Orrick Advises PHOENIX CONTACT on Growth Financing of Canadian Network Provider iS5 Communications

March.29.2018

PHOENIX CONTACT Innovation Ventures completed a growth financing round in iS5 communications Inc. as lead investor in a 12-member consortium.

Based in Ontario, Canada, iS5 Communications is a global provider of components for industrial networks. Their latest product line, through a combination of hardware and a software platform, takes account of the fact that increasing cyber threats demand greater security for industrial communications.

PHOENIX CONTACT Innovation Ventures is the corporate venture capital arm of Germany’s PHOENIX CONTACT Group, a global manufacturer and supplier of components and systems for electrical connection and industrial automation technology.

PHOENIX CONTACT Innovation Ventures was advised by Düsseldorf-based corporate partner Sven Greulich, who previously advised PHOENIX CONTACT on an add-on acquisition of a European scale-up in the tech sector in the summer of 2017. On the iS5 investment, Sven was assisted by London-based partner Shawn Atkinson and a team from the Canadian M&A boutique law firm AMS Allen McDonald Swartz LLP.

Related Lawyers

Dr. Sven Greulich, LL.M. (Cantuar), EMBA Partner, Mergers & Acquisitions, Technology Companies Group

Düsseldorf

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Practice:

Technology & Innovation Sector
Mergers & Acquisitions
Technology Companies Group

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Dr. Sven Greulich, LL.M. (Cantuar), EMBA Partner

Düsseldorf

Sven advises technology companies on complex cross-border mergers and acquisitions, and venture capital as well as growth investments, and provides general corporate counseling.

His clients include technology companies of all stages and their investors. Supported by a global and cross-practice team, he also counsels major corporations and scale-ups on international expansion and growth projects and has a special focus on in- and outbound German/US investments and joint ventures.

Sven is passionate about building a bridge for his clients from Germany to the US and other international technology hubs and to help them succeed in the international market. With a dual background in business and law, an entrepreneurial spirit, and experience in over 200 M&A transactions and financing rounds across many industries, Sven has a unique perspective, which inspires him to find the best strategic and commercially viable solution for his clients.

Sven volunteers with entrepreneur groups at the WHU Otto Beisheim School of Management and the RWTH Aachen and regularly lectures at the WHU and the RWTH incubation and innovation centers on venture capital financings, start-up growth and corporate venture capital.

Sven's work has been repeatedly awarded, inter alia

the leading German market publication JUVE ranks him as "frequently recommended for M&A, PE and corporate advice. Since 2019, JUVE ranks Sven as one of Germany's top 15 attorneys for venture capital (the highest recognition for this category awarded by JUVE);
Legal500 recommends Sven in its 2023 ranking for "mid-sized international Corporate M&A deals (€100m-€500m)" and venture capital and lists him as an exceptional practitioner for venture capital;
Chambers recommends Sven for M&A as well as venture capital and lists him as an exceptional practitioner (2023);
Best Lawyers and Handelsblatt recommend him as top lawyer for M&A transactions (2023); and
in the 2017 edition of its Innovative Lawyers Report Europe, the Financial Times named Sven's work to connect start-ups with Germany's Mittelstand (mid-sized companies) a standout “for making bridges between Silicon Valley and Germany”.

Shawn Atkinson Partner, Mergers & Acquisitions, Technology Companies Group

London

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D:+44 20 7862 4715
E: [email protected]

Practice:

Technology & Innovation Sector
Mergers & Acquisitions
Technology Companies Group
Fintech

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Shawn Atkinson Partner

London

In addition to sheer volume of deals, Shawn's incomparable market insight stems from his leadership roles at Orrick, the only global firm focused on technology, and his experience working throughout the UK & Europe, North America and Asia. Shawn leads Orrick's London Corporate practice, its Global Emerging Markets practice and co-leads the Global Fintech team and the Global Technology Companies Practice Group. These complement his practice serving public and private companies in UK multi-jurisdictional and complex corporate transactions, including countless acquisitions and disposals, cross-border mergers, bankruptcy infused asset sales, recapitalisations and reorganisations. He is also a recognised leader in late stage venture transactions and in early stage private equity transactions in Europe and the emerging markets.

Shawn also advises early stage businesses across a number of sectors – including insurtech, Fintech, Crypto, SaaS, EdTech, HRTech, Marketplace and EnergyTech. He assists them from incorporation through to M&A exit, initial public offerings and other growth opportunities. His participation in the private equity and venture capital sector spans his entire career - with time spent in private practice, in-house and advising investors as well as investor-backed businesses-and affords him a deep knowledge and understanding of the industry and client needs and expectations.

Among the leading investment funds he has represented are ABN Amro Ventures, Acton Capital Partners, ABRY Partners, Accel Partners, Apax Partners, Bain Capital, Balderton Capital, Battery Ventures, Beringea, Bessemer Venture Partners, Black Pearls VC, Black Sheep Ventures, BMWi Ventures, Coatue Management, Columbia Capital, CommerzVentures, Evolvence, FTV Capital, Golden Gate Capital, Stepstone Group, Headway Capital Partners, Innova Capital, Kinnevik, KPS Capital Partners, Marlin Equity Partners, Mangrove Capital Partners, M/C Partners, One Peak, Oxx, Pearson Ventures, Piper Private Equity, Piton Capital, Salesforce Ventures, Sprints Capital, Summit Partners, Updata Partners, VNV Global and VEF.

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