A&O and Hogan Lovells lead as SABMiller goes hostile on Foster's

SABMiller instructed A&O in Australia and Hogan Lovells in the UK on the A$9.5bn (£6.1bn) offer, which was originally launched two months ago and morphed into a hostile bid after the world’s second-largest brewer by sales failed to lure the target. It today announced its intention to put the bid directly to shareholders of Foster’s.

A&O corporate partner Aaron Kenavan has held on to the role as lead partner for SABMiller, assisted by antitrust partner Dave Poddar, corporate Michael Parshall and banking partner Adam Stapledon. All four are based in Sydney.

Corporate partner Andrew Pearson is leading the Hogan Lovells team in London advising SABMiller. Banking partner Penny Angell is advising on the debt financing and partner Lesley Ainsworth on the competition aspects.

Hogan Lovells enjoys a longstanding relationship to SABMiller. John Davidson, SABMiller’s general counsel, formerly advised the brewer as a Lovells partner and moved in-house to the client in 2006, four years before the firm’s merger with US outfit Hogan & Hartson.

Foster’s has turned to Australian firm Allens Arthur Robinson.