Baker McKenzie has opened a new Procurement Law and Public Law practice in Austria, led by Kathrin Hornbanger.

Gide Loyrette Nouel has advised Groupama Holding Filiales et Participations on the sale and transfer of its 10% stake in Turkish insurance company Gunes Sigorta A.S. to TVF Finansal Yatirimlar Anonim Sirketi, a subsidiary of the Turkey Wealth Fund. Baker McKenzie advised TVF on the transaction, which closed on February 14, 2020.

The Kyiv office of Baker McKenzie has advised the Black Sea Trade and Development Bank on its up USD 70 million loan to Epicentr K LLC and Renvior Trading Limited.

Baker McKenzie has advised the shareholders of Biopharma, a Ukrainian manufacturer of pharmaceuticals and healthcare products, on the carve-out of its non-plasma business and its sale to Stada AG, a global manufacturer of pharmaceuticals and consumer healthcare products. Arzinger reportedly advised Stada on the deal.

Aequo has advised the Epicentr Group on its receipt of a USD 70 million multi-currency secured loan from the Black Sea Trade and Development Bank.

On December 18, 2019, CEE Legal Matters reported that Scandinavia's Flugger group A/S acquired a 60% shareholding in Unicell, a paint manufacturer based in Poland. We reached out to Flugger’s Group General Counsel and Vice President, Torben Schwaner Dehlholm, for more details.

Baker McKenzie has advised the World Bank and provided legal assistance to the Ministry of Energy and Environmental Protection of Ukraine on the latter's development of legislation relevant to the monitoring and reporting of greenhouse gases emissions data, procedures for accreditation of verifiers, and verification of greenhouse gases emissions reports.

China's Global Law Office has advised a consortium consisting of  China Merchants Expressway Network & Technology Holdings Co., Ltd., China Merchants Union Limited, Zhejiang Expressway Co., Ltd., Jiangsu Expressway Company Limited, Sichuan Expressway Company Limited, and Anhui Expressway Company Limited on its acquisition of 51% of the project company of Istanbul's Third Bridge and Northern Marmara Motorway project.

Baker McKenzie and Attorneys' Association Gestors have assisted ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih in an anti-dumping investigation regarding the imports of carbon and other alloy steel rods originating from Belarus and Moldova.

Baker McKenzie has advised Remington Seeds on its acquisition of MAIS's seed plant and farming operations in Ukraine.

Baker McKenzie has advised Scandinavia's Flugger group A/S on its acquisition of a 60% shareholding in Unicell, a paint manufacturer based in Poland. Flugger also acquired the rights to purchase an additional 14% of the shares at a later date.

Senior Associate Kristína Bartoskova has been appointed head of Baker McKenzie's International Commercial & Trade practice in Prague.

Csaba Vari has joined Baker McKenzie Hungary to head up the Privacy division of the office's Intellectual Property and Technology group.

TGS Baltic and Baker McKenzie have advised Inspired, a global premium schools group, on its acquisition of the King’s College, a British schools group. Cobalt advised the King's College on limited due diligence and Cuatrecasas reportedly advised the King's College on the sale.

Baker McKenzie has successfully represented EPK Saratov at Rospatent in a dispute involving a patent on an axle-box with dual bearings.

While Brexit is a major topic of discussion for lawyers in the Czech Republic, Prague-based Baker McKenzie Partner Milena Hoffmanova, who heads the office’s Czech Pharmaceuticals & Healthcare group, is focused on the issue of the timely flow of affordable medicinal products from manufacturers to patients.

Senior Associate Marek Disman has been appointed the new Head of Real Estate at Baker McKenzie Prague.

BDK Advokati and Clifford Chance advised the EBRD, IFC, and the Development Bank of Austria on financing for a waste management public-private partnership project in the Vinca district of Belgrade. The City of Belgrade was advised by Hogan Lovells and Karanovic & Partners, with Karanovic & Partners also advising the IFC on the matter.