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Helen Rodwell
Partner

Helen Rodwell

Head of Corporate and M&A

Prague, Czech Republic
Languages
  • English
Social media

Helen Rodwell is a Partner and the Head of Corporate and M&A practice at CMS Prague.

Under her leadership CMS continues to be one of the busiest M&A legal advisors in CEE. Helen has extensive experience of leading large teams on complex transactions and ensuring clients receive excellent, commercially orientated advice.

She is ranked as a Band 1 corporate lawyer both for the Czech Republic and the entire CEE region by Chambers and has advised on M&A transactions across a number of sectors, including financial services, private equity, energy, consumer products and manufacturing industries.

Relevant experience

  • A group of investors, led by Partech and including EBRD, Quadrille Capital and J&T Bank, on a EUR 190m fundraising for Rohlik.cz, one of Europe’s leading online grocery businesses. 
  • Zentiva, an Advent International portfolio company, on its acquisition of the CEE business of global generic and over-the-counter (OTC) pharmaceuticals manufacturer Alvogen. 
  • TPG on the acquisition of the Vector Parks Logistics Centres in Slovakia and Czech Republic from Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets (MIRA). 
  • Cube Infrastructure on the investment into a fibre-to-the-home (FTTH), open-access networks for residential, business and public administration in selected areas of the Czech Republic currently under-served by high speed internet networks.
  • The shareholders in Kiwi.com, one of the most rapidly growing technology companies worldwide, on the sale of a majority stake in the company to General Atlantic.
  • PPF, the Czech-based financial group, on the acquisition, together with Sabanci Holding, of the Turkish bus manufacturer Temsa from True Value Capital Partners.
  • Advent International on the EUR 1.9bn acquisition of Zentiva, a leading pharmaceutical company in CEE. 
  • Mid Europa Partners on the sale of AeskuLab and Alpha Medical businesses in the Czech Republic and Slovakia to Unilabs. 
  • Arkance on the acquisition of CAD Studio, a provider of technical support services for autodesk software, from KKCG.
  • Erste Bank in over ten separate M&A transactions in the region since 1999, including: 
    • EUR 3.75bn acquisition of a majority shareholding in Banca Comerciala Romana, Romania's largest bank.
    • Successful bid and subsequent USD 517m acquisition of Česká spořitelna, a.s., the Czech savings bank  (privatisation process), including advising on the re-structuring of the loan portfolio.
    • Successful bid and subsequent EUR 400m acquisition of Postabank Rt. from the Hungarian State, including a public takeover bid made for the shares of Postabank Rt.
    • Successful bid and subsequent EUR 160m acquisition of Rijecka banka d.d in Croatia from the Croatian State Agency for Bank Rehabilitation.
    • Acquisition of Slovenská sporiťelňa a.s., the Slovak savings bank (privatisation process).
    • Successful bid and subsequent EUR 149.6m acquisition of 100% of shares in Diners Club Adriatic d.d. in Croatia, one of the leading Croatian credit card companies.
    • Acquisition 100% of Bank Prestige in Ukraine.
    • Acquisition of Novosadska Banka in Serbia (privatisation process).
    • Proposed bid to acquire DSK Bank AD in Bulgaria.
    • Proposed bid to acquire Nova Ljubljanska banka, Slovenia.

Memberships & Roles

  • Member, Victorian Bar Association, Australia
  • Member, Czech Chamber of Advocates

Education

  • 1991 - Bachelor of Laws (Hons), Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
  • 1989 - Bachelor of Economics, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia

Helen Rodwell is the Partner and the Head of Corporate and M&A practice at CMS Prague, and Managing Partner of CMS Bratislava.

Under her leadership CMS continues to be one of the busiest M&A legal advisors in CEE. Helen has extensive experience of leading large teams on complex transactions and ensuring clients receive excellent, commercially orientated advice.

She is ranked as a Band 1 corporate lawyer both for the Czech Republic and the entire CEE region by Chambers and has advised on M&A transactions across a number of sectors, including financial services, private equity, energy, consumer products and manufacturing industries.

Relevant experience

  • A group of investors, led by Partech and including EBRD, Quadrille Capital and J&T Bank, on a EUR 190m fundraising for Rohlik.cz, one of Europe’s leading online grocery businesses. 
  • Zentiva, an Advent International portfolio company, on its acquisition of the CEE business of global generic and over-the-counter (OTC) pharmaceuticals manufacturer Alvogen. 
  • TPG on the acquisition of the Vector Parks Logistics Centres in Slovakia and Czech Republic from Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets (MIRA). 
  • Cube Infrastructure on the investment into a fibre-to-the-home (FTTH), open-access networks for residential, business and public administration in selected areas of the Czech Republic currently under-served by high speed internet networks.
  • The shareholders in Kiwi.com, one of the most rapidly growing technology companies worldwide, on the sale of a majority stake in the company to General Atlantic.
  • PPF, the Czech-based financial group, on the acquisition, together with Sabanci Holding, of the Turkish bus manufacturer Temsa from True Value Capital Partners.
  • Advent International on the EUR 1.9bn acquisition of Zentiva, a leading pharmaceutical company in CEE. 
  • Mid Europa Partners on the sale of AeskuLab and Alpha Medical businesses in the Czech Republic and Slovakia to Unilabs. 
  • Arkance on the acquisition of CAD Studio, a provider of technical support services for autodesk software, from KKCG.
  • Erste Bank in over ten separate M&A transactions in the region since 1999, including: 
    • EUR 3.75bn acquisition of a majority shareholding in Banca Comerciala Romana, Romania's largest bank.
    • Successful bid and subsequent USD 517m acquisition of Česká spořitelna, a.s., the Czech savings bank  (privatisation process), including advising on the re-structuring of the loan portfolio.
    • Successful bid and subsequent EUR 400m acquisition of Postabank Rt. from the Hungarian State, including a public takeover bid made for the shares of Postabank Rt.
    • Successful bid and subsequent EUR 160m acquisition of Rijecka banka d.d in Croatia from the Croatian State Agency for Bank Rehabilitation.
    • Acquisition of Slovenská sporiťelňa a.s., the Slovak savings bank (privatisation process).
    • Successful bid and subsequent EUR 149.6m acquisition of 100% of shares in Diners Club Adriatic d.d. in Croatia, one of the leading Croatian credit card companies.
    • Acquisition 100% of Bank Prestige in Ukraine.
    • Acquisition of Novosadska Banka in Serbia (privatisation process).
    • Proposed bid to acquire DSK Bank AD in Bulgaria.
    • Proposed bid to acquire Nova Ljubljanska banka, Slovenia.

Memberships & Roles

  • Member, Victorian Bar Association, Australia
  • Member, Czech Chamber of Advocates

Education

  • 1991 - Bachelor of Laws (Hons), Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
  • 1989 - Bachelor of Economics, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
Practice Areas
Corporate Corporate/M&A
sectors
Private Equity Insurance

Insights by Helen

See all Insights
Publication Slovakia

Signing with e-signature in CEE 2026

05 Jan 2026 2 min read
Publication Slovakia

Deals, Doubts & Divergences: CMS European M&A Outlook 2026

12 Sep 2025 2 min read
Publication Slovakia

CEE Greenfield Guide 2025

23 Apr 2025 2 min read
Publication Slovakia

Back in Gear: CMS European M&A Outlook 2025

12 Sep 2024 3 min read
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