CHSH has advised the Dentsu Aegis Network in connection with its acquisition of all shares in the second largest Austrian media agency, the media.at group. The media.at group, with its Omnimedia, Mediastrategen, und trigomedia brands, previously belonged to the A1 Telekom group, Austrian Lotteries, Austrian Post, Bawag PSK, and the Federation of Austrian Industries. The sellers were advised by Eisenberger Herzog.
The Dentsu Aegis Network, with its registered office in London, is the third largest advertising agency in the world. According to CHSH, "the group focuses in particular on the digitalization of its business segment and plays a leading role in this market sector." In addition, according to CHSH, "the media.at group is the second largest Austrian media agency with a very strong Austrian customer focus. This will now be strengthened even further as a result of the merger with Dentsu Aegis Network, better preparing the client for future challenges, and in this way it will be able to expand the range of services it offers, especially in the digital and data segment."
CHSH Partner Johannes Aehrenthal, who led his firm's multidisciplinary team on the deal, described the transaction as "complex in a number of ways, especially as media.at is a significant competitor of our client on the Austrian agency market." In addition, he said, "the antitrust team headed by Dr. Bernhard Kofler-Senoner was able to secure authorization for the merger in Phase I proceedings in a timely manner, which has now made early closing possible. The successful conclusion of this transaction has now established Dentsu Aegis Network Austria as a strong number two on the Austrian market."
Aehrenthal's team at CHSH included, in addition to Kofler-Senoner, Attorneys Jakob Hartig, Christoph Peitsch, Armin Schwabl, and Michael Mayer, and Associates Stefanie Heimel, Michael Radner, Florian Wuenscher, Johannes Frank, and Stefan Hirner.
