Noerr has advised Axion Cyprus Holding Limited, a holding company of Russia's Softline Group, on its acquisition of a majority stake in Softline AG, a company listed on the open market segment of the Dusseldorf stock exchange, from its current major shareholder, Baden-Baden-based S.K. Management-und Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH. Houthoff Cooperatief and August Debouzy also advised Axion on the deal, which is expected to close before March 31, 2021.
The transaction includes the purchase of 1,086,951 shares in Softline AG, representing 63.38% of the voting rights, as well as the transfer of a debtor warrant relating to a loan agreement between SKMB and Softline AG.
Noerr describes the Softline Group, which was founded in 1993, as a “leading global provider of information technology solutions and services with a focus on emerging markets in Eastern Europe, America, and Asia." According to the firm, "it has more than 3,000 employees and is present in 50 countries across the globe. In 2019 the group, with its more than 60,000 clients, generated an annual sales volume of USD 1.54 billion."
According to Noerr, "by taking over Softline AG, an internationally active IT consulting company specializing in software asset management, information and IT security, cloud and future data center concepts, and the digital workplace, the Softline Group is taking another step to increase its global presence."
Noerr’s team included Moscow-based Partner Vladislav Skvortsov, Hamburg-based Partners Stephan Schulz and Till Steinvorth and Associate Vanessa Wusthoff, Frankfurt-based Partners Julian Schulze De la Cruz, Fabian Badtke, and Tillmann Hecht, Associated Partner Andrea Zwarg, and Associates Philip Schmoll, Jens Gob, and Thomas Thies, Munich-based Partner Christoph Rieken and Associated Partner Elmar Bindl, Berlin-based Associates Vitaliy Kaminskiy and Max Helleberg, and Dusseldorf-based Associate Mareike Gotte.
