Eversheds Sutherland has advised Hartenberg Capital on its minority stake divestiture and agreement with CVC Capital Partners for a co-controlling holding in FutureLife.
The transaction remains contingent on regulatory approval.
Established in 2013, Hartenberg Capital is a Prague-based investment company focusing on assets in the Central European region, primarily the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Poland.
Prague-headquartered FutureLife is a pan-European provider of in vitro fertilization and related genetics services, with a presence across eight European markets including the Czech Republic, Ireland, Netherlands, Finland, the United Kingdom, Romania, Slovakia, and Estonia.
"FutureLife is an exciting story that traces its roots back to an idea in 2013 to build a European IVF leader," Hartenberg Capital Managing Partner Jozef Janov commented. "FutureLife has since completed 22 acquisitions in eight countries including the recent acquisition of Nij Group in the Netherlands. At this stage in the development of the company and market, we believe it is the right time to take a new partner on board for FutureLife that can work alongside us. We consider CVC to be the right partner with whom we can accelerate towards our goal of becoming the largest and highest quality women’s health platform globally."
The Eversheds Sutherland team was led by Czech-based Counsel Michal Hrabovsky and Ireland-based Partner Gavin O’Flaherty and included:
In the Czech Republic, Counsels Marek Bomba and Petra Kratochvilova, Senior Associates Michal Ruzicka and Ondrej Benes, Associates Ondrej Sudoma, Paulina Machacova, Katarina Jendzelovska, and Jiri Brabec, Junior Associates Maros Kandrik, Martina Vodickova, Karolina Rechtorovicova, Barbora Bugova, and Jan Kohl;
In Romania, Managing Partner Cristian Lina, Partner Carolina Baloleanu, Senior Associate Irina Stoicescu, and Lawyer Iulia Maria Moldovan;
In Estonia, Managing Partner Maivi Ots, Senior Associate Kadri Kasepalu, Lawyers Siim Olev and Kristi Joemets, and Associate Marja-Stina Saaliste;
In Slovakia, Managing Partner Bernhard Hager, Counsel Jana Sapakova, Senior Associates Petra Markova, Katarina Brath Liebscherova, and Maria Sadlonova, and Associates Dasa Derevjanikova and Filip Kozon;
In the UK, Partner Steven Hacking, Principal Associates Vanessa Challenger and Philip Crosbie, Senior Associate Rachel Lester, and Associates Meghan Bryson, Harry Taylor, and Aimee Southall;
In Finland, Partner Hannu Rintala, Associates Petra Nieminen and Else Leppanen, Junior Associate Matti Jonkka, and Trainee Fanny Pajuniemi;
And, in Ireland, Corporate Associates Sophie Dudley and Conor Bell, Senior Associate Michelle Stewart, Associates Michael Twomey and David McKeating, and Solicitor Sophie Delaney.
Eversheds Sutherland did not respond to our inquiry on the matter.
Editor's Note: After this article was published, Bondoc si Asociatii announced that it had advised CVC Capital Partners VIII on Romanian law-related aspects of the acquisition. The firm’s team was led by Partners Lucian Bondoc and Bogdan Bunrau and included Partners Mihaela Bondoc, Viorel Dinu, Monica Iancu, Simona Petrisor, and Raluca Voinescu.
White & Case also announced that it has advised CVC Capital Partners on the deal. The firm’s team was led by Prague-based Partner Jan Andrusko and Abu Dhabi & London-based Partner Steve Worthington and included Prague-based Local Partners Jan Stejskal and Jan Jakoubek and Associates Iva Cechrakova, Monika Sedlackova, and Lukas Pavlik, and London-based Associates Ben von Maur, Elena Ruggiu, Anna Rawlence, and James Charteris-Black.
