M&A (General)

Highlights: Changes have been proposed to the Competition Commission of Singapore’s Guidelines on Merger Procedures. The changes give parties greater guidance on the self-assessment of mergers, obtaining a confidential opinion, and the treatment of confidential information. MAIN ARTICLE On 20 February 2012, the Competition Commission of Singapore (“CCS”) issued a consultation paper (“Consultation Paper”) proposing … Continued

Highlights:  This article looks at the legal processes involved in amalgamating (merging) two public joint stock companies listed on either of the main stock exchanges in the UAE. The Companies Law provides that an amalgamation can be implemented either by an “acquisition” or by a “merger”. One of the two main stock exchanges, the ADX, … Continued

China China’s unprecedented infrastructure building spree is stampeding ahead. The country is able to fund projects totaling trillions of dollars because it was largely unaffected by the recent global economic downturn. Infrastructure growth plans on a large scale Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou have some of the most sophisticated and integrated transport systems in the world. … Continued

Highlights: The new Foreign Investment Industrial Guidance Catalogue encourages foreign investment in more areas by removing several restrictions and adding several encouraged industries.  Caps on foreign equity are lifted in some industries. The New Catalogue promotes investment in energy-saving, environmental protection, new-generation information technology, biology, high-end equipment manufacturing, new energy, new materials, and new energy … Continued

Highlights:  M&A activity in Ireland has been affected by global and national economic difficulties experienced over the past three years, but Ireland’s M&A activity has recovered from the historic lows experienced in 2009.  This recovery looks set to gather pace in 2012. Much of Ireland’s M&A activity during 2011 was driven by the restructuring of … Continued

Highlights:  On January 16, 2012, the Public Private Partnerships Act (“PPP Act”) was published and amendments were made to several related laws (the Law of Acquisitions, Law of Public Works, Expropriation Law, and National Assets Law) with the intention to consolidate a market practice that has been carried out without a clear legal framework. The … Continued

Executive summary:  The linked memorandum identifies the issues facing financial institutions that do not have sufficiently positive and proactive relationships with their regulators to influence the ways in which new regulatory principles and rules will be applied to them, explains how some of the traditional responses of financial institutions to regulatory change are now outdated, … Continued

Highlights:  The Supreme Court of Canada issued a unanimous decision that the proposed federal Canadian Securities Act, as currently drafted, is unconstitutional as it is not a valid exercise of the Federal Government’s power to regulate trade and commerce. The Court expressly noted that there were specific aspects of the Act aimed at addressing matters … Continued

Highlights: One of the key drivers of the M&A sector in Spain in 2011 was the restructuring of the Spanish financial sector.  This process is still ongoing and represents an opportunity for foreign investors interested in acquiring strategic interests in the Spanish banking sector, entering the market on a stand-alone basis through asset purchases or … Continued

Highlights:  As we enter 2012 and as the U.S. economy continues to stabilize, there appears to be a growing sense of optimism about further recovery in the M&A market.  Greater perseverance and transactional creativity and sophistication will continue in 2012 as parties seek to manage and allocate risks in a structured manner in an environment … Continued