Labor, Employment & Pensions

Hamburg, 13.09.2024 – The energy company VPI, which is backed by the largest independent energy trader in the world, Vitol, intends to invest up to 450 million euros in battery projects in Germany over the next three to five years. The company already owns energy plants in the UK and Ireland. The announced project, which is planned as a joint venture with the energy storage company Quantitas Energy, is VPI's first investment in Germany. VPI will hold a majority stake in the joint venture. The investment will be used to develop a battery storage capacity of 500 megawatts over the next three to five years, particularly in north-eastern Germany. Currently, ten projects are planned, most will have a capacity of ca. 60 megawatts.A CMS team headed by Dr Holger Kraft advised VPI on all legal aspects of this joint venture. Dr Kraft's team regularly advises on large transactions in the energy sector. CMS Germany Dr. Holger Kraft, Lead Partner Matthias Sethmann, Principal Counsel Dr. Christoph Löffler, Counsel Dr. Stefan Kühl, Senior Associate, all Corporate/M&A Dr. Christian Scherer, Part­ner Gwen­dolyn Heinzke, Senior Associate, both Public Dr. Hans Fabian Kiderlen, Principal Coun­sel Stephanie Schulz, Legal Coordinator, both Real Estate Dr. Philipp Nonnenmühlen, Counsel, Labor, Employment & Pensions Joel Coché, Associate, Com­mer­cial Shaghayegh Smousavi, Partner, Energy Law CMS Norway Dag Thomas Hansson, Partner Ida Johanne Bohmann, Senior LawyerPress Con­tact presse@cms-hs. com

Harnessing employment and pension law to navigate the new world of work The world of employment law and human resources has undergone some seismic changes over the past couple of years – some caused...

As of September 3, 2024The introduction of short-time working is an important tool for protecting jobs, particularly in times of crisis. This was especially evident recently during the Covid pandemic. It may also become necessary for employers to introduce short-time working in the absence of such exceptional circumstances. Statutory requirements must always be observed when doing so. The section below provides answers to key questions around the introduction of short-time working.

30.08.2024 - The Deutsche Leasing Group and Berliner Sparkasse are expanding the shareholder structure of their S-Kreditpartner (SKP) joint venture and thereby reorganising the consumer credit business within the Sparkassen savings banks association. The company formed for this purpose, Spar­kassen-Ver­bundgesell­schaft (SKP-VG), will be admitted as the third shareholder by the end of 2024. After the transaction has completed, Deutsche Leasing and Berliner Sparkasse will each hold 40% of SKP, with SKP-VG holding the remaining 20%. The aim of the reorganisation is to bolster SKP’s business model as a specialist for car loans and consumer credit. At the start of August 2024, the Deutsche Leasing Group took over wholesale financing for recreational vehicles from SKP, an operation which is worth a total of around EUR 650 million. This will enable SKP to continue focusing on its core business with private customers, while Deutsche Leasing is strengthening its expertise in inventory financing.A CMS team headed by Prof. Björn Gaul and Dr Dirk Jannott advised the Deutsche Leasing Group on all aspects of the deal. This included both the transfer of the wholesale financing business through a complex carve-out of the associated part of the organisation and the increase in Deutsche Leasing Group’s stake in SKP by way of a share deal. CMS Germany Prof. Björn Gaul, Lead Partner, Employment Dr Dirk Jannott, Lead Partner, Corporate Thomas Gerdel, Partner, Tax Dr Andreas Hofelich, Partner, Occupational Pensions Dr Rolf Hempel, Partner, Antitrust Dr Martin Friedberg, Partner, Tax Artur Baron, Counsel, Corporate Martin Michael Breuer, Counsel, Employment Dr Mario Brungs, Counsel, Occupational Pensions Till Komma, Counsel, Bank Reg­u­la­tion Mor­itz Gerstmayr, Counsel, Bank Reg­u­la­tion Mar­tin Cholewa, Counsel, An­ti­trust Flori­an Mantel, Associate, Bank Reg­u­la­tion An­nalena Drabas, Associate, TaxPress Con­tact presse@cms-hs. com

Stuttgart – Munich-based private equity firm VTC GmbH & Co. KG has acquired a majority stake in Hürner Luft- und Umwelttechnik GmbH. Headquartered in Mücke-Atzenhain (Hesse), Hürner is a leading manufacturer of plastic fans and a provider of air supply and exhaust systems together with related equipment, with a focus on the industrial process air segment. Clama Holding is retaining a shareholding in Hürner Luft- und Umwelttechnik. By entering into this partnership, Clama Holding and VTC are aiming to drive forward further expansion of Hürner Luft- und Umwelttechnik GmbH. Details of the transaction were not disclosed.A CMS team headed by Dr Claus-Peter Fabian advised Clama Holding GmbH and its management on all legal aspects. CMS Germany Dr Claus-Peter Fabian, Lead Part­ner Kath­ar­ina Ivic, Senior As­so­ci­ate Ver­o­nique Ulmann, Associate, all Corporate/M&A Dr Martin Mohr, Partner, Tax Dr Christian Haellmigk, Partner Malena Hansen, Senior Associate, both Antitrust, Competition & Trade Dr Michael Rein, Principal Counsel, Labor, Employment & Pensions Lukas Potstada, Counsel Tamara Bux, Associate, both Real Estate & PublicPress Con­tact presse@cms-hs. com

1. Please describe whether there is any legal regulation (laws or collective bargaining agreements) or other measures in this jurisdiction which prohibit sexual harassment in the workplace, and since...

Frankfurt/Main, 22.07.2024 – Ichigo and GIGA. GREEN have announced that Ichigo has acquired a minority stake of 24.39% in GIGA. GREEN. GIGA. GREEN designs, develops and operates commercial solar energy systems, battery storage and charging infrastructure in Germany. Ichigo is a leading Japanese sustainable infrastructure company listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Prime Market (TYO: 2337). Ichigo is dedicated to making the world more sustainable and inter alia operates 64 solar and wind power plants across Japan. The partnership with GIGA. GREEN underscores Ichigo's commitment to deploying its sustainable infrastructure capabilities on a global scale. A CMS team led by partner Dr Oliver Wolfgramm and a team from Nishimura & Asahi headed by partner Sadayuki Matsudaira advised Ichigo on all legal aspects of Ichigo's first acquisition in Europe. CMS Germany Dr Oliver Wolfgramm, Lead Partner Dr Matthias Löhle, Counsel Luca Eckrich, Associate, all Corporate/M&A Dr Carolin Armbruster, Partner Dr Antje Becker-Boley, Partner  Timo Jan Peter Berenz, Associate, all Corporate/M&A Energy Anastasia Shelestova, Senior Associate, Commercial Dr Stefan Voss, Partner Lukas Potstada, Counsel, both Real Estate & Public Yvonne Wolfgramm, Partner Laura Matarrelli, Counsel, both Employment & Pensions Dr André Frischemeier, Part­ner Lea-Mar­ina Nebenführ, Associate, both Banking & Finance Stefan Lehr, Partner, Antitrust, Competition & Trade Nishimura & Asahi Sadayuki Matsudaira, Lead Partner Dominik Kruse, Partner Bonso Morimoto, Associate Sayo Eto, As­so­ci­ate Max­imili­an Lentz, Associate Miriam Steinke, AssociatePress Con­tact presse@cms-hs. com

Stuttgart, 02.07.2024 – Neckarsulm-based Bechtle AG has acquired Italian company Magnetic Media Network S.p.A. (MMN), which has its headquarters in Trezzo sull’Adda near Milan and operates another location in Roncade near Venice. Established in 1989, MMN describes itself as one of the leading IT solutions providers in Italy. The firm has around 100 employees and generated sales of some EUR 68.6 million in the 2022/23 financial year. The acquisition will enable Bechtle to significantly strengthen its position in the Italian market while also expanding its European partnership with Apple. Further details of the transaction were not disclosed.A German-Italian CMS team headed by lead partner Dr Tobias Schneider advised Bechtle AG on all legal aspects of the acquisition. MDAX and TecDAX-listed IT group Bechtle is a longstanding CMS client and regularly relies on the expertise of teams led by CMS partner Schneider. Previous work by CMS for Bechtle includes advising on its recent expansion in the Netherlands by acquiring Fondo ICT Professionals B.V., a specialist in VMware and software, and in France through buying IT solutions provider Apixit S.A.S. CMS Germany Dr Tobias Schneider, Lead Partner, Corporate/M&A CMS Italy Dietmar Zischg, Lead Partner Italy Alessandro Sassone, Senior Associate, both Corporate/M&A Federico Raffaelli, Partner Lorenzo Serena, Senior Associate, both Tax Alessandra Boati, Counsel, Em­ploy­ment Cristina Melentieva, Senior Associate, Real EstatePress Con­tact presse@cms-hs. com

The Krone Group has announced that it has taken a stake in the Schwarzmüller Group and is entering into an industrial partnership in the European commercial vehicle industry. It was advised in this context by an international team from commercial law firm CMS.

Berlin, 20.06.2024 – Haufe Group SE, a leading B2B provider of integrated business and workplace solutions, has entered into an agreement to sell all the shares in Haufe-Lexware Real Estate AG to Aareon, a market leader in SaaS solutions for the property industry. The aim of the acquisition is to transfer Haufe-Lexware Real Estate AG’s existing ERP software solutions for the property and housing sector to the Aareon Group’s product portfolio. Completion of the deal is expected at the end of June 2024.A CMS team headed by partners Jesko Nobiling and Dr Jörg Zätzsch advised Haufe Group on all legal and tax aspects of the transaction. Haufe Group regularly relies on advice from teams headed by the two CMS partners. Recent examples include the sale of its Umantis talent management business to Swiss software company Abacus Research AG and the sale of tax return start-up Steuerbot GmbH to Taxfix SE. CMS Germany Dr Jörg Zätzsch, Lead Partner, Corporate/M&A Jesko Nobiling, Lead Partner, Tax Dr Karsten Heider, Partner Dr Friedrich von Spee, Counsel Dr Kevin Schmidt, Senior As­so­ci­ate Madeline Göbel, Senior Associate Dr Maximilian Koch, Senior Associate Dr Sven Möller, Associate Nadine Fröhlich, Project Manager, all Corporate/M&A Mariya Ivanova, Senior As­so­ci­ate Al­ex­an­der Selentin, Associate, both Tax Dr Alexandra Otto, Partner Patricia Jares, Principal Counsel, both Labor, Employment & Pensions Dr Ole Jani, Partner Dr Huy Do Chi, Counsel, both IP Dr Rolf Hempel, Partner Martin Cholewa, Counsel, both Antitrust, Competition & Trade Prof. Malte Grützmacher, Partner Julia Bald, Associate, both TMC Dr Mirko Zorn, Principal Counsel, Real Estate & Public Birgit Wagner, Smart OperationsPress Con­tact presse@cms-hs. com

Frankfurt/Main – The STAR IV Fund, which is advised by STAR Capital Partnership LLP, has acquired a majority stake in nextbike GmbH from Tier Mobility SE. nextbike is a leading developer and provider of innovative urban bike sharing solutions in Europe. STAR Capital is investing in nextbike alongside the management team. An international CMS team headed by lead partner Markus Herz advised STAR Capital on all legal aspects of the transaction. CMS Germany was supported by other CMS offices, including those in Spain, Poland, Sweden and Austria. Founded in 2004 and headquartered in Leipzig, nextbike provides public bike sharing schemes on behalf of transport authorities, cities and public institutions. The global company is currently active in more than 300 cities with a deployed fleet of around 115,000 bicycles. London-based STAR Capital Partnership LLP is a private equity firm investing in companies and assets with enterprise value between EUR 50 million and EUR 1 billion. CMS Germany Markus Herz, Lead Partner Dr Tobias Kilian, Of Counsel Dominik von Zehmen, Counsel Hanno Brandt, Senior Associate Lorenz Liebsch, Senior Associate, all Corporate/M&A Dr Boris Alles, Partner Dela Herr, Senior Associate, both Labor, Employment & Pensions  Dr Markus Pfaff, Partner Hatice Akyel, Counsel Till Komma, Counsel, all Banking & Finance Dr Thomas Hirse, Partner Thomas Fröhlich, Coun­sel Se­basti­an Vautz, Senior Associate Lisa Dietrich, Associate, all IP Philippe Heinzke, Partner Sara Kapur, Associate, both TMC Julian Buhr, Legal Co­ordin­at­or Con­rad Gräwe, Legal Coordinator, both Smart Operations CMS Austria Florian Mayer, Partner Stefan Paulmayer, Partner Rebecca Herlitz, Associate CMS Poland Błażej Zagórski, Partner Piotr Stenko, Counsel Dr Magdalena Zmyslowska, Coun­sel Mag­dalena Piszewska, Senior As­so­ci­ate Krzysztof Sikora, Senior As­so­ci­ate Łukasz Duchiński, As­so­ci­ate Se­basti­an Łyś, As­so­ci­ate Wer­onika Burek CMS Spain Elena Alcázar Cuartero Jose Luis Díez Martín Ale­jandra Martin Benitez Paula Espinosa Montalbán Juan Moreno Alfonso Codes Calatrava CMS Sweden Henrik Aurelius, Counsel Noah Taha, AssociatePress Con­tact presse@cms-hs. com