Advising management buyout at NOBILIS GROUP

With a team led by Dr. Oliver Böttcher from the Cologne office, Heuking Kühn Lüer Wojtek advised management on the acquisition of NOBILIS Group GmbH, one of Germany’s most renowned companies for high-quality fragrance and perfume brands.
 
NOBILIS GROUP specializes in the sale of perfume brands and distributes a wide portfolio of brands including Creed, Atkinsons, Versace, Montblanc, Baldessarini, Coach, Acqua Colonia, Hollister, Karl Lagerfeld, and many other international perfume brands with development potential. It is considered a pioneer and driving force in the industry and covers the entire fragrance market, with an extensive range of premium and luxury brands, including lifestyle brands. NOBILIS GROUP has also established itself as a service partner for Bulgari Parfums and Revlon/Elizabeth Arden, among others. The company celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2018 and enjoys an excellent reputation and high recognition in the industry. Last year, it crossed the magic threshold of EUR 100 million in revenue for the first time ever.
 
Former General Manager Udo Heuser (51) and long-standing Chief Financial Officer Dr. Joachim Henseler (51) will manage the company as co-equal Managing Partners with immediate effect. Both have been personally associated with NOBILIS GROUP for a long time and stand for greatest possible continuity. They are taking over the shares from founders Thomas C. Schnitzler and Detlef Rughöft, who are leaving the operative level, joining the newly established advisory board. Their long-standing valuable industry contacts, their expertise, and their acquisition strength will therefore remain with the company on a long-term basis. The parties have agreed not to disclose the acquisition price.
 
The Heuking team advised the buyer comprehensively from structuring of the transaction to contractual documentation, closing, and financing.

Heuking Kühn Lüer Wojtek:
Dr. Oliver Böttcher (Lead),
Kristina Schneider, LL.M.,
Laura Rilinger (all Corporate/M&A), all Cologne
Dr. Guido Hoffmann, LL.M.,
Dr. Christian Appelbaum (both Financing), both Düsseldorf
Fabian G. Gaffron (Tax), Hamburg