DLA Piper helps Webjet expand with UAE acquisition

A team from DLA Piper has advised Australian online travel business Webjet on its U$173 million purchase of a UAE travel business.

The M&A team advising on the deal to acquire Destinations of the World from Abu Dhabi-based private equity firm Gulf Capital comprised DLA Piper lawyers from across Asia Pacific, Europe and the Middle East including Australia’s Joel Cox (Partner), James McCarthy (Senior Associate), Tara Alexandra (Solicitor) and Beau Paterson (Graduate Solicitor).

“The transaction continues Webjet's strategic focus on growing its B2B business globally, with DOTW having operations in more than 30 countries and significantly increasing Webjet's scale in the B2B market in Asia, Europe and the Middle East" Cox said.

The team advising on the associated entitlement offer was led by David Ryan (Partner), Elliot Cheung (Senior Associate) and Claudia McEwen (Solicitor).

Evercore acted as lead financial advisor to Webjet, while Credit Suisse and UBS acted as Webjet's joint financial advisors. Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer (Rob Cant, Tom Lawless, Craig Abbot and Maha Osman) advised DOTW and Gulf Capital. Ashurst (Sarah Dulhunty, Sharon Liu and Lauren Garrett acted as underwriters counsel.

Former Clayton Utz, G+T partner returning to Asia Pac from London
Hogan Lovells in Hong Kong is strengthening its Hong Kong litigation capabilities with a hire from Ashurst.

Antonia Croke will make the journey from London in 2019 but will initially join Hogan Lovells’ litigation team in London. Prior to joining Ashurst in 2010, she was at Clayton Utz and Gilbert + Tobin in Sydney.

At Ashurst, she worked for a number of FTSE 100 companies on complex and high-profile commercial disputes and investigations in the financial services, automotive and TMT sectors. She was the Chair of the Ashurst Women's Network committee in London.

IP partner relocates to Ashurst in Sydney
Ashurst’s intellectual property team in Sydney has a new partner, Nina Fitzgerald who relocates from Deacons in Hong Kong after 3 years with the firm.

She previously spent 8 years with Herbert Smith Freehills in Australia and Hong Kong with a focus on patent litigation. Her appointment follows on from the appointment of IP partner David Wilkinson in Ashurst's London team and the promotion of Stuart D'Aloisio as partner in the Melbourne IP practice.

"Nina's appointment is a key part of our strategy to continue to invest in our first tier IP practice in Australia and to build the firm's global intellectual property footprint,” said Lisa Ritson, global head of Ashurst’s IP team. “Nina is a highly regarded and accomplished practitioner whose outstanding expertise in patent litigation will enhance our leading IP practice and add real value to our clients."