The advisors on SMG’s IPO

SMG – a joint venture between TX Group, Ringier, Mobiliar and General Atlantic – makes its debut today, September 19, on the SIX Swiss Exchange. The Zurich-based group trades under the ticker symbol “SMG”, pricing at CHF 46 per share.

NKF advised SMG throughout the draft of its prospectus and the start of the book-building process, leading to the company’s IPO.

In connection with the operation, Pestalozzi represented shareholder Ringier, collaborating with the company’s in-house team led by Manuel Liatowitsch.

Bär & Karrer advised shareholder Mobiliar, while Walder Wyss represented TX Group.

Moreover, Advestra advised the banking syndicate supporting the operation, including Goldman Sachs Bank Europe, J.P. Morgan Securities and UBS as joint global coordinators, as well as Barclays Bank, BNP PARIBAS, Morgan Stanley & Co. International and Zürcher Kantonalbank as joint bookrunners.

The company

Headquartered in Zurich, SMG operates operates a portfolio of brands within the real estate, automotive, and general marketplaces sectors, with additional price comparison offerings in finance and insurance.

The NKF team

Corporate/capital markets partners Philippe Weber, Deirdre Ní Annracháin and Andrea Giger led the NKF team on the matter, working alongside associates Manuel Hirlinger and Pascal Hodel, junior associates Nina Lötscher, Philip Theiler, Matthias Zinniker and Robin Brändli (all corporate/capital markets). The lineup  further included partners Thomas Brönnimann (corporate/capital markets), Markus Kronauer (tax), Philip Spoerlé (banking & finance), Nicolas Birkhäuser (competition) and Simon Bühler (regulatory). Clifford Chance Frankfurt-based partner George Hacket led the Clifford Chance team advising SMG on international law matters.

Pictured above from left to right: Philippe Weber, Deirdre Ní Annracháin and Andrea Giger

The Pestalozzi team

The Pestalozzi lineup working on the matter included partners Christoph Lang (pictured), Severin Roelli, and Andrea Huber, counsel Markus Winkler, as well as associates Mercedes Chiabotti and Levy Corba.

The Bär & Karrer team

Christoph Neeracher, Luca Jagmetti (both M&A) and Urs Kägi (capital markets) led the Bär & Karrer team on the matter, working alongside Dieter Dubs, Florian Schweighofer (both capital markets), Sebastian Sutter, Aurèle Bertrand (both M&A), Susanne Schreiber, Fabian Capt (both tax) as well as Mani Reinert (antitrust).

Pictured from left to right: Christoph Neeracher, Luca Jagmetti and Urs Kägi

The Walder Wyss team

The team Walder Wyss lineup on the matter included partner Hans-Jakob Diem (capital markets, pictured), managing associate Dimitrios Berger (capital markets), partner Lukas Wyss (financing) and associate Milos Karic (financing).

The Advestra team

The Advestra team on the matter included Alexander von Jeinsen (pictured left), Thomas Reutter (pictured right), Valérie Bayard, Jan-Nicklas Bentz, Mariëlle van Nimwegen, Göktuğ Gürbüz, Jana Wildberger and Milan Schéda (all capital markets) as well as Céline Martin and Raissa Marquardt (tax).