Johannes Gross advises national and international clients on the structuring of their digitalization, (digital) infrastructure, and energy projects. Mr. Gross supports clients in transactions, contract negotiations, disputes, and regulatory issues.

With his experience in the field of data centers, fibre optics, and energy regulation, Mr. Gross supports clients in the digital transformation of their company. Due to his secondment at a worldwide leading company for hardware, software, and services in the IT sector, Mr. Gross can provide clients with practice-oriented advice within the industry. Furthermore, Mr. Gross advises on development projects and transactions as well as on negotiations for construction and operating contracts.

Mr. Gross is a lecturer in the information law programme at Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences and regularly publishes and speaks on topics related to Industry 4.0, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things. Mr. Gross completed his legal traineeship in Mainz, Speyer, Düsseldorf, and Shanghai.

Mr. Gross’ representative experience includes advising:

  • Mainova on the sale of a majority stake in its data center business to Blackrock
  • AtlasEdge, a JV between Liberty Global and Digital Bridge, on the successful acquisition of Datacenter One*
  • Digital Transformation Capital Partners (DTCP) on a major investment in German colocation data center operator maincubes*
  • NorthC Group, the leading Dutch regional colocation provider for data centers, on the acquisition of the German colocation provider IP Exchange GmbH (IPX)*
  • DWS Group on its major investment in Deutsche GigaNetz*
  • iCON Infrastructure continuously on infrastructure transactions, including the successful the acquisition of Strategic Fiber Networks Group*
  • UBS Asset Management on the:
    • Acquisition of FttH business LuneCom, the first German infrastructure equity investment by UBS*
    • Acquisition of sewikom*
  • DIF Capital Partners on their greenfield fibre investment in ruhrfibre, a platform to develop a fibre network in the City of Essen*
  • Sellers on the disposal of all shares in fibre businesses Netcom Kassel and Breitband Nordhessen*
  • Intermediate Capital Group and TNG Glasfaser on several financing, commercial agreements, and corporate law matters*
  • A global project developer on its first powered core and shell data center development project in Germany/Europe*
  • Bitfield NV on the start-up of a Bitcoin mining company as well as the colocation operator contracts and other project contracts*
  • Keppel DC REIT on the acquisition of a data center in the Netherlands*
  • A real estate developer on the sale of a local power grid and the subsequent interim power supply contract*
  • Keppel Telecommunications & Transport and Alpha Investment Partners on the acquisition of a €76m data center from Citigroup and on the sale-and-lease back agreement to Citigroup who remains the tenant*
  • Versicherungskammer Group on the acquisition of Ferngas Group*

*Matter handled prior to joining Latham

Bar Qualification

  • Rechtsanwalt (Germany)

Education

  • Second German State Exam, Higher Regional Court, Mainz, 2013
  • First German State Exam, University of Mainz, 2011

Languages Spoken

  • German
  • English
  • French