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MoFo Advises Infobip Limited on Equity Financing from One Equity Partners, at Unicorn Valuation

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MoFo represented Infobip Limited, a global Communications Platform as a Service (CPaaS) leader, in a major strategic investment...

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MoFo represented Infobip Limited, a global Communications Platform as a Service (CPaaS) leader, in a major strategic investment from One Equity Partners, a New York-based private equity firm. This is the first outside capital raised by Infobip, which becomes the latest UK technology company to attract a unicorn valuation with one of the largest European software Series A rounds in recent years.Infobip is a software company that enables businesses to build richer and more connected customer experiences across all stages of their customer journey at scale. The company generated €602 million in 2019 revenue, having achieved a compounded annual growth rate of 48% for the last decade.The team advising Infobip on the transaction was led out of London by Corporate partners Dan Coppel and Stuart Alford, with support from Tax partner Trevor James, Corporate associates Jennifer Buckby, William Akman, Kerry Goodleff, and trainee solicitor Margaret Babalola. Antitrust advice was provided by Washington D.C. partner Vishal Mehta and associate Kerry Jones, and Berlin counsel Felix Helmstädter. New York partner John Owen advised on U.S. securities matters. Read more about the transaction in the One Equity Partners <a target="_blank" href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/one-equity-partners-to-make-strategic-investment-in-infobip-a-global-communications-platform-as-a-service-leader-301102809.html">press release</a>.

MoFo Advises Infobip Limited on Equity Financing from One Equity Partners, at Unicorn Valuation

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Stuart Alford is a partner based in the Corporate Group.Stuart’s practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions, private equity investments, joint ventures, reorganizations and general corporate advisory matters. He has particular experience in the technology space, and regularly advises European, Asian and U.S.-based clients on complex cross-border mergers and acquisitions and investments.Prior to joining Morrison Foerster in 2017, Stuart trained and practiced in the London and Hong Kong offices of an international law firm. During that appointment, he was seconded to a leading investment bank where he assisted with a range of transactions across Europe and the Middle East.Stuart received his M.A. (Hons.) degree in International Relations from the University of St. Andrews, and his law degree from the College of Law, London. He is qualified as a solicitor in England and Wales.

Stuart Alford

Partner

<div style="margin-bottom: 15px;" class="videoWrapper"><iframe class="sticky-video" title="Meet Trevor James, Tax Partner" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/QzAcj49XaPo?rel=0" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="1" title="iframe"></iframe></div>Trevor has over 30 years of experience in providing corporate and international tax advice. His practice focuses on advising client on the tax planning aspects of international transactions and strategic tax planning for global clients. He has particular experience in advising clients in the technology sector and IP-rich companies.Trevor has also advised clients on the design and implementation of global private equity and investment funds, including advising executive teams on the structuring of their carried interest arrangements. He is familiar with the legislation, HM Revenue & Customs guidance and current market practice in relation to such arrangements.Trevor has extensive experience in the tax-efficient structuring of complex debt securities, private placement transactions and other international finance instruments. He also advised both banks and corporates in connection with the design and implementation of financial and structured products, including mortgage, royalty and receivable securitizations transactions and covered bonds transactions.He also advises companies in connection with employee equity participation issues, including advising on HM Revenue & Customs approved share option schemes, unapproved option schemes, long-term incentive plans and direct issue of shares to employers and directors.

Trevor L James

Jennifer Buckby is a Mergers & Acquisitions and Emerging Company & Venture Capital partner based in the London office of Morrison Foerster.Jennifer advises on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, emerging company and venture capital transactions, and general corporate advisory matters, with particular expertise advising clients in the technology, life sciences, and food/ag sectors.Jennifer regularly represents, among other clients, Uber, Visa, SoftBank, and SoundCloud.In her M&A practice, Jennifer has represented clients in strategic domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions and joint venture transactions, including SoftBank in its acquisition of AutoStore and Uber on its acquisition of Autocab.In her venture capital practice, Jennifer has served as company and investor counsel in early- and late-stage financings and minority strategic investments, including representation of Visa Ventures in strategic Fintech investments around the world and SoundCloud in its Series G funding round.In 2018–19, Jennifer was seconded to Visa, working within its M&A and investments team.Prior to joining Morrison Foerster, Jennifer trained and practiced in the London and Singapore offices of an international law firm.After obtaining an LL.B. Law from the University of Bristol in 2010, Jennifer completed the Legal Practice Course at BPP Law School in 2011. She is qualified as a solicitor in England and Wales.<h4 dir="ltr">﻿Representative Experience</h4><ul><li dir="ltr">Uber in multiple cross-border acquisitions, including its acquisition of UK technology company Autocab.</li><li dir="ltr">SoftBank in multiple transactions, including its $2.8 billion acquisition of 40% of robotics company AutoStore and its $200 million investment in mobile satellite business OneWeb.</li><li dir="ltr">SoftBank Vision Fund 2 as lead investor in a $190 million financing round in UK Fintech platform Primary Bid.</li><li dir="ltr">Visa in multiple M&A and venture capital transactions, including its acquisition of a minority equity stake in Fintech unicorn Interswitch and investments in Bankable, Fidel, Ecolytiq, and TerraPay.</li><li dir="ltr">SoundCloud in multiple transactions, including its $75 million investment from Sirius XM and its acquisition of Musiio.</li><li dir="ltr">Alpine Investors in multiple acquisitions, including in connection with the Evergreen Services and Predictis platforms.</li><li dir="ltr">LIVEKINDLY Collective, one of the world’s largest plant-based food companies, in its acquisition of No Meat, Iceland Foods’ vegan meat alternative company.</li><li dir="ltr">Autodesk as lead investor in a £36 million Series B funding round for UK software maker CloudNC.</li><li dir="ltr">OrbiMed as lead investor in a $104 million Series E funding round for UK healthcare technology and diagnostics company Binx Health.</li><li dir="ltr">Ally Bridge Group as co-lead investor in a $600 million Series D funding round for surgical robotics company, CMR Surgical.</li><li dir="ltr">Ares in its investment in Swedish vehicle technology company Opus.</li><li dir="ltr">Cambridge Quantum Computing in its merger with Honeywell Quantum Solutions.</li></ul>

Jennifer Buckby

Kerry Jones is Of Counsel in the Litigation Department of Morrison Foerster’s Washington, D.C. office with a focus on antitrust matters. Her practice includes supporting clients across the spectrum of antitrust and competition law matters, such as strategic counseling to manage antitrust risks, Hart-Scott-Rodino premerger notification filings, gun jumping and merger clearance advocacy, internal investigations, and antitrust litigation. Kerry has experience representing clients across a variety of industries, including telecommunications, semiconductors and other high technology markets, online platforms, transportation, financial services and life sciences. She has experience representing domestic and multinational companies in federal courts.Kerry received her J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law, where she served on the editorial board of the Virginia Journal of Law and Politics. Kerry is admitted to practice in Virginia and Washington, D.C.<h4>Representative Experience</h4>Kerry has supported clients in all phases of the antitrust review process including:<ul><li>Sprint Corp. and SoftBank Group, the controlling shareholder of Sprint, in the landmark $59 billion merger of Sprint and T-Mobile US, Inc. The deal is one of the largest telecommunications deals in history.</li><li>SoftBank Group in its $4.4 billion investment in WeWork, and later its $10 billion investment in the company</li><li>SoftBank Group (in the two largest private tender offers in history) in its $7.7 billion investment in Uber</li><li>Sekisui House in its $4.9 billion acquisition of M.D.C. Holdings</li><li>Unity Software in its $4.4 billion acquisition of ironSource</li><li>Mobileye in its $15.3 billion acquisition by Intel</li><li>Axalta Coating Systems in its purchase of assets divested in connection with the Federal Trade Commission's review of an acquisition in its industry</li><li>Boyd Gaming Corporation in its acquisition of three casinos and in its purchase of assets divested in connection with the Federal Trade Commission’s review of an acquisition in its industry</li><li>ON Semiconductor in its $2.5 billion acquisition of Fairchild Semiconductor</li></ul>

Kerry Jones

Of Counsel

Felix possesses more than a decade of experience in complex regulatory counselling, compliance, and litigation. He advises major companies, public sector entities, and innovative businesses on EU and German regulatory law, with a particular focus on foreign trade, government contracts, and competition. His clients span a range of industries, including telecoms, digital economy, media, technology, financial services, healthcare, energy, and transportation (automotive, e-mobility, public transport, and railway). Felix regularly represents clients in administrative proceedings and public and civil law disputes before national and European authorities and courts, including in public procurement matters and bid protests.His specific experience in foreign trade matters comprises EU sanctions and export control compliance counselling, representation of Asian or U.S. investors in foreign investment control clearance proceedings, and other complex matters involving cybersecurity or further national security concerns.Felix also oversees large-scale internal investigation or regulatory law-driven transactional projects and is particularly experienced in providing strategic advice to market entrants and representing clients in sophisticated multiparty negotiations.As a member of our leading global National Security, Sanctions and Export Control, Government Contracts, and Antitrust practice groups, Felix works closely with high-ranking experts across three continents.Felix regularly lectures at the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. His dissertation deals with the market regulation issues of liberalizing the railway sector.Felix studied in Berlin (Dr. iur.) and Geneva, Switzerland (“Certificate in Transnational Law”). He worked as an intern in the Hearing Office of the European Commission (Directorate-General for Competition) in Brussels and at the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (Department of Competition, Regulation and Privatization Policy) in Berlin.<h4>REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE*</h4><h5>Foreign Investment, Sanctions and Export Control</h5><ul><li>Advising major global businesses and organizations on sanctions, export control compliance and internal compliance programs.</li><li>Representing companies in sanctions related disputes and litigation.</li><li>Counseling EU companies on conflicts of laws relating to U.S. sanctions and EU or EU Member State blocking laws and regulations.</li><li>Secured foreign investment control clearances in global M&A transactions before the German Ministry of Economics and Energy and coordinated with local counsel in multiple jurisdictions on clearance under local foreign investment and national security laws.</li></ul><h5>Regulatory, Government Contracts, Competition and EU State Aid</h5><ul><li>Advising a public transportation company on regulatory laws and regulations.</li><li>Counseling companies on public tenders and bid protests.</li><li>Assisted a tech startup with market access to build loading infrastructure for electric vehicles.</li><li>Advised private railway companies on track access, public tenders and EU state aid matters.</li></ul><h5>Compliance and Investigations</h5><ul><li>Advising a major OEM regarding diesel emissions.</li><li>Conducted an internal investigation at a healthcare company in relation to government contracts, and represented the client successfully in a bid protest and follow-on litigation.</li><li>Conducted multinational government contracts compliance review and associated risk assessment for a Fortune Global 500 company, including recommending process improvements and policy changes.</li><li>Conducted a multinational compliance review regarding conflicts of interest and anti-kickback policies.</li></ul><h5>Transactions</h5><ul><li>Represented 1&1/United Internet in negotiations and advised on establishing the European netID Foundation together with ProSiebenSat.1 and RTL.</li><li>Supported U.S. satellite network operator Planet Labs, Inc. during the acquisition of the German satellite system RapidEye.</li><li>Assisted a Chinese investor in the acquisition of Bochumer Verein, a steel manufacturer with plants in Germany and Brazil, from Georgsmarienhütte.</li><li>Represented Viacom in negotiations and advised on establishing the television and video ad sales marketing joint venture “Visoon” with Axel Springer.</li></ul> * includes prior law firm experience

Dr. Felix Helmstädter berät seine Mandanten seit über zehn Jahren zu komplexen Fragestellungen des Regulierungsrechts, bei Transaktionen sowie bei Compliance-Verstößen und vertritt sie in Verwaltungs- und Gerichtsverfahren.Zu seinen Mandanten zählen führende nationale und internationale Unternehmen, Unternehmen der öffentlichen Hand und neue, innovative Marktteilnehmer. Er berät diese sowohl strategisch als auch in Verhandlungen oder streitigen Auseinandersetzungen in zahlreichen Bereichen des europäischen und deutschen Regulierungsrechts, mit einem besonderen Fokus auf Fragen des Außenwirtschaftsrechts, Vergabe- und Beihilferechts sowie Wettbewerbsrechts.Besondere branchenspezifische Kenntnisse besitzt Dr. Felix Helmstädter in den Sektoren Telekommunikation, Digitalwirtschaft, Big Data, Medien, Technologie, Finanzdienstleistungen, Gesundheit, Energie und Transport (Automotive, E-Mobility, Öffentlicher Nahverkehr und Eisenbahn).Er vertritt seine Mandanten regelmäßig in Verwaltungs- und Bußgeldverfahren sowie verwaltungs- und zivilgerichtlichen Prozessen vor nationalen sowie europäischen Behörden und Gerichten. Hierzu zählt auch die Vertretung bei vergaberechtlichen Streitigkeiten und Nachprüfungsverfahren sowie in Investitions- und Fusionskontrollverfahren.Seine spezifische Expertise in Außenhandelsfragen umfasst die Compliance mit EU-Sanktionen und Exportkontrollanforderungen, insbesondere auch im Verhältnis zum US-Sanktions- und Exportkontrollrecht. Dr. Felix Helmstädter vertritt zudem vor allem asiatische und US-amerikanische Investoren bei Verfahren zur Genehmigung ausländischer Investitionen und berät zu komplexen Fragen der Cybersicherheit etwa im telekommunikationsrechtlichen oder außenwirtschaftsrechtlichen Kontext.Weitere Beratungsschwerpunkte von Dr. Felix Helmstädter sind die Koordinierung und Durchführung von umfangreichen internen Ermittlungen, die Beratung zu vergaberechtlicher und beihilfenrechtlicher Compliance, die Betreuung von regulierungsrechtlich geprägten M&A-Transaktionen, sowie die strategische Beratung etwa in Fragen des Marktzugangs oder die Verhandlungsführung bei komplexen Vertragsprojekten.Als Mitglied der führenden globalen Praxisgruppen National Security, Sanctions and Export Control; Government Contracts; und Antitrust arbeitet Dr. Felix Helmstädter eng mit hochrangigen Experten über drei Kontinente hinweg zusammen.Er lehrt an der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Seine Dissertation behandelt marktordnungsrechtliche Fragen der Liberalisierung des Eisenbahnsektors.Dr. Felix Helmstädter studierte in Berlin (Dr. iur.) und Genf (Certificat de Droit Transnational). Während seines Referendariats arbeitete er u.a. im Hearing Office der Europäischen Kommission, Generaldirektion Wettbewerb (Brüssel) sowie im Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Technologie, Referat für Wettbewerbs-, Regulierungs- und Privatisierungspolitik (Berlin).

Felix Helmstädter

John is a Capital Markets, Public Company Advisory & Governance, and Special Situations partner with more than 20 years of experience advising issuers, underwriters, and other market participants in a wide range of special situations, equity, and debt financing transactions. He has significant experience advising on refinancing and liability management transactions, initial public offerings, high yield and investment grade debt offerings, and private placements. John also regularly advises on structuring and executing cross border financing, liability management, and special situation transactions, having advised on matters involving a wide range of jurisdictions, including China, Hong Kong, Japan, France, India, Indonesia, Israel, Singapore, and the United Kingdom.  John has worked with a wide variety of companies across many industries, including consumer products, technology, life sciences, energy, telecommunications, and financial services. He has advised on transactions for issuers as diversified as Arm Holdings, RH (formerly Restoration Hardware), PepsiCo, Monster Beverage, Omnicom, Tate & Lyle, and Vonage.  In addition to routinely advising issuers, investors, and other market participants on the structuring and execution of debt capital markets transactions, having advised on aggregate financing transactions in excess of $50 billion in the last ten years, John also frequently collaborates with cross-practice teams to advise on and structure in-court and out-of-court restructuring and other liability management transactions. John has completed course work at the University of Cambridge on sustainable finance and serves on the firm’s ESG steering committee. He also serves on the firm’s diversity and inclusion committee as well as its New York hiring committee. John has regularly been recognized as an IFLR1000 notable practitioner and by The Legal 500 for his work on capital markets transactions. <h4>Representative Experience</h4><h5>Capital Raising Transactions</h5><ul><li>Arm Holdings plc, the world’s leading semiconductor IP company, in its blockbuster $5.22 billion USD IPO on Nasdaq, the largest IPO of 2023</li><li>Sprint Corp. in connection with its $1.0 billion guaranteed notes offering</li><li>Vonage in its $300 million convertible note offering</li><li>RH’s issuance of $300 million in aggregate principal amount of convertible notes</li><li>FTI Consulting in its $316.25 million convertible note offering</li><li>TransDigm Group in its offering of $500 million Senior Subordinated Notes by its UK subsidiary</li><li>Lodha Developers, a leading developer of luxury real estate in India, in its $200 million secured bond offering by its UK subsidiary</li></ul><h5>Special Situations</h5><ul><li>SoftBank Group’s investment in 6% senior notes issued by Fair Technologies</li><li>Counsel to an institutional senior secured noteholder in connection with an out-of-court exchange offer and recapitalization transaction by Associated Materials</li><li>Counsel to an ad hoc group of former noteholders in connection with the proposed initial public offering of Southeastern Grocers, following its chapter 11 bankruptcy</li><li>Counsel to the ad hoc group of senior secured noteholders, in the chapter 11 cases of EP Energy</li><li>Counsel to the ad hoc group of first lien noteholders, as noteholders and backstop DIP lenders, in the chapter 11 bankruptcy of Sanchez Energy</li><li>Lodha Developers International in its consent solicitation relating to $200 million of 12% Guaranteed Senior Notes</li><li>Sprint in connection with its $1.7 billion tender offers for 9.000% Guaranteed Notes and 8.375% Notes</li><li>Frontier Communication in the concurrent fixed price tender offers to purchase any and all of its 6.625% Senior Notes and any and all of its 7.875% Senior Notes, and in a modified Dutch auction tender offer to purchase up to $225 million aggregate principal amount of its 8.250% Senior Notes</li></ul>