Home / People / Arnaud Van Oekel
Portrait ofArnaud Van Oekel

Arnaud Van Oekel

Partner

CMS DeBacker
Chaussée de La Hulpe 178
1170 Brussels
Belgium
Languages French, Dutch, English

Arnaud is a key member of the firm’s M&A practice. He has wide experience in handling domestic and cross-border M&A and private equity deals and advising on corporate structuring and financing issues.

Arnaud also acts for major banking institutions in a wide range of matters, especially in connection with financing (acquisition finance, corporate and asset finance) and debt restructuring.

more less

"Arnaud Van Oekel is an excellent lawyer, down-to-earth communicator with a lot of common sense and a real dealmaker attitude.."

Feedback from a client, Legal 500, 2024

"I worked several times with Arnaud Van Oekel. Very good balance between nice people and highly professional and available. very good value for price. I would highly recommend."

Feedback from a client - Legal 500, 2023

"He was highly dedicated, very pragmatic and smart his its approach to the deal."

Feedback from a client, Legal 500, 2022

"Arnaud Van Oekel is an excellent M&A lawyer."

Feedback from a client, Legal 500, 2022

Relevant experience

  • Assisting Société Générale in connection with the sale to ABN AMRO of its wealth management and private banking activities in Belgium
  • Assisting French group Boulanger in connection with acquisition of Krëfel group, the domestic and electrical appliances retailer active in both Belgium and Luxembourg 
  • Assisting Proximus in connection with the strategic partnership entered into with Eurofiber, regarding the rolling out of the extensive fiber network in Wallonia 
  • Assisting Biogroup, one of the French leaders in laboratory services and medical diagnostics, in connection with the acquisition of CMA Medina Group, leading laboratory services provider in Flanders
  • Assisting the logistic division of SNCF Group in the acquisition of Railtraxx group, an independant Belgian railway group companies operating freight transport throughout Europe
  • Assisting Houston-based Excelerate Energy in the acquisition from Exmar of Belgian LNG gas-carrier vessel companies 
more less

Publications

  • A. VAN OEKEL & M. VAN DER STEGEN, “SRL ou SA, comment choisir le statut de ma société ?” in L’Écho, 27/04/2019.
  • A. VAN OEKEL & M. VAN DER STEGEN, “Een zaak starten? De bv wordt de nieuwe standaard” in De Tijd, 27/04/2019.
  • A. VAN OEKEL, V. DIRCKX & D. PRYNC, “EU Overview: 2015 M&A European market at a glance” published in the 2016 edition of “Getting the Deal Through: Mergers & Acquisitions”.
  • A. VAN OEKEL & B. VANDERVELDE, “La conversion de dette en capital: un remède dans le cadre des restructurations de crédits” in Droit Bancaire et Financer, 2009/06, p. 328.
more less

Education

  • 2000 - Bar admission
  • 2000 - Université Libre de Bruxelles, ULB - Belgium (Law Degree)
more less
18/12/2017
10 questions about the new Belgian security interests regime
The reform of the legal framework of security interests over movable assets was seen as long overdue. The transition from the previous system, based on the dispossession of the pledged assets, to a new...

Feed

12/09/2024
Back in Gear: CMS European M&A Outlook 2025
Nearly two-thirds of survey respondents expect European M&A to increase over the next 12 months, either somewhat (45%) or significantly (20%), a major reversal from last year’s study when only 3% forecast...
19/06/2024
CMS advised the shareholders of PharmaPets on the sale of their company...
CMS advised the shareholders of Belgium’s largest online pet pharmacy, PharmaPets, in the sale of the company to the country’s leading pet shop chain Tom&Co. The shareholders were the founders of...
18/04/2024
Renewable energy in Belgium
1. Introduction 39.2% of the energy consumed in Belgium in 2022 came from renewable sources. Wind farms (half of which offshore) represented roughly 50% of the renewable energy production, hydroelectric...
21/03/2024
CMS European M&A Study 2024
CMS has announced the findings of the 16th edition of the CMS European M&A Study 2024, offering an in-depth analysis of the mergers and acquisitions landscape based on transactions CMS advised on. The...
04/03/2024
Aircraft finance and leasing in Belgium
Information current as of February 2020 1. Proposed transaction structure 1.1 The Aircraft will be purchased by the Owner and leased on an operating lease basis to the Airline pursuant to the Lease.  Is...
11/10/2023
CMS Belgium advised the sellers group in the sale of Nanocyl to Birla Carbon
CMS Belgium successfully advised Nanocyl SA, a worldwide leader in multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT’s) based in Belgium, in the sale of its activities to Birla Carbon, one of the leading manufacturers...
06/10/2023
CMS Belgium advised Septeo on the acquisition of HRweb group
CMS Belgium successfully advised Septeo, a French portfolio company of the LSE listed HG Capital, providing software solutions for legal and real estate professionals worldwide, on the acquisition of...
13/09/2023
Turning the Corner? CMS European M&A Outlook 2024
We are pleased to share with you the 2024 edition of the European M&A Outlook, published by CMS in association with Mergermarket.
13/09/2023
Turning the corner? CMS European M&A Outlook 2024
43% of dealmakers predict a decline in European M&A activity over the next 12 months, whilst 35% foresee an increase, with private equity dealmakers displaying heightened optimism. This time last year...
29/06/2023
CMS advised Kereis in connection with the acquisition of a majority stakeholding...
CMS Belgium advised Kereis, the Europe’s largest insurance broker for specialist credit-related life insurance, backed by Bridgepoint, in connection with the acquisition of a majority stakeholding in...
07/12/2022
CMS Belgium advised Colliers on their acquisition of BelSquare
CMS Belgium advised Colliers, a global leader in diversified professional services and investment management, on the acquisition of a majority interest in the Belgian real estate advisor, BelSquare. The...
29/09/2022
Boom & Gloom? CMS European M&A Outlook 2023
We are pleased to share with you the 2023 edition of the European M&A Outlook published by CMS in association with Mergermarket.