Bird & Bird Nordics

At Bird & Bird, we strive to create an environment where everyone can bring their whole self to work. In celebration of World Mental Health Day, we focused on raising awareness about neurodiversity. We had the privilege to invite Riikka Seppälä, an expert in neurodiversity and a Dare to Lead trained facilitator, to our Helsinki office to share her insights with us. Riikka’s experience as a shame resilience coach and ADHD and autism coach provided us with a wealth of knowledge. The key take aways from yesterday: 🌷Diversity isn’t always visible. 🌷One in five of the global population is considered neurodivergent. 🌷70% of neurodiverse people feel they have to hide parts of themselves at work to be accepted. 🌷Teams with neurodivergent professionals can be 30% more productive than those without them. Riikka emphasized the importance of acknowledging invisible challenges to reduce stigma, encourage open conversations about mental health, and promote a culture where everyone feels valued and understood. We need to see the whole unique person amidst all of life’s complexities! #twobirds #WorldMentalHealthDay #neurodiversity

Bird & Bird is proud to have advised CapMan Plc and CaPS management on the divestment of service business, CapMan Procurement Services (CaPS) Ltd, valued at €75 million. CapMan is a leading Nordic private asset management company with €5.8 billion in assets under management. The transaction supports CapMan’s strategy to strengthen its core business in private asset fund management, enhancing significantly its earnings, liquidity, and financial stability. This transaction exemplifies the strong collaboration between our Finnish and Swedish offices, reinforcing our ability to provide top-tier legal support across borders. Our Nordic team included Jori Taipale, Iina-Mari Supperi, Mårten Willamo, Henri Kaikkonen, Ville Alahuhta, Maisa Nikkola, Vuokko Rajamäki, Lukas Holmberg, Tomi Luukkainen, Jussi Herrainsilta, Riku Rauhanen, Matias Vikström, Johanna Salonen, Marla Melin, Rondy Stenman, Elina Kaartinen (Isokangas), Juhani Vuento, Niilo Salminen, and Jennika Sucksdorff. A heartfelt thank you to CapMan and CaPS for your trust and collaboration!  Link in the comments. #twobirds #mergersandqcquisitions #nordics

Pioneering inclusive growth 🚀   In a recent Børsen interview, Bird & Bird is highlighted for setting a new industry standard by offering bonuses to all employees, regardless of their title. As Casper Moltke-Leth Managing Partner at Bird & Bird Denmark emphasizes, this initiative underscores our dedication to fostering an inclusive and collaborative work environment where everyone’s contributions are valued and play a crucial role in our journey towards ambitious global growth.   As one global firm, we have set ambitious growth targets, and we aim to achieve these goals by leveraging the diverse talents within our team, supporting each other, and sharing knowledge at all levels. By encouraging all employees to do their best and embracing our collective strengths, we are confident that we can reach new heights.   Read the full article to learn more about our initiatives, growth ambitions and what sets us apart (the article is in Danish and behind payment wall): https://lnkd.in/d6etQTC7   #Leadership #Growth #Inclusion #GoGlobal

We're thrilled to announce that we have assisted the founders and other shareholders of Criipto on its sale to BankID BankAxept AS. Criipto is specializing in secure user authentication and digital signature solutions using electronic identities (eIDs). Criipto offers MitID in Denmark as well as a range of European eIDs, including BankID in Sweden and Norway, Trust Network (FTN) in Finland and Itsme in Belgium. BankID is the Norwegian personal electronic identification system, used for identification and signing. BankID BankAxept is owned by Norwegian banks. This transaction represents an exciting opportunity for both companies and marks a significant milestone for Criipto on its international growth journey. Bird & Bird has worked closely with Criipto since it was an early-stage startup, which showcases Bird & Bird’s capacity to support businesses throughout their entire lifecycle and ability to handle disruptive technology transactions. The Bird & Bird team was led by partners Martin von Haller Groenbaek (Tech Startups) and Mette Mernø Hans Jakobsen (Corporate and M&A) with support from associate Kristoffer Saceanu Saugman (Corporate and M&A) and associate Magnus Holm Pedersen (Corporate and M&A). “The Bird & Bird team was instrumental in the sale of Criipto to BankID BankAxept AS. Their support since our early-stage startup days has been invaluable, and the quality of their work, accessibility, and excellent communication played a key role in the successful transaction. I am happy to continue our partnership with Bird & Bird as we continue to scale our company under new ownership!”, says Niels Flensted-Jensen, founder and CEO of Criipto. #corporatelaw #mergersandacquisitions #goglobal #twobirds

Exciting news from the food and beverage industry! We are delighted to share that Bird & Bird has successfully advised UK based T. Tazaki & Company on its acquisition of 100% of the shares in Agrica Ab, a family-owned business based in Porvoo, Finland, specialising in food wholesale. This acquisition is part of Tazaki’s strategy to significantly expand its market presence in Finland and the broader Northern European region. Tazaki is the leading importer, developer and distributor of Japanese food and drinks in the UK and Europe. Bird & Bird’s dedicated team for this transaction included Maria Carlsson (corporate), Iina-Mari Supperi (corporate), Ville Alahuhta (tax), Tomi Luukkainen (employment), Matias Vikström (tax), Esa Airola (employment), Juhani Vuento (corporate), Rondy Stenman (corporate), Niilo Salminen (commercial), Elina Kaartinen (Isokangas) (tax), Jennika Sucksdorff (intellectual property), Anna-Kaisa Mäenpää (finance) and Maria Karpathakis (competition law).  #twobirds #dealnews #mergersandacquisitions #foodandbeverage

Let’s turn your ESG challenges into opportunities! At Bird & Bird, we are dedicated to helping our clients navigate the complex landscape of ESG regulations. Our expertise spans across key directives and tools, ensuring our clients are not only compliant but also strategically positioned to leverage ESG for sustainable growth.    How can we help you meet your organisation’s ESG goals? The implementation of ESG principles is clearly reflected in the advice we provide to our clients, including   🌍 Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) - Enhancing corporate transparency, the CSRD requires companies to disclose information on their environmental and social impacts. We help our clients integrate these requirements into their reporting processes, ensuring they meet regulatory standards and stakeholder expectations.   🌍 Pay Transparency Directive - Aiming to ensure equal pay for equal work or work of equal value, Pay transparency Directive a key ESG trend in labour law right now. We continuously monitor its national implementation, providing our clients with up-to-date advice to maintain compliance and promote fair workplace practices.   🌍 ESG Navigator - Our ESG Navigator tool offers a clear and concise overview of the regulatory landscape, providing actionable insights to help you navigate ESG challenges effectively.   For a deeper dive into our ESG offerings and related topics, check out the links we’ve provided in the comments. If you have any questions about ESG, feel free to reach out to our Nordic ESG experts, including Casper Moltke-Leth, Laura Huomo, Iina-Mari Supperi, Teea Kemppinen, and Ariana Sohrabi.

Ciao a tutti! 👋 Our Nordic Competition team just got back from an incredible retreat in Milan, Italy with the Global Competition Group. Three days of strategic discussions, creative brainstorming, and a whole lot of team bonding, all set in the breathtaking Villa Gallarati Scotti. It was the perfect mix of work and inspiration - now they’re back with renewed energy and a wealth of ideas to drive excellence in competition law. If you need expert guidance on competition matters, our A-team is here to support you with unparalleled expertise and dedication! 📸 Who knew competition law could look this good? 😎 Katia Duncker Nanna Sofie Krabbe Petteri Metsä-Tokila Morten Nissen Maria Karpathakis Alexander Brøchner We are also super happy that the latest addition to our expanding team, Stefan Brkić, could join us in Italy to meet his new international colleagues. Stefan joins Bird & Bird on 1 November and we are all very excited to welcome him to the nest.  #TwoBirds #CompetitionLaw #NordicTeam #Retreat #LegalExcellence

As the weather outside is... well bad, we wanted to cheer up our Friday with a cheerful post. 🌞 We are more than happy to share that our Tax teams in Finland and Sweden have been highly recognized in the ITR World Tax 2024 edition, showcasing our full-service corporate tax capabilities across the region. A special shoutout to Ville Alahuhta, Staffan Andersson, Inari Marttila, Carl-Magnus Uggla, and Matias Vikström for your personal rankings. Way to go, team! 🙌🔥 ITR World Tax is a comprehensive guide that assesses the most proficient tax practitioners and firms across the globe. #twobirds #tax #nordics #legalexcellence

We are proud to announce that our dispute resolution experts Søren Narv Pedersen and Alexander Bastkær Stangerup recently won a multimillion-dollar international arbitration case on behalf of Aalborg Forsyning, proving that sanctions against Russia are being enforced. The case is particularly important as it is one of the first cases concerning the enforcement of the sanctions against Russia after the sanctions rules came into force. The decision also means that other companies and public authorities can feel confident that the sanctions regime is working as intended. The international arbitration tribunal ruled that Aalborg Forsyning was justified in cancelling the supply of coal from the Russian coal company as a result of EU sanctions against Russia. Congratulations to Aalborg Forsyning and to our dedicated Bird & Bird team. #disputeresolution #twobirds #goglobal

Our Energy Practice is buzzing with activity! ⚡️🔋 Our Head of Energy, Laura Huomo has been electrifying the industry with her insights and expertise across the world.   Last week, Laura represented us at Gastech 2024 in Houston, Texas, sparking conversations about the future of energy at one of the largest global exhibitions and conferences. Gastech is a key event focusing on natural gas, LNG, hydrogen, and low-carbon solutions. Just yesterday, she lit up the stage at Vetypäivä, organized by Edita, to discuss the latest trends in hydrogen technology. Hydrogen is becoming a game-changer in the global energy transition, and Laura is at the forefront fueling these conversations. And the journey continues! In just a couple of weeks, Laura will join forces with Peter Willis from our London office in Brussels. Together, they will address key issues related to REMIT (Regulation on Wholesale Energy Market Integrity and Transparency). This conference will bring together policymakers and industry experts to discuss regulatory developments and their impact on the energy market. If you want to learn more about how we can help you navigate the complexities of the energy sector, don’t hesitate to reach out to Laura and her team! #twobirds #Energy #Gastech2024 #Vetypäivä #Hydrogen #REMIT #EnergyTransition