa. We are pleased to have had the opportunity to advise Helios on this acquisition, which is expected to trigger the transformation of the Kenyan banking landscape.”

For further information, please contact:

Laura O’Neill, Corporate Partner on 0207 111 2211 or by emailing laura.o’neill@sjberwin.com

Bayo Odubeko, Senior Associate on 0207 111 2695 or by emailing bayo.odubeko@sjberwin.com

Aurelia Spivey, Business Development Manager on 020 7111 2060 or by emailing 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:
  
  -“UK Firm of the Year” 2007 at the Chambers Global Awards
  
  -“Private Equity Team of the Year “ 2007 at the Financial News Legal Awards
  
  -“Mid Market Law Firm of the Year” 2007 at The Lawyer Awards
  
  -“Fund Formation Team of the Year” 2006 and 2007 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.  www.sjberwin.com. SJ Berwin LLP or an affiliated undertaking has an office in Berlin, Brussels, Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Milan, Munich, Paris and Turin.