Linklaters secures Swedish govt panel place for privatisation bonanza

Linklaters has won a place as the only foreign firm on the Swedish government's new seven-firm legal panel, just as a wave of privatisations nears in the country.

The government's panel comprises Cederquist, Delphi & Co, Linklaters, Mannheimer Swartling, Setterwalls, Vinge and Wistrand.

The tender process began last year and firms submitted their offers in mid-January to be told about the appointments at the start of March.

The government is looking to sell six national companies, including mobile communications company TeliaSonera, Nordea Bank, the OMX stock exchanges and alcoholic drinks producer Vin & Spirit, which owns the Absolut vodka brand.

Linklaters corporate head in Stockholm Peter Högström said: "The parliamentary processes are in motion for the sell-off. We have our fingers crossed and look forward to working on them."

Linklaters is the only foreign firm on the roster and is also the only firm not to have tendered for general work.

Högström said: "We've only been appointed for corporate work, meaning divestments and acquisitions. We're the only ones that didn't quote for the more general work.

"We felt better placed to do the larger work."

The other six firms will handle a mixture of day-to-day commercial and advisory work and corporate transactions.

Other companies to have been discussed in the wave of sell-offs include train maintenance company EuroMaint, energy company Vattenfall and gaming company Svenska Spel.

The panel arrangements are due to expire at the end of March 2009.