Danes challenge CC in Nordic M&A 2005

Clifford Chance continued its domination of the M&A deals tables in the Nordic region, but only just staved off strong competition from the leading Danish firms.

In the year-end league tables provided by mergermarket, Clifford Chance pipped Danish firm Bech-Bruun by just EUR23m to top the table of completed deals by value with EUR26.045bn compared to EUR26.022bn. The magic circle firm completed two more deals than the Danish firm.

Bech-Bruun Danish rival Kromann Reumert was third in deals completed by value, with EUR22.6bn and 19 deals. International firms Linklaters, Baker & McKenzie, Clearly Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, Allen & Overy and White & Case filled positions four to 10.

Swedish giants Vinge and Mannheimer Swartling were the clear leaders on mergermarket’s league tables by volume of deals completed, with 66 and 62 deals in 2005 respectively. Vinge’s 66 deals had a value of EUR13.8bn while Mannheimer’s came in at EUR9.9bn.

Norweigan firm Thommessen Krefting Greve Lund came third with 46 completed deals at EUR5.1bn, ahead of Linklaters and White & Case with 42 and 40 deals respectively.

The Nordic region, which accounted for nine per cent of the European deals by value and 11 per cent by volume, includes Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden as well as the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Iceland.