Dentons Sayarh & Menjra: Abdelhakim El Gaout
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Christophe Simonnet

Christophe SimonnetPartner

Christophe is a corporate lawyer with more than 18 years of experience, including 10 years of practice in Morocco where he has been established since 2008. From Casablanca, Christophe regularly advises local and international clients on acquisitions and corporate matters in North Africa and in French-speaking African countries. He focuses on mergers and acquisitions, private equity, corporate, commercial contracts, real estate and financing.

Experience

  • Lesaffre: Advising on the acquisition of a majority shareholding in Rayen Food Industries, specialized in the production of baker’s yeast in Tunisia
  • European IFI: Advising in relation to 2 financings of €16 million in the automotive sector.
  • European IFI: Advising in relation to the financing of a company in the industrial sector for an amount of €37 million.
  • Holding Générale d’Education (Holged): Advising the founding shareholders during the drafting and the negotiation related to the subscription by TPG/Satya Capital of a minority stake in Holged, the holding company of Ecoles Yassamine, the largest private school network in Morocco, representing an investment of approximately US$25 million.
  • Development Partners International: Advising on the various investments (equity and financing) of African Development Partners II, a pan-African equity fund, in KMR Holding Pédagogique, the holding company of UPM, a private university in Marrakech.
  • Faurecia: Advising on several Greenfield projects for the development of manufacturing sites in Morocco including the drafting and negotiation of the land purchase agreement or built to suit lease agreements.
  • Development Partners International: Advising a consortium including African Development Partners II and DEG on the acquisition of a 49% stake (including the due diligence and the drafting and negotiation of the transaction documents until closing) from AfricInvest and the founding shareholders in General Emballage, the leading packaging business in Algeria, which specializes in the manufacturing and processing of corrugated cardboard, for a total amount of approximately US$55 million.
  • European IFI: Advising in relation to the financing of Moroccan companies in the industrial sector.
  • A US leading global hospitality group: Advising with respect to the negotiation of hotel management agreements, licensing arrangements and general operational matters for various projects in Morocco and West and Central French-speaking African countries.