Bakers and Mayer Brown advise on sale of lottery operator to Canadian pension fund
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Baker & McKenzie and Mayer Brown have hit the jackpot after landing the advisory mandates on the agreement to sell National Lottery operator Camelot to the Ontario Teacher’s Pension Plan (OTPP).
Mayer Brown acted for the group of Camelot shareholders, which include Kraft Cadbury, Fujitsu and Royal Mail. The team was led by corporate partners Jeffrey Gordon and Kate Ball-Dodd and also featured tax partners Peter Steiner and Andrew Stanger.
The US firm won the mandate on the back of a longstanding relationship with Fujitsu.
Corporate partner Charles Whitefoord and banking partner Bernard Sharp led the Bakers team advising the OTPP - one of the world’s biggest pension funds - on the £389m transaction.
The deal, which is still pending approval from the National Lottery Commission, will give the OTPP the licence to run the lottery until 2019, with an option to extend it for a further five years.
The Canadian fund saw off competition from private equity house CVC for Camelot in what Gordon described as “a very competitive auction”.
“This transaction reflects the high calibre of work that the London corporate team handles,” he added.
Allen & Overy banking partner Conrad Andersen advised the lenders, Royal Bank of Canada and Royal Bank of Scotland.
CMS Cameron McKenna advised longstanding client Camelot, with corporate partner Louise Wallace leading.
