Heuking Kühn Lüer Wojtek advises on acquisition of majority holding in WAZ Media Group: Petra Grotkamp acquires majority stake

Petra Grotkamp acquired 50 percent of the shares in the WAZ Media Group companies. The contract was signed on January 23, 2012. Using a fully-owned special purpose acquisition company, she acquired the shares at a price of EUR 500 million from the Brost family. Jointly with the 16.66 percent stake that she already directly or indirectly holds, Petra Grotkamp now controls 66.66 percent of the shares in WAZ Media Group.The Federal Cartel Office has already approved the transaction. The acquisition takes effect retroactively as per December 31, 2011. It is expected to close on January 31, 2012.Petra Grotkamp retained tax advisors RLT Ruhrmann Wüller & Partner and in legal matters was advised by Heuking Kühn Lüer Wojtek. In acquiring the majority stake in WAZ Media Group, Petra Grotkamp retained Rothschild and UniCredit Bank. Rothschild also advised Ms. Grotkamp in negotiations with the lenders.UniCredit Bank assists in financing structuring. Financing banks are UniCredit Bank, Bayerische Landesbank and Deutsche Bank.

Counsel to Grotkamp: 
Heuking Kühn Lüer Wojtek, Düsseldorf
Dr. Andreas Urban (Lead), Dr. Roland Reichert und Dr. Thilo Fleck (M&A), 
Dr. Rainer Velte (Antitrust Law), Dr. Vincenz Bödeker (Financing)