Dentons has advised opposite new Warsaw firm Radzikowski, Szubielska & Partners on Liberty Global’s purchase of Poland’s number three cable operator, Multimedia Polska for $760m. Radzikowski was formed earlier this year after Chadbourne & Parke’s Warsaw office slpit from the US firm in May.
US media group Liberty Global moved to improve its share of the Polish cable market to 50% by purchasing Multimedia Polska through its Polish unit UPC Polska. The cable operator passes through 1.6m homes in Poland.
Dentons fielded a team including technology, media and telecommunications Europe practice leader Igor Ostrowski in Warsaw and co-chair of the Dentons global private equity group Rob Irving in Budapest. The pair were supported by partners Pawel Grabowski in Warsaw, and Chris Watkinson based in Budapest and Prague.
Radzikowski’s team on the deal was led by former Chadbourne & Parke Warsaw managing partner Gabriel Wujek, who had acted for Multimedia Polska’s $269m share offering back in 2006.
Irving said: ‘This deal represents a strategic move in CEE by one of the top multinational players in the sector. Such significant transactions showcase our strengths in cross-border M&A, as well as our capabilities to help international businesses expand in these important growth markets.’
The deal follows several recent purchases by Liberty Global including last year’s $7.4bn acquisition of Cable & Wireless Communications. Liberty Global had used Shearman & Sterling European M&A head Laurence Levy and City partner Jeremy Kutner on the Cable & Wireless deal.
georgiana.tudor@legalease.co.uk