Otto von Gruben
Partner
London / Frankfurt
otto.von.gruben@lw.com
+44.20.7877.6267
PRACTICES
- Mergers & Acquisitions
- Private Equity
- Real Estate
- Restructuring & Special Situations
- Saudi Arabia Practice
INDUSTRIES
- Energy & Infrastructure
- Healthcare & Life Sciences
- Hospitality, Gaming & Leisure
- REITs
EDUCATION
- LL.M., University of Pennsylvania Law School, 2011
- Second German State Exam, Higher Regional Court, Celle, 2010
- First German State Exam, University of Muenster, 2008
LANGUAGES SPOKEN
- German
- English
PROFILE
Otto von Gruben advises German and international clients on complex, cross-border M&A, infrastructure, and private equity real estate transactions.
Drawing on his breadth of experience across a full spectrum of transactional matters, Otto advises strategic investors, private equity, and sovereign wealth funds on:
- Private equity real estate transactions
- Mergers and acquisitions (M&A)
- Preferred and structured equity transactions
- Infrastructure transactions
- Joint ventures
- Distressed transactions
He combines a results-driven sensibility and deep relationships with key market players to complete both German and cross-border deals efficiently. He frequently navigates clients’ most intricate transactions involving novel structures and complex international considerations across a broad range of industries, with a particular focus on the real estate, digital infrastructure (including data center), and healthcare sectors.
A recognized leader within the firm, Otto is a member of the Finance Committee for Germany and previously served on the Recruiting Committee.
EXPERIENCE
Otto’s experience includes advising:
Infrastructure
- Digital Realty on:
- A US$7 billion joint venture with Blackstone to develop hyperscale data centers
- Selling data centers in Germany and the US
- Its US$8.4 billion acquisition of Interxion, creating a leading global provider of data center, colocation, and interconnection solutions
- First Sentier Investors on selling Ferngas Group to VKB
- GIP and KKR on the strategic partnership with Vodafone to invest in Vantage Towers
- Mainova WebHouse on the joint venture with Tishman Speyer
- OIC on the investment of up to €65 million in CargoBeamer
- Silver Lake on its equity investment in Vantage Data Centers
- TOTAL on selling its shares in the joint venture Großtanklager-Ölhafen Rostock to EUROPORTS
M&A Transactions
- Demant on the acquisition of OHRWERK Group
- Joint Venture of Körber and KKR on the acquisition of MercuryGate
- Amphenol on the US$1.7 billion acquisition of MTS Systems
- Keysight on acquiring MICRAM Microelectronic GmbH
- Ardian/Swissbit on acquiring Hyperstone
- Aliaxis on selling:
- Its ceramics business
- Rheinhütte Pumps to ITT
- Bregal on acquiring a majority stake in ACTICO
- A consortium of Astorg Asset Management, Nordic Capital, and Novo Holdings and its portfolio company eResearchTechnologies on a merger with Bioclinica, a Cinven portfolio company and a leader in clinical imaging
- Deutsche Pentosin-Werke GmbH on its sale to Fuchs Petrolub SE
- EMZ Partners on acquiring a significant minority participation in celebrate company
- Froneri on selling its frozen food business Findus
- Juno Therapeutics on its cross-border acquisition of Stage Cell Therapeutics GmbH
- The founders of KMK Kinderzimmer Group on selling the majority shareholding to Franz Haniel & Cie
- Knecht & Co. GmbH on acquiring and restructuring Hülsta Group
- Körber on selling a minority stake in its supply chain software business to KKR
- Metz-Werke’s insolvency administrator on selling Metz-Werke out of insolvency
- Partners Group on acquiring a majority stake in Cloudflight
- Prime Capital AG's founder and sole shareholder on selling a majority stake to top management
- RENA GmbH on its debtor-in-possession insolvency proceedings, with a focus on developing an insolvency plan option and a dual track
- Rhön-Klinikum on its €3.07 billion sale of major assets (including 40 hospitals) to Dax-listed Fresenius SE
- Senator Group, a Germany-based operator of retirement and nursing homes, on its sale to Alloheim Senioren-Residenzen
- SERgroup on selling a majority stake to The Carlyle Group
- Shareholders of Prüftechnik Dieter Busch AG on their sale to Fluke Corporation
- Sparkasse Frankfurt, Sparkasse KölnBonn, and Sparkasse Düsseldorf on selling Corpus Sireo to Swiss Life
- Summit Partners on selling RadioOnkologieNetzwerk (RON) to Medipass
- Swiss Life Asset Management AG and Gelsenwasser AG on acquiring Infrareal
- ZF Friedrichshafen on selling its global Body Control Systems business to Luxshare
Real Estate
- ACCENTRO Real Estate on the comprehensive refinancing of two bonds in a procedure under the German Bond Act (Schuldverschreibungsgesetz)
- Apollo on its:
- €1 billion investment in Deutsche Wohnen SE
- €1 billion investment in the Northern Portfolio, a residential real estate portfolio controlled by Vonovia
- €1 billion investment in the Suedewo Portfolio, a residential real estate portfolio controlled by Vonovia
- Ares Management on selling One Goetheplaza to IVG
- Azure Hotels on acquisitions and disposals of several hotels of the Azure Group, including Radisson Blu Hotel in Hamburg-Dammtor, Indigo Hotels Hardenbergstraße, and Alexanderplatz in Berlin
- Corpus Sireo on selling:
- A residential real estate portfolio to DWS Real Estate (formerly Deutsche Asset & Wealth Management, RREEF)
- The project development Allianz Campus in Berlin
- DWS Real Estate on several real estate transactions
- Ludger Inholte Projektentwicklung (LIP) and ABG Real Estate on selling the project development at Humboldthafen in Berlin by way of a forward-share deal to Zurich
- A Middle East sovereign wealth fund on several real estate M&A transactions, including
- Acquiring an interest in two holding companies sponsored by a joint venture
- Investing in a major European retail real estate company
- Morgan Stanley Real Estate Fund on acquiring and financing several large real estate portfolios and shopping centers, including the Christie portfolio and the Rhein Ruhr shopping center
- OneIM and OCP on the acquisition of Adler Group’s €422.5 million “Cosmopolitan” portfolio, located in North Rhine-Westphalia
- Peugeot Invest on a minority shareholding of 5% in SIGNA Development Selection AG
- Proprium Capital Partners on joint venture, property, and asset management agreements, as well as the acquisition financing of two large residential portfolios in Germany
- Redos Real Estate on various acquisitions and disposals, including portfolio transactions
- Simon® on the strategic partnership with Jamestown