John Lewis purchases the UK arm of internet retailer buy.com. John Lewis represented by Lovells (Frances Le Grys). Financial adviser Lazards. Buy.com represented by Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer (Neil Radford).
Unilever sells its sauce business to Campbell Soup Company for £633m. Unilever advised by Slaughter and May (Gary Eborn). Financial adviser Goldman Sachs. Campbell Soup Company represented by Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer (Martin Taylor). Financial adviser Merrill Lynch.
Nightfreight undergoes a management buyout by newco Ewenny backed by Barclays Private Equity. Nightfreight advised by DLA (Richard Paton). Financial adviser Arthur Andersen Corporate Finance. Ewenny advised by Hammond Suddards Edge (Roger Birchall) and Travers Smith Braithwaite (Chris Hale). Financial adviser PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Corporate Finance. Accountants PwC.
Debswana Diamond Company, a joint venture between De Beers and the Government of Botswana, in talks with a consortium that includes Central Holdings and Anglo American to take De Beers private in a deal worth £16bn. Debswana Diamond Company represented by Ashurst Morris Crisp (Geoffrey Green). Central Holdings advised by Maitland & Co and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer. Anglo American advised by Linklaters & Alliance.
McDonald's Corporation acquires a minority interest in Pret A Manger. McDonald's advised by Reed Smith Warner Cranston (Peter Borrowdale). Allen & Overy acted on competition matters, while Slaughter and May advised on tax. Pret A Manger represented by DLA.
