Sorainen has advised Apollo Global Management on its acquisition of a majority stake in AS Graanul Invest. Ellex and White & Case advised the seller. Reportedly, Allen & Overy also advised the buyer.
Graanul is a producer of wood pellets, biomass, and bioenergy. The company employs more than 500 professionals across 12 pellets plants in the Baltics and U.S., as well as its six combined heat-and power plants in Estonia and Latvia.
Apollo is a New York-based investment management firm that holds approximately USD 461 billion of assets under management, as of March 31, 2021.
The Ellex team consisted of Estonia-based Partners Ermo Kosk, Marko Kairjak, Martin Maesalu, Martin Kaerdi, Counsels Dmitri Rozenblat, Rain Raa, Toomas Kasesalu, Jaanus Ikla, and Triin Frosch, Senior Associates Sandra Vark, Kaisa Laidvee, Liis Konn, and Hanna Pahk, Lawyer Karoli Tiirik, and Associates Karin Tartu, Merlin Liis-Toomela, and Liisbeth Lillo; Lithuania-based Partner Paulius Gruodis, Associate Partner Azuolas Cekanavicius, Senior Associates Mantas Juska, Nerijus Patlabys, Kristupas Spirgys, and Aiste Mikociuniene, Associates Arvydas Gruseckas, Paulius Vaitkevicius, and Domantas Gudonis, Junior Associates Vilius Norvaisas and Kotryna Seliutaite, and Associate Consultant Ruta Svedarauskiene; and Latvia-based Senior Partner Raimonds Slaidins and Senior Associate Reinis Sokolovs.
Sorainen’s team included, in Estonia, Partners Toomas Prangli and Piret Jesse, Counsels Piibe Lehtsaar and Pirkko-Liis Harkmaa, Senior Associates Robin Teever, Mirjam Vichmann, Triin Ploomipuu, Kaspar Endrikson, and Britta Retel, and Associates Liisa Maria Kuuskmaa, Kirsi Johanna Koistinen, Kadri Puu, Nele Suurmets, and Mirjam Metsik; in Lithuania, Partner Sergej Butov, Senior Associates Inga Macijauskaite, Aurelija Daubaraite, Vaiva Masidlauskiene, and Svetlana Rudaja, Associates Gabriele Raizyte, and Sidas Sokolovas, and Assistant Lawyer Goda Jakubauskaite; and in Latvia, Counsels Andis Burkevics and Renate Purvinska, Senior Associates Andris Vilisons, Natalija Sestakova, Zanda Frisfelde, and Associates Anna Bogdanova and Liva Aleksejeva.
The White & Case team consisted of U.K.-based Partner Ken Barry and associates Will Summers and Josephine Levick, Belgium-based Local Partner Thomas Glauden and Associate Edouard de Walque, and U.A.E.-based Associate Thomas Jacques.
