Papapolitis & Papapolitis has advised London & Regional Properties on its sale of the Athens Titania Hotel to H Hotels Collection.

Zepos & Yannopoulos has advised Boston-based hedge fund manager Bracebridge Capital on its acquisition of 95% of the mezzanine and junior notes in the Frontier II securitization originated by the National Bank of Greece. Papapolitis & Papapolitis advised arranger Morgan Stanley.

On February 21, 2024, Zepos & Yannopoulos announced that the sale of an approximately 77% stake in Ydrogios Insurance to the Reale Group (as reported by CEE Legal Matters on July 17, 2023) had closed.

Bernitsas has advised Hoist Finance on its purchase of the Pearl Portfolio – a retail NPL portfolio of unsecured and secured loans originated by Alpha Bank – in a secondary sale and transfer transaction.

Kyriakides Georgopoulos has advised Novartis on the separation of its Sandoz generic and biosimilars division in Greece.

Zepos & Yannopoulos, working with Milbank, advised the joint global coordinators, managers, and underwriters on Athens International Airport's IPO on the regulated market of the Athens Exchange. PotamitisVekris, working with Latham & Watkins, advised AIA. White & Case, Your Legal Partners, and Dracopoulos & Vassalakis advised the Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund on selling its 30% stake in AIA. Koutalidis advised AviAlliance on the acquisition of a controlling stake of just over 50% in the Athens International Airport.

Harrisons, Maric & Co, Lambadarios, and Wolf Theiss, working with Linklaters, have advised a banking consortium led by UniCredit Bank London on the United Group's EUR 1.7 billion issuance of four tranches of senior secured and PIK notes as well as on the increase and extension of its EUR 410 million revolving credit facility. Selih & Partnerji, working with Paul Weiss, advised the United Group. Schoenherr, Koutalidis, De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek, and Elvinger Hoss Prussen reportedly advised the United Group as well.

Former Senior Associates Sonia Saranti and Ioannis Charalampopoulos join the Partner ranks of Machas & Partners in Greece, with Saranti also appointed Head of Banking and Finance and Charalampopoulos the firm's new Head of Corporate & M&A.

Bernitsas has advised Eurobank Ergasias Services and Holdings on its EUR 300 million issuance of Subordinated Tier II instruments due April 25, 2034.

On January 19, 2024, Zepos & Yannopoulos announced that Enel’s sale of a 50% stake in Enel Green Power Hellas to Macquarie Asset Management (reported by CEE Legal Matters on August 18, 2023) had closed.

Bernitsas has advised Piraeus Financial Holdings on a liability management exercise concerning EUR 400 million in Tier 2 notes due June 26, 2029, and new EUR 500 million issuance of Tier 2 notes.

Papapolitis & Papapolitis has advised London & Regional Properties on the sale of Rhodes Bay Hotel & SPA and Elite Suites Rhodes Bay to the H Hotels Collection.

Drakopoulos has become a part of the South East Legal Alliance, thus expanding the network’s reach to Athens, Bucharest, and Nicosia.

Kyriakides Georgopoulos has advised BlueFuel on the acquisition of a biogas production unit with an installed capacity of 950 kilowatts – for which a 750-kilowatt expansion is planned – based in the Region of Central Macedonia.

Zepos & Yannopoulos has advised Greenvolt on its acquisition of a 200-megawatt solar project in Farsala, Greece, from the Archirodon Group.

In The Inside Track, General Counsels across CEE share the nuances of their roles, challenges, and strategies for success. Given the importance of relationships between in-house legal departments and law firms, this time we asked GCs: What is the most common reason for which you cease working with a specific law firm and what would you suggest firms definitely do to ensure they do not make the same mistake?

In The Corner Office, we ask Managing Partners at law firms across Central and Eastern Europe about their backgrounds, strategies, and responsibilities. With 2023 marching to an end, we looked ahead and asked about strategies for next year: As the budgeting period is around the corner, compared to 2023, what are the main budgeting lines you expect to increase for 2024 and why?

Fortsakis Diakopoulos & Associates has advised the Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund on the sale of a 67% stake in the Heraklion Port Authority to a consortium consisting of Grimaldi Euromed and Minoan Lines.