George Rigo

George Rigo is an M&A lawyer, based in Orrick’s Paris office. Specializing in corporate law, he is devoted to advising European and Asian industrial groups and holding companies on their mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures, notably in the sectors of energy, food and car manufacturing, and services.

• Engagements

  George's recent engagements include:

  • Impax on the sale of windfarm Frenoy to BKW France SAS. 
    
  • EOS Holding on the acquisition of several windfarms in France.
  • Nord LB on the financing for the construction of a windfarm in France.
  • Soprema, a French leader of waterproofing, insulation and vegetated systems, on its acquisition of Eternit Flachdach via Adexsi to Eternit.
  • Johnson Controls, a company engaged in the business of building efficiency, automotive experience, and power solutions businesses worldwide, in its joint venture with Hitachi Ltd which will specialize in heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration products. With approximately 13,800 employees and 24 manufacturing plants around the world, the joint venture will build on the technology know-how, research and development leadership of both companies, as well as their expanding marketing channels.
  • Naturex, the global leader in specialty plant-based natural ingredients, on its capital increase for a total gross amount over 67 million euros. The purpose of the issue was principally to finance the acquisition of Vegetable Juices Inc.
  • Biostime, a Chinese company listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange regarding the signature of an industrial and commercial cooperation agreement with the French dairy Cooperative Isigny Sainte-Mère. Biostime, already a client of the Cooperative for 2 years, invested €17.5 million in non-convertible bonds and €2.5 million in capital (representing 20% of the Cooperative’s capital).
  • Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation in the acquisition of the Compounds activities of Tessenderlo Group, a worldwide specialty company, focused on food, agriculture, water management and on valorizing bio-residuals. The sale comprised four production sites in France, Poland and China and one R&D site in Belgium.
  • U-SHIN Ltd., one of Asia's largest producers of automotive access mechanisms, in negotiations regarding the acquisition of Valeo S.A.'s, Access Mechanism Product Group, a branch dedicated mainly to automobile parts such as locksets, steering column locks, latches and handles for an amount of €202 million.
  • Nippon Soda Co., Ltd., a Japanese listed company, in connection with the purchase of 100% of the share capital of Métaux Spéciaux SA (MSSA), the world leader in metallic sodium production and the sole European-based player on the market.
  • Vivendi S.A. in connection to the sale of 51 percent of Polska Telefonia Cyfrowa Sp. z.o.o. by Vivendi and its Polish partner Elektrim SA to Deutsche Telekom AG and the settlement of all outstanding litigation worldwide between the parties.
  • Naturex SA, whose shares are listed on Euronext Paris SA, as part of the acquisition of the "Ingredients" Division of the Spanish Natraceutical Group, a leader in the market of biotechnologies in Spain, listed on the Madrid stock exchange. From a legal standpoint, this transaction represented the first issuance of listed preferred shares.