DWS clinches India's Havell's as new client on European acquisition

Denton Wilde Sapte (DWS) beat magic circle rivals to land a lead role on the latest outgoing Indian acquisition, Havell's' $300m (£152.65m) purchase of SLI Sylvania.

Havell's financial adviser Deutsche Bank India asked DWS to pitch for the role, resulting in a new client for the firm.

Lead partner at DWS Tanya Nash said: "Obviously our pricing was a factor, but we have extensive experience of acting on Indian acquisitions abroad."

In September 2006 DWS advised ONGC Videsh on its joint acquisition of Omimex de Colombia with Chinese company Sinopec.

Havell's made a successful bid for DLA Piper client SLI Sylvania, a Frankfurt-headquartered electrical equipment company with an annual turnover of £308m. Corporate partner Bob Bishop led at DLA Piper.

SLI Sylvania has 10 manufacturing facilities across three continents, so other firms were drafted in on the deal's multi-jurisdictional aspects.

These included Amarchand & Mangaldas & Suresh A Shroff & Co in India, with which DWS normally has a referral relationship; DWS German best friend and legacy Dentons International firm Heuking Kühn Lüer Wojtek; Uría Menéndez in Spain; and Dutch firm Houthoff Buruma.

DWS's Indian strategy focuses on outbound deals for key clients. London-based senior lawyer Gauri Advani leads the India group along with corporate partner DK Singh. Both Advani and Singh are dual-qualified.