The deal.
Quorum acted as lead legal counsel to One Holding BV on the acquisition of 100% of the shares in Royal Antwerp Football Club NV, the Belgian professional football club, and Docora NV, the real estate company that owns the Bosuil stadium. Through the acquisition, control was also gained over the associated non-profit organisation holding the leasehold rights to the Bosuil site. Given the precarious financial situation of RAFC NV and the imminent start of the league season, the acquisition had to be negotiated and finalised at very short notice. The refinancing of a credit and the provision of a new credit facility were crucial to the process.
The client.
One Holding BV is the special purpose vehicle incorporated by a consortium comprising, among others, Wouter Vandenhaute and Toby Alderweireld.
Our added value.
Quorum held a dual mandate: the acquisition of the targets and the internal structuring of the special purpose vehicle (incorporation, shareholder commitments, loan agreements). Its advice covered deal structuring, the negotiation of the share purchase agreements and the drafting of the credit facility agreements and associated security packages, delivering full legal counsel from mandate to signing in 9 weeks. Quorum remained highly responsive, identified key legal risks early and proposed clear, commercially workable solutions, so the transaction progressed without unnecessary delays through signing, closing and the required corporate and registry filings.
Davy Gorselé (Managing Partner), Sepp Brant and Sarah Dilles (Senior Associates), Senne Herman, Yasemin Akçay and Joost Willemen (Associates)
