White & Case Advises Cobepa on Sale of Hillebrand to Deutsche Post DHL Group for €1.5 billion

Global law firm White & Case LLP has advised independent, privately-held investment company Cobepa on the sale of its majority stake in logistics company Hillebrand to Deutsche Post DHL Group (DPDHL). 

"Our role advising on this successful transaction demonstrates the strength and close collaboration of White & Case's cross-border and cross-practice capabilities," said White & Case partner Stefan Koch, who co-led the Firm’s deal team. "The strategic combination of Hillebrand with DPDHL's Global Forwarding, Freight division will strengthen the company’s position in the dynamic ocean freight forwarding market."
 
Hillebrand’s shareholders have signed an agreement to sell up to 100 percent of Hillebrand to DPDHL at an equity value of approximately €1.5 billion. The transaction is still subject to regulatory approval in certain jurisdictions, with clearances expected in the coming months.

White & Case partner and co-Head of the Firm's Global Private Equity Industry Group Thierry Bosly, who co-led the Firm's deal team, said: "We advised our long-standing client Cobepa on the reinforcement of its shareholding in Hillebrand in 2016 and through the course of its successful partnership until this new phase in Hillebrand's development."

Hillebrand is a global service provider specializing in ocean freight forwarding, transport and logistics of products that require special care. 

Headquartered in Germany, DPDHL is home to two leading brands: Deutsche Post and DHL. Combined, DPDHL employs approximately 570,000 people in over 220 countries. Hillebrand will remain a brand within DPDHL.

The White & Case team which advised on the transaction was led by partners Stefan Koch (Frankfurt) and Thierry Bosly (Brussels) and included partners Jan Ole Eichstädt, Bodo Bender (both Frankfurt) and Jeremie Jourdan (Brussels, Paris), local partners Christophe Goossens (Brussels), Tim Bracksiek (Frankfurt) and Thyl Hassler (Dusseldorf), and associates Christian Sperling, Robin Jackson, Thorsten Rohde (all Frankfurt), Nick Hallemeesch, Louise Lundberg, Niccolo Piga (all Brussels) and Philipp Kynast (Dusseldorf).

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