Norton Rose

International legal practice Norton Rose LLP Amsterdam advised RWE AG in its partnership with Essent N.V., the Arnhem-based leading Dutch utility. It concerns a binding all-cash offer by RWE to the shareholders of Essent for the acquisition of all the issued and outstanding shares of Essent. RWE will not be acquiring Essent’s electricity and gas distribution networks and waste management operations. RWE will become one of the leading energy suppliers in the Benelux region with a strengthened position in North-Western and Central Europe.

Weero Koster, head of the energy team of Norton Rose LLP Amsterdam who has specialised since 1990 in acquisitions, (project) financing and energy regulation, commented:

“This cooperation is an important step towards both parties becoming an important European player; and it is also an important step for the realisation of a Western European energy market. Our firm’s capacity for international cooperation and our thorough knowledge of and dedication to the industry is demonstrated by our capability to handle such a large transaction under such great time pressure. As a lawyer, it gives you a great deal of satisfaction to be part of a team working on such a complex transaction.”

The Norton Rose LLP team was led by Weero Koster, assisted by partners Daphne Broerse (Amsterdam, Banking), Simon Currie (London, Banking), Alan Crookes (London, Corporate Finance), Wouter Hertzberger (Amsterdam, Banking), Louise Higginbottom (London, Tax), Richard Hill (London, Banking), Erol Huseyin (London, Banking), Yke Lennartz (Amsterdam, Dispute Resolution), Mauro Mattiuzzo (London, Corporate Finance), Remco Smorenburg (Amsterdam, Tax), Michael Taylor (London, Banking), John Wood (London, Banking)and a substantial international team of associates and trainees; overall due diligence and project coordination was done by associate Sophie Dingenen (Amsterdam, Energy).

Essent has been advised by Freshfields.

For further information please contact:

Norton Rose LLP

Christine Wolf, Manager PR and Communications Germany

+49(0)89 212148-339 christine.wolf@nortonrose.com

Heskia Dil, business development & marketing Amsterdam

+31 (0)20 46 29 370 heskia.dil@nortonrose.com

Notes for editors:

Norton Rose LLP is a constituent part of Norton Rose Group, a leading international legal practice offering a full business law service from offices across Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

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Norton Rose Group comprises Norton Rose LLP and its affiliates. We have over 1200 lawyers operating from offices in Abu Dhabi, Amsterdam, Athens, Bahrain, Bangkok, Beijing, Brussels, Dubai, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Jakarta*, London, Milan, Moscow, Munich, Paris, Piraeus, Prague, Riyadh*, Rome, Shanghai, Singapore, Tokyo and Warsaw.

* associate office