KYIV/LONDON - Squire Sanders has advised Group DF on its $440 million acquisition of Nadra Bank. Group DF is a private international group of companies whose interests and assets range from energy and chemicals through to financial services and real estate.

Squire Sanders advised on debt restructuring and the purchase by Centragas Holding AG, part of Group DF, of a new stock issue by Nadra Bank, which was approximately 90% of the shares for 3.5 billion Ukrainian hryvnia. Nadra Bank is Ukraine’s eleventh largest bank, which has been under the management of the National Bank of Ukraine after going into administration in 2009.

The Squire Sanders team advising Group DF was led by London corporate partner Stephen Nelson, Kyiv corporate partner Peter Teluk and senior associate Olena Bilozor.

Commenting on the deal, Peter Teluk said, “we are very happy over the last year to have again the opportunity to serve our long standing client on some of the largest deals in Ukraine. We have been involved in over USD 2.5 billion in acquisitions, intercompany restructuring and also billions worth of financing. This is in addition to assisting Group DF with multinational litigation and arbitration. We look forward to a continue serving Group DF with anticipated continued acquisitions in 2011 and 2012, both in Ukraine and abroad.”

Other deals completed over the past year by Squire Sanders for Group DF include the following chemical fertilizer acquisitions and related financings:

  • Closed Joint Stock Company “Severodonetsk Azot Association”;
  • Open Joint Stock Company “Azot”;
  • Open Joint Stock Company “Concern Stirol”; and
  • Open Join Stock Company “Rivneazot”.

ABOUT SQUIRE SANDERS HAMMONDS:
Squire Sanders Hammonds is part of the international legal practice Squire, Sanders & Dempsey, founded through the combination of Hammonds and Squire, Sanders & Dempsey L.L.P. on 1 January 2011, which operates worldwide through a number of separate legal entities. Operating as Squire Sanders Hammonds in legacy Hammonds markets and as Squire Sanders & Dempsey in other markets around the globe, Squire, Sanders & Dempsey has lawyers in 36 offices and 16 countries around the world. With one of the strongest integrated global platforms and a longstanding "one-firm firm" philosophy, Squire, Sanders & Dempsey provides seamless legal services worldwide.

CONTACT: Peter Teluk, Managing Partner, Squire Sanders Ukraine, +380.44.220.1400, peter.teluk@ssd.com;

NOTE: Squire Sanders law firm is a member of the U.S.-Ukraine Business Council (USUBC), Washington, D.C., www.USUBC.org.