Petr Pánek
Biography
Overview
Petr Pánek is a partner in the EMEA Private Equity team of our Global Mergers & Acquisitions practice. Being both Czech- and U.S.-qualified, Petr has more than 25 years' experience representing clients in all manner of M&A, private equity and capital markets transactions, in all industries, notably in real estate and infrastructure.
Consistently recognized as a Band 1 lawyer by Chambers and Partners and as a Leading Individual by Legal 500, he regularly advises sponsors, developers, banks, and other major players in M&A, real estate, logistics, finance, and various other industries.
Petr heads Prague M&A and CEE Real Estate teams at White & Case and drives the firm's expansion in South-Eastern Europe (SEE) as Country Practice Head.
He has a notable history of guiding local companies through sector-defining deals, including pioneering IPOs, comprehensive M&A transactions, and significant take-private public M&A deals. He has led and advised on some of the most impactful M&A and real estate transactions in the Czech Republic and CEE.
In 2023 he served as an independent legal advisor to the President of the Czech Republic.
Experience
CTP Group, continental Europe's largest owner, developer and manager of logistics and industrial real estate in terms of gross leasable area, on its initial public offering (IPO) and listing of its shares on Euronext Amsterdam – the largest real estate IPO in Europe since 2014.
Erste Bank, Česká spořitelna, UniCredit Bank, Société Générale and Komerční banka as mandated lead arrangers in connection with syndicated financing provided to CTP Group, one of the largest industrial developers in the CEE region, for the purposes of refinancing the existing financial indebtedness of certain property companies within CTP Group that operate logistic parks in the Czech Republic. At an amount of EUR 1.9 billion, this was one of the largest real estate financings in the CEE region.
CTP Group on the EUR 450 million sale of a Czech logistics portfolio to Deka Immobilien, the largest German institutional investor.
CTP Group on the acquisition of a real estate portfolio from 7R, a Polish industrial developer, with the potential to develop 1.2 million sqm of gross leasable area (GLA) in logistics and industrial real estate.
TPG Group in connection with CZK 2.4 billion (EUR 93.3 million) acquisition of industrial real estate assets from Contera, a Czech industrial real estate developer, and in formation of a joint venture for future real estate developments.
HB Reavis, Europe's leading innovative workplace provider and international real estate developer, in the sale of its interest in Cambridge Innovation Center, a company providing shared workspaces for entrepreneurs and emerging companies, to third party funds.
Hines, a privately owned global real estate investment, development and management firm with a presence in 30 countries and USD 94.6 billion of assets under management, on the acquisition of a portfolio of four logistics assets in Prague, spanning a total of 65,960 square metres, from CPI Property Group.
REICO investment company on the acquisition of BWI's research and development centre in Cracow, Poland.
Best Hotel Properties, a.s. on the acquisition of a 50% stake in a portfolio of eight hotel properties in the Czech Republic, managed by CPI Hotels, along with establishing a joint-venture with CPI Property Group.
Hines on its inaugural transaction in the Czech Republic – the acquisition of Eastgate Park, a 39,000 sqm last-mile logistics facility situated in an established industrial zone in Štěrboholy, Prague.
Ranked as Band 1 for Real Estate in the CEE region and the Czech Republic
(Chambers Europe, 2024)
Ranked as a Market leader for M&A and Investment Funds in the Czech Republic
(IFLR 1000, 2023)
Ranked as a Leading individual for Real Estate and Construction
(Legal 500, 2024)
"He is a great strategic mind who can help move deals forward."
(Chambers Europe, 2024)
"He has a good team in Prague and a really good level of strategic thinking. He always tries to move the deal forward while protecting his clients. It's what you want a good lawyer to be."
(Chambers Europe, 2023)
"Petr is very strong in strategic thinking and has strong relationships with clients. He is respected by the whole market and it is a pleasure to work with him on a personal level."
(Chambers Europe, 2023)
"an outstanding lawyer"
(Chambers Europe, 2023)
"There are very few regional lawyers who are able to do work outside their jurisdictions, but he is one of them."
(Chambers Europe, CEE, 2022)
"He has the best negotiation skills and is the best at strategic decision-making. If you need advice for any strategic decision in a transaction, go to Pánek."
(Chambers Europe, 2021)
