Swedish comms giant makes billion-dollar Aussie acquisition
Global law firm K&L Gates has advised Sweden-based Sinch AB on its $1.7 billion acquisition of SMS marketing technology company MessageMedia.
Firms: K&L Gates (Sinch AB); undisclosed (MessageMedia).
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Deal: Sinch AB has acquired MessageMedia.
Value: $1.7 billion.
Area: M&A, technology.
Key players: The team was led by corporate relationship partner Thilo Winkeler (Berlin) and corporate partner Nick Ramage (Sydney), who was supported by the Sydney-based team of corporate partner Dan Atkin, special counsel Roddy Johnson, senior associate Julia Kingston, and lawyer Leon Fung.
The team also was supported by Berlin partner Annette Mutschler-Siebert and Sydney partner Ayman Guirguis, providing competition law advice.
Pittsburgh corporate partner David Edgar, who guided Sinch on two recent US-focused transactions, advised on overall strategy, structuring, and US-related legal issues, as per a statement provided by K&L Gates.
Deal significance: Sinch AB is described as a global leader in cloud communications and telecommunications for mobile customer engagement.
Meanwhile, MessageMedia offers a web-based software-as-a-service (SaaS) suite leveraging two-way messaging through a highly automated and scalable tech platform that is purposefully tailored to meet the specific needs of small and medium-sized businesses.
Sinch AB’s acquisition of MessageMedia was made through a cash and stock transaction valued at $1.7 billion. Closing of the transaction is expected to occur in the second half of 2021, subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.
Commenting on the deal, K&L Gates’ Mr Winkeler said: “We’re delighted that Sinch continues to entrust our firm with their global legal challenges, and are excited to see both their expansion into Australia materialise and success for their expanding customer base.”
K&L Gates’ Mr Ramage added: “We're very pleased to assist Sinch in another strategic acquisition and to showcase K&L Gates’ strength across multiple jurisdictions by quickly assembling a deal team of lawyers in Australia, the United States, and Europe.”