Deutsche Börse has named former Linklaters partner Michael Lappe as its next general counsel.
Lappe joins from Jomati Consultants, where he worked for over three years in the consulting and transaction business. He was a senior adviser at investment banking firm Ermgassen & Co for five years.
Prior to that, he was a partner at Linklaters for over 20 years in Germany, filling several management roles including Germany senior partner (2004-2010), co-head of the German corporate practice and a member of the global executive committee.
Lappe was behind the merger negotiations between legacy German firm Oppenhoff & Radler (O&R) and Linklaters in 2000.
Lappe will be replacing Roger Muller who is leaving the company by mutual agreement at the end of February 2018.
Muller has led Deutsche Börse’s legal team since 2003 in the role of general counsel. Prior to that, he was deputy head of equity corporate finance for private bank Hypovereinsbank for three years.
Last year,Deutsche Börse hired Linklaters to advise it on a proposed merger with the London Stock Exchange (LSE), a deal which was later scuppered by EU regulators.
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer also advised on the proposed all-share merger of equals under a new holding company on behalf of LSE.
Deutsche Börse is no stranger to combination talks, also working with Linklaters on its blocked deal with NYSE Euronext in 2011. In this case, partner Ralph Wollburg was understood to have led on negotiations.
