Clairfield International

China’s economy is undergoing fundamental changes, driven by slowing growth, regulatory scrutiny, and a demographic shift. These transformations are impacting capital markets and influencing M&A trends in diverse sectors.   Key trends we’re seeing: • The IPO market has slowed, while “public-to-private” buyouts are on the rise as companies leverage lower valuations. • In healthcare, Western MNCs are divesting from non-core assets, while both foreign and domestic players explore joint ventures and innovative therapies. • Despite economic headwinds, interest in tech and AI remains strong, especially in sectors like EV battery production and high-tech manufacturing.   With robust interest in consumables, healthcare supplements, and industrials with proprietary tech, Chinese companies are actively seeking quality overseas assets.   As midmarket M&A activity evolves, nuanced strategies will be essential to navigate the political, regulatory, and economic landscape.   Explore the latest insights from Hongye (Jenny) Zeng, CFA at the Clairfield China Desk on the emerging deal opportunities and sector-specific trends that will shape the next 6-12 months in Chinese M&A: https://lnkd.in/dnYjvW_q   #China #ChinaDesk #HowDoYouDefineSuccess

Advising family businesses with deep-rooted histories is always rewarding and in this recent transaction we had the honour of bringing together two heritage milling companies with a combined legacy of over 860 years! Dossche Mills NV, a Belgian producer of wheat flour and bakery ingredients, acquired Mühle Rüningen, a German producer of flour and grain-based products and the oldest company in Lower Saxony, with records dating back to 1312. Headquartered in Belgium, Dossche is one of Europe’s leading millers and one of the most important producers of high-quality bakery ingredients, supplying artisan and industrial bakeries as well as the pastry and food industries with premium natural ingredients since 1875. “The deal came with challenges, including navigating the volatility of wheat prices due to the war in Ukraine,” says Martin Lemmer, leader of the deal team and co-head of the Clairfield consumer practice. Ultimately it rose to a successful close and brings Dossche Mills one step closer to becoming the top milling company in Europe. “This deal represents a key milestone for our client’s ambitious European expansion strategy, enhancing their production capacity and securing a stronger foothold in key European markets,” says Hans Buysse. Congratulations to our Belgian-German team for a finely-milled transaction: Hans Buysse, Martin Lemmer, David Freudenthal, Xavier Wauters. Follow Clairfield International for more news on midmarket M&A. #DefinedByYourSuccess #milling #crossborder #familybusiness

Congratulations to the Clairfield team on their nomination for Best Mid-Cap Corporate Deal for advising on the sale of INNO! Our German-Belgian team advised GALERIA Karstadt Kaufhof GmbH who, together with The Economic Stabilisation Fund of Germany (WSF), sold the famous Belgian department store chain. The buyer is INNOvative Retail BV, a newly established company jointly owned by Axcent of Scandinavia, the majority owner of Swedish department store chain Åhléns AB, and SKEL fjárfestingafélag, a listed Icelandic investment company. Lead dealmaker and co-head of Clairfield's consumer group Martin Lemmer shares, "We are delighted to be nominated, especially as this deal showcases our crossborder capabilities. As the retail sector continues to cope with high inflation, low consumer spending and cautious investor sentiment, the transaction took place in a very challenging environment. With a concerted effort by Clairfield's offices in Frankfurt and Antwerp and together with a highly motivated management team at the target, we found the ideal future home for INNO. Axcent of Scandinavia and Icelandic SKEL bring new ownership with recognised, successful, and growing department store experience and financial stability." Clairfield thanks our clients, partners, and the incredible INNO management team, whose teamwork made this deal possible. We look forward to the awards on 28 November and are honoured to be recognised among such outstanding nominees! Congratulations to the deal team: Martin Lemmer, Serge RAGOTZKY, Ekaterina Abrosimova, CFA, David Freudenthal, Wim Goossens, Alexander Vangoidsenhoven, and Anke Dom #mergersandacquisitions #retailindustry #crossborder #germany #belgium #sweden #iceland

"Diwali is celebrated worldwide as the festival of lights, but it’s so much more. It's a time to enjoy traditional sweets, create beautiful rangolis, relive childhood memories, and engage in reflection and devotion. Most importantly, it's a celebration of human connections—spending time with family, reconnecting with friends, and strengthening bonds with colleagues,” shares Manoj Patkar, executive director of Clairfield in India. “As we light up our homes, communities, and workplaces with diyas, it’s also the perfect moment to appreciate the brilliance of our colleagues and clients.” We wish everyone a happy and prosperous Diwali. #diwali #festivaloflights #DefinedByYourSuccess #crossborder #mergersandacquisitions #india

Congratulations to our Clairfield team in the Netherlands for advising Fudura — backed by CVC DIF and PGGM — on successfully acquiring OptiVolt B.V., a renowned Dutch specialist in power quality solutions.   Lead dealmaker and partner at Clairfield in the Netherlands, Damman Nordbeck, said, “We were privileged to facilitate this transaction, which marks a key milestone in Fudura’s strategy to become a comprehensive energy-as-a-service provider.”   Beert Wassenaar, CFO of Fudura, said, “We are proud to welcome OptiVolt to the Fudura family. This acquisition represents an excellent fit between two innovative companies and marks a significant step towards providing our customers with a one-stop-shop solution for energy infrastructure. Together, we are well-positioned to deliver even greater value through enhanced energy efficiency and reliability,”   Special thanks to Beert Wassenaar, Mark Vuurberg, Sjoerd Hendriksen and Wida Arian from Fudura, as well as Marius Ankum and Bob Elich from VRIMAN - M&A Lawyers, and to the Clairfield energy & renewables deal team: Damman Nordbeck, Teun Grijzenhout, Niels Loomans, and Lucas S. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/d4dg92gD #DefinedByYourSuccess #mergersandacquisitions #ESG #Energy #Renewables #Infrastructure #Netherlands

The latest Building Products and Distribution sector snapshot by the Clairfield UK team Tom McCarthy, Peter Waplington, and Liam Hadfield shows that amid tough market conditions, M&A transaction activity was on par with the previous 18 months, reflecting the ongoing cautious nature of dealmaking in the sector since the deal rush of 2021 and early 2022. The full sector snapshot can be found here: https://lnkd.in/duMxnJPD #DefinedByYourSuccess #mergersandacquisitions #construction #constructionindustry #building #buildingproducts #UK

Clairfield advised AWO Bezirksverband Unterfranken e.V. on the sale of Geriatrische Rehaklinik Würzburg to Universitätsklinikum Würzburg.   AWO Unterfranken, with over 80 social service facilities across Lower Franconia, has ensured a sustainable future for geriatric care in the region through this sale, with continuity of care and employment for the clinic’s 193 staff under the stewardship of Universitätsklinikum Würzburg.   “Clairfield was constructive and helpful, always marked by respect and appreciation. Together, we achieved an excellent result for our geriatric clinic and our association. A big thank you from the bottom of my heart,” says Martin Ulses, General Manager, AWO Lower Franconia.   “We prioritised a smooth transition for the clinic, securing employment, and supporting future geriatric care in the region. We are pleased to have achieved these goals,” says Darius Oliver Kianzad, deal lead.   Clairfield International acted as exclusive financial advisor to AWO Bezirksverband Unterfranken alongside legal advisors Luther Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft mbH.   Congratulations to all parties and the Clairfield deal team: Darius Oliver Kianzad and Andrei Novikov #DefinedByYourSuccess #clinics #healthcare

The Q3 midcap and small cap ranking of financial advisors by LSEG Data & Analytics is out! Despite a tricky deal environment, Clairfield has maintained our strong positioning as the financial advisor of choice on midcap transactions. Congratulations to our colleagues in LatAm, Europe, Germany, Italy, Spain, Benelux, Eastern Europe, Australia, and Japan for their impressive performance. A special shoutout to our Eastern European team for ranking in the top three! In the emerging market tables, we congratulate our teams in Brazil, South Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, and India for their top rankings.   Thank you to our clients – we are defined by your success! See the full tables for: Smallcap: https://lnkd.in/epq3VHca, Midmarket: https://lnkd.in/eM_yzen6, Emerging markets: https://lnkd.in/e6K-sgEY #corporatefinance #mergersandacquisitions #smallcap #midcap

We had a wonderful time hosting key members of our international operations and marketing team in Barcelona for our first Integrated Operations Workshop. The workshop covered essential M&A concepts, Clairfield tools and internal systems, best practices, and innovative marketing ideas.    Here's what our colleagues had to say:   “I learned so much about all our impressive Clairfield tools, internal systems, and how they can assist in preparing client presentations,” says Vanessa Tourlida. “Thank you so much for such an inspirational day. I left with valuable insights and actionable ideas,” says Silvie Filová. “An excellent workshop, especially the corporate finance and M&A fundamentals, which will be incredibly helpful in my daily work,” says Jessica Bernal Ochoa. “It was a fantastic day, and I look forward to implementing what I've learned. It was an absolute joy to finally meet you all in person,” says Helen Challis. “Learning more about how to use the Clairfield resources and tools to their full potential has been invaluable,” says Rosa Sanchez Molina.   Thank you to Kim Rizvi and Ioana-Irina Paunescu for organising a successful workshop and James Wolfe for the educational and interesting corporate finance presentation. #ClairfieldMeets #marketing #corporatefinance #mergersandacquisitions #Barcelona

We are pleased to share the latest Clairfield Specialty Chemicals sector snapshot, prepared by our UK team. Transaction activity within the specialty chemicals sector during the first half of 2024 reached a total of 136 deals, marking a 14% decline compared to the second half-year period of 2023, but in line with the long-term average of 138 deals per half year. The full report can be found here: https://lnkd.in/dfxDZ-pu Tom McCarthy, Edoardo Schiavina, Yasuyuki (Luke) Kita, Abhijeet Biswas, CFA, MBA, JF Chemical Associates GmbH, Achim Mauruschat, Rüdiger Funke, Pierre Joris, Jens Hoeltje. #mergersandacquisitions #specialtychemicals