Douglas L. Getter
Partner
London | 160 Queen Victoria Street, London, UK EC4V 4QQ
T +44 20 7184 7425 | F +44 20 7184 7001
Services
Financial Services M&A > Corporate > Corporate Finance and Capital Markets >
Corporate Governance > Energy and Natural Resources > Mergers and Acquisitions >
Permanent Capital > Private Equity >
Douglas L. Getter has extensive experience in U.S. and cross-border M&A transactions, private placements, public offerings and joint ventures, representing purchasers, sellers, issuers, financial advisors, joint venture partners, underwriters and placement agents and works regularly with major corporates, private equity houses and hedge and alternative asset funds.
Mr. Getter is ranked as a ‘leading individual’ in The Legal 500 UK, 2021 for M&A, upper mid- market and premium deals £500m+. He is also listed as ‘highly regarded’ in IFLR1000’s 2021 guide for M&A. In Chambers Global, 2020 and 2021, Mr. Getter is one of two US practitioners in London ranked for USA: Corporate/M&A where sources describe him as "a trusted and valued consigliere on all things critical to our business" and is recognized as a notable practitioner for Global-wide: Agribusiness. In the 2018 edition of The Legal 500 UK, Mr. Getter is noted for his work in equity capital markets, private equity transactions: high-value deals, M&A: upper mid- market and premium deals, £250m+ and flotations: small and mid-cap. In the 2016 edition he is noted for M&A and is praised for his combination of "international experience, practical advice and a forward-thinking nature." Mr. Getter is recognized as a U.S. foreign expert in Chambers Global, 2015, "noted for his work on cross-border transactions with a particular focus on US inbound and outbound mandates." He is mentioned in The Legal 500 Latin America, 2015 for corporate and M&A and in The Legal 500 UK, 2015 for M&A: mid-market. He is also mentioned in Chambers UK, 2014 for corporate/M&A and in The Legal 500 UK, 2014 for M&A: mid-market, private equity transactions and finance: emerging markets. Chambers Global, 2013 recognized his work with cross-border transactions, corporate fundraisings and US securities matters and he is highlighted as "a cross-border specialist with vast experience in US transactions." He is mentioned for M&A and emerging markets in The Legal 500 UK, 2013. The Legal 500 UK, 2012 describes Mr. Getter as “a dedicated leader and, more importantly, an experienced professional with unquestionable commitment to ethical values and service.” In 2011, the directory described him as “extremely well-regarded” and in 2010 recognized his team as “excellent” and “highly efficient with a practical solutions-based approach.”
EXPERIENCE
CIT Group Inc. on (i) the sale of its European rail leasing business to VTG AG (Germany) for approximately US$1.2 billion and the related anti-trust remedy sale of Nacco's German and Luxembourg businesses; (ii) a series of international transactions related to the sale of its vendor financing and equipment financing businesses in Europe (Ireland, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Holland, Belgium, Austria, Portugal, UK) and Asia (Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, South Korea); (iii) the sale of its commercial finance business in the UK; and (iv) its purchase of Nacco SAS (France). Crown Holdings, Inc. in connection with its (i) US$3.9 billion acquisition of Signode Industrial Group Holdings, a Bermuda based global producer of transit packaging systems which operates in over 40 countries across six continents from the Carlyle Group; (ii) US$1.64 billion acquisition of Mivisa Envases, S.A.U., the largest food can producer in both the Iberian Peninsula and Morocco from Blackstone; (iii) sale of its European Industrial Specialty Packaging business to Huber Packaging Group GmbH (Germany), which included assets in France, Finland, Switzerland and the UK; (iv) the reorganization of its European operation across 16 jurisdictions; (v) sale of its European tinplate business to an affiliate of KPS Capital Partners, LP for €2.25 billion. Hunt Companies Inc, a leading U.S. real estate investment and infrastructure company active in public-private partnership initiatives with approximately US$50B AUM, on (i) the acquisition of a 50% economic interest in London headquartered Amber Infrastructure Group, (ii) its subsequent acquisition of a controlling interest in Amber from existing shareholders and related joint venture arrangements, and (iii) the UK aspects of Gallatin Point Capital's US$200 million committed equity investment in Hunt. ICTS International N.V. and Au10tix Technologies B.V. on (i) a US$60 million equity investment by an affiliate of TPG Global into Au10tix Technologies, a subsidiary of ICTS and the owner of Au10tix Limited, a leader in the ID documentation and know- your-customer on-boarding automation software industry; (ii) a further US$20 million equity investment by Oak HC/FT into Au10tix Technologies; and (iii) a secondary sale of preferred equity of Au10tix Technologies by TPG to GF GW LLC and Oak and all related shareholder arrangements. Microblink, a global leader in AI-powered computer vision software, in connection with its reorganisation and a US$60 million minority investment by Silversmith Capital, a Boston-based growth equity firm. Au10tix Limited in connection with its SaaS agreements with Google, Paypal and Visa among others. The Phoenix Insurance Company on (i) its debt and equity investments in a 770 unit residential portfolio in Berlin and a portfolio of 67 condominium buildings in Germany in partnership with German and international funds and (ii) its debt and equity investments with five other major Israeli institutions and a Canadian institution in a private Luxembourg incorporated real estate development company which owns 34 hotel, retail, office and residential properties in Germany and the related joint venture. Aggregate investments by investors represented by Dechert were in excess of €300 million. Adveo Group International, S.A. on its disposal of its EOS Ink & Toner distribution business in France, together with inventory owned by its businesses in Spain, Italy and Germany, to Westcoast Limited. The Mohamed Al Fayed family trust in connection with the sale of the Fulham Football Club to Shahid Khan, the CEO of Flex-N-Gate Group and owner of the American football team, Jacksonville Jaguars. V&S Vin & Sprit (the maker of Absolut Vodka) on (i) its €5.63 billion privatization and sale to Pernod Ricard (ii) its acquisitions of interests in Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc. and Maxxium Worldwide B.V. and (iii) the related joint ventures. Weather Investments’ €12 billion acquisition of Wind Telecomunicazioni S.p.A. Disney’s US$5.3 billion purchase of Fox Family. Ebro Foods (formerly Puleva) on its (i) US$362.5 million acquisition of New World Pasta, Inc.; (ii) US$400 million acquisition of Riviana; (iii) US$100 million acquisition of the Minute Rice brand; and (iv) as anti-trust counsel on its acquisition of the Tilda rice brand for US$342 million from Hain Celestial. Guinness’s US$40 billion acquisition of Grand Met to form Diageo plc. Zimmer Holdings on its US$3.2 billion hostile takeover of Centerpulse AG. Excite@Home in connection with the proposed combination of its non-US assets with chello Broadband to form the largest ISP in Europe. Altima Partners, as sponsor, and Campos Verdes Ltd. on its US$613.2 million business combination with El Tejar SAACEI to form El Tejar Limited, one of the leading agribusinesses in Latin America, as well as: (i) a US$150 million equity; a US$26 million follow-on equity; a US$330 million convertible debt; and a US$140 million equity capital raise and (ii) the acquisition of Global Farms Group Limited for El Tejar following such business combination. Aragata Holdings Limited on the sale of a 50% interest (and related joint venture) in the Port of Rostock to Babcock and Brown Infrastructure and subsequent sale of the remaining 50% to Euroports. Ashmore Investment Management in numerous investments, including its (i) acquisition of a 50% stake (and related joint venture) in Belde AS, Turkish port operator and (ii) a 75% stake in Dolomite Capital Management, a New York hedge fund of funds manager. FMC Corporation on perpetual licensing, distribution and services agreement with Austria based GAT Microencapsulation AG giving FMC access to a range of advanced crop protection products. Faros Infrastructure Partners LLC on its £132.5 million acquisition of Belfast City Airport from Ferrovial Aeropuertos of Spain in partnership with ABN Amro Global Infrastructure Fund. The Republic of Serbia and Nomura, as financial advisor, on the privatization of Vojvodjanska Banka Novi Sad and its €385 million sale to The National Bank of Greece. The Republic of Serbia (i) on the privatization sales of Merima (€69.8 million), Zorka- Pharma (€58.3 million) and Zdravlje (€48.26 million) and (ii) in connection with its joint venture arrangements with Etihad in relation to Air Serbia. After Midnight LLC and Midnight Oil Company LLC in its worldwide joint venture, management and licensing arrangements with Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. relating to the “Whiskey” and related bars. Gazit-Globe Ltd. in multiple acquisitions of retail properties and related financings in Europe. Riverdeep Group in their acquisitions of The Learning Company, Broderbund, Ed- Vantage Software, Edmark Corporation, Teacher Universe and Smartstuff Software. Mr. Getter also works regularly in the emerging markets and has advised on acquisitions, privatizations and financings in countries as diverse as Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Benin, Bermuda, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, British Virgin Islands, Cameroon, Canada, China, Colombia, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Japan, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kosovo, Lebanon, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, the Netherlands, Niger, Nigeria, Paraguay, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Senegal, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, the UAE, the UK, Ukraine, Uruguay, the U.S., Zambia and Zimbabwe.
EDUCATION
University of Pennsylvania, B.A., 1981 Fordham University School of Law, J.D., 1984, Editor of the Fordham Law Review
ADMISSIONS
Admitted in New York Registered Foreign Lawyer, England and Wales
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
London School of Economics - Alternative Investments Conference — London Marriott Hotel, (February 3-4, 2020)
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