A&O Shearman Netherlands

Last week, I had the pleasure of hosting our Dutch public company breakfast event at A&O Shearman Netherlands together with Richard de Haan. It was an inspiring morning filled with valuable insights and lively discussions.   In view of the upcoming AGM season, we discussed hot topics for listed companies, such as shareholder activism and governance, diverging EU/US perspectives on ESG, cyber risks, AI and data best practices, remuneration policies and pay transparency, virtual EGMs, and AFM supervision and private enforcement.   We were honoured to welcome two distinguished guest speakers: Rients Abma, Executive Director of Eumedion, and Andrew Tannenbaum, our Global Co-head of Cybersecurity and partner in New York.   A big thanks to the members of our Amsterdam listed company advisory team Joyce Leemrijse, Arnold Keizer, Olivier Valk, Jochem Spaans, Hilde van der Baan, Patrick Ploeger, and Nicole Wolters Ruckert, for sharing their insights on the major trends and challenges facing Dutch listed companies.   We would like to thank everyone who attended for their valuable contributions. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out!

I am very thankful to have been named "Rising Star (National)" at the IFLR Europe 2025 awards last Thursday. An awesome night out with my amazing colleagues from the A&O Shearman network. A great honor, but of course not possible without the great opportunities, support and guidance received from my team at A&O Shearman Netherlands! #iflr #risingstar #finance #lawyer

We are happy to congratulate Mizuho on the completion of its corporate structure optimization project and the creation of a Universal Bank in the EU by combining its Banking and Securities businesses! We very much enjoyed assisting Mizuho in all phases and all relevant legal areas of this transaction, including branch closures, branch openings, assets and liabilities transfers and a cross-border merger between its German investment firm and its Dutch bank. We would like to thank the entire Mizuho team for the trust and the great cooperation!   For more information, please see the post of our German colleagues below.

A&O Shearman Practical M&A Academy Deel 1: tot wanneer mag je nog weglopen bij M&A onderhandelingen? En hoe zat het ook al weer met koopprijsbepalingen in een SPA?   Deze vragen behandelden wij afgelopen dinsdag tijdens de jaarlijks terugkerende Practical M&A Academy bij A&O Shearman Netherlands in twee ochtend sessies voor onze cliënten.   🔹 Sessie 1: Richard de Haan, Vincent Dogan en Jeroen van Calker bespraken de belangrijkste do’s en dont’s in de pre-contractuele fase van M&A transacties aan de de hand van 2 real-life casussen. Key take aways: ✔️ “Subject to contract” of andere voorbehouden helpen, maar zijn niet zaligmakend. Als je onderhandelingen nog vrij wilt kunnen afbreken, voorkom dan (on)dubbelzinnige toezeggingen in appjes, e-mails of mondelinge “handshake” deals. ✔️ De onderhandelingscontext is van belang. In een “controlled auction” heb je vaak meer ruimte dan bij bilaterale onderhandelingen. Maar let op, ook in een veiling kunnen langlopende parallelle trajecten met “preferred bidders” soms valse (of gerechtvaardigde 😉) verwachtingen scheppen.   🔹 Sessie 2: Gijs Linse en Vincent Dogan fristen de basiselementen van het koopprijsmechanisme in een SPA op: ✔️ Enterprise Value ≠ Equity Value ≠ Funding. Wees je bewust van het onderscheid. ✔️ Locked Box vs. Completion Accounts: Koopprijsberekening op basis van historische, of toekomstige cijfers? “Elk nadeel heb zijn voordeel”   Dank aan alle deelnemers voor de waardevolle bijdragen! Wij kijken uit naar deel 2 op donderdag 10 april in Amsterdam.   Heb je vragen over dit programma of de besproken onderwerpen? Neem gerust contact op met mij, Gijs Linse, Richard de Haan of Jeroen van Calker

Deze maand verwelkomen we weer nieuwe talenten in ons Apollo House. Welkom (terug) Luka Hoogstraten, Franklin Lisapaly, Stijn van Lummel, Ray-Charles Marcano, Henry Mole, Wessel Schoonderbeek, Tessa van der Spruijt, Hessel van Vilsteren, Alina Warmerdam, Philip Zwijnenberg en Helen Queis. Veel plezier en succes bij A&O Shearman!

SMR’s: We were thrilled to host the IPFA community at our Amsterdam office for an insightful session on Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) at A&O Shearman Netherlands.   A special thanks to our speakers Silvio Erkens (Member of Parliament for the VVD), Stijn Grove (Chairman of the Dutch Datacenter Association), Kiki Lauwers (CEO at Thorizon), Bas Suijs (Director at ULC Energy), Julien Saigault (Senior Director Project Finance & Infrastructure Advisory at EY) and Marinus Winters (Counsel at A&O Shearman).   They shared invaluable insights on: 🔸 Technical developments 🔸 Customer landscapes 🔸 Financing strategies 🔸 Legal and political frameworks   It was a pleasure to moderate the discussion and engage with so many professionals dedicated to advancing sustainable energy solutions. A big thank you to IPFA for the collaboration and to everyone who attended and contributed to the success of the event. If you have any questions about these subjects, please do not hesitate to contact me or Marinus Winters.

As the holy month of Ramadan comes to an end, we extend our warmest wishes to all those who observed Ramadan. On this joyous day, we wish you and your loved ones a blessed Eid filled with peace, happiness, and prosperity. Let us embrace the spirit of Eid by spreading compassion and unity within our communities. Eid Mubarak to all!

Vier jaar geleden begonnen we met onze eigen talkshow om onze Amsterdamse collega’s geïnformeerd en verbonden te houden. Wat begon in coronatijd als een online format, is uitgegroeid tot een succesvolle hybride show met live publiek in onze studio op de 8e verdieping van het Apollo House. Een rebranding en flink wat tafelgasten later, trekt A&O Shearman Today nog steeds volle zalen en elke keer genoeg te vertellen aan tafel. Zo ook gisteren. Verschillende collega's en onderwerpen kwamen langs en het geheel werd wederom zonder autocue gepresenteerd door ons Head of Business Development, Marketing & Communications, die toevallig ook een fantastische talkshowhost is: Michèle Zwarts. Op naar de volgende show!

Tuesday 18 March was dedicated to our annual iftar: a beautiful evening where colleagues came together to celebrate Ramadan and share their stories.   Rens Bondrager, spoke inspiring words: "We remain unwavering in our commitment to our values and to an inclusive work environment. So that everyone can be themselves and different perspectives are valued. We want to drive change and create an environment where everyone feels at home, can excel in their careers, and reach their full potential. This is the core of the firm we want to be."   During Ramadan, good deeds are especially appreciated, and that is why this year we collaborated with Supermarkt Fris. Supermarkt Fris, an initiative of Stichting Studiezalen, offers families in financially vulnerable situations the opportunity to shop for free and supports them with unique LifeCoach programs for structural improvements in their lives. Two representatives from Supermarkt Fris were present during the iftar, and together we raised money for this important charity.   Special thanks to the organization of this iftar: Kaoutar Laachir, Chaïmae Ziani, Monique Pennings and Sarina Langenberg-Agata. Also many thanks to Rens Bondrager, and Sophie Roozendaal, and colleagues Baris Koca, Naziha S., Ali Sahraifar, Mohamed Zaatout and Irem Çakir for sharing their personal stories and engaging colleagues in an exciting quiz.   It was an evening full of meaningful conversations, delicious food, and a sense of community. We look forward to continuing this tradition and strengthening the values of inclusion and diversity within our office.