Schoenherr tops 2023 Mergermarket M&A rankings in Central Eastern Europe and Austria

• CEE powerhouse Schoenherr can look back at a remarkably successful year. In the face of an unfavourable economic climate, the firm dominated the region's M&A market by advising on more than 100 major transactions with a total deal value over EUR 29bln.
• With these numbers Schoenherr topped the Mergermarket league table for Central Eastern Europe (CEE) in terms of deal count.
• In addition, Schoenherr once again topped the Mergermarket M&A league tables for Austria in terms of total deal count and deal value.

Based on comprehensive deal data compiled by leading business intelligence provider Mergermarket*, Schoenherr was credited for a total of 104 deals across all qualifying regions leading up to a total deal value of more than EUR 29bln. With 40 Austria-related deals and a total deal value of EUR 4.373bln Schoenherr advised on the highest number and the highest value of qualifying M&A transactions in Austria in 2023. In CEE Schoenherr advised on 56 qualifying deals, securing the first rank in the league table. This result again underlines Schoenherr's leading position in Central and Eastern Europe. As a further recognition of Schoenherr’s leading transactional capabilities, in November 2023, Schoenherr was awarded Mergermarket CEE M&A Legal Adviser of the Year.

"Our firm has a unique ability to combine the strengths of a strong local presence and a high-end international mindset" said Roman Perner, co-head of Schoenherr's M&A practice. "Our ability to deliver seamless high-end transactional capability across borders is valued by our clients."

"We operate as a truly integrated team across borders and across practice groups - topping the Mergermarket CEE league table is a great testimony to the value of this approach," M&A co-head Alexandra Doytchinova added.

Headline M&A transactions that contributed towards the rankings in 2023 include:

• Emirates Telecommunications Group's acquisition of a controlling stake in PPF Telecom Group's assets in various CEE jurisdictions;
• Carrier's acquisition of Viessmann Climate Solutions and Refrigeration as to Austria and various CEE jurisdictions;
• Rhone Capital's acquisition of 20 % in listed RHI Magnesita by public offer;
• cargo-partner Group Holding AG and its subsidiaries' sale of substantially the entire cargo-partner Group;
• GfK SE's sale of its European consumer panel business (GfK CP) to YouGov PLC;
• HARPS Global's acquisition of Sempermed, the medical division of listed Semperit.

* Mergermarket / Global & Regional M&A Report 2023