Nordics - Denmark

1

Capital markets

Plesner

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Praised as an ‘outstanding’ capital markets team, Plesner acts on the full suite of both issuer and underwriter-side mandates including accelerated book-builds, IPOs, and securities listings. ’Incredible lawyer’ Thomas Holst Laursen and M&A expert Nicolai Ørsted jointly head up the equity side of the practice and are key points of contact for IPOs, public takeovers, ABBs, PIPEs, rights issuances and corporate governance work. For debt capital markets transactions, Søren Thyssen Valerius and Jakob Echwald Sevel lead in conjunction with Henrik Kure. Henrik Laursen comes recommended for his cross-border ECM practice, which emphasises IPOs and public M&A. Janus Jepsen was promoted to the partnership in early 2023.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘Very client focused.’

  • ‘Henrik Laursen is an incredible lawyer. 100% focused on getting the deal done. My go to for high stakes transactional work.’

  • ‘Plesner's capital markets, corporate and M&A team is outstanding.’

  • ‘Thomas Holst Laursen is the natural leader of the firm and is truly a pleasure to work with. Simon Västernäs is one to watch. He is becoming a great name in his field.’

  • ‘1) Deep experience base: The fact that they have been involved in a large share of major transactions gives comfort that they have the relevant experience. 2) Combination of high legal standards with business acumen: Across the team, they demonstrate a good ability to combine legal qualification with a pragmatic business sense. They know the principles, but also when to suggest a compromise or seek alternative solutions.'

  • ‘Partner Henrik Laursen is unique in his ability to combine deep legal expertise with a strong business acumen, enabling him to give good advice on real materiality and suggestions for constructive solutions to the problems encountered.'

  • ‘What we value most about the firm is the long term commitment to the company. They have star performers and the resources to assist in transactions that are important and key to the company's future. All our work is conducted at the highest level of competence and professionalism.’

  • ‘Thomas Holst Larsen has superb knowledge and a practical pragmatic approach. Micha Fritzen is very knowledgeable with creative solutions. A real star performer, not matter what the deal or the cross-border jurisdictional implications, Micha will have mastered all the detail.’

Key clients

  • Netcompany Group A/S
  • Novozymes
  • Demant
  • Deutsche Börse
  • Gubra
  • Nordea Danmark, Filial af Nordea Bank Abp, Finland
  • Danske Bank A/S
  • Noble Corporation
  • Sanistål
  • TDC
  • Ambu
  • Sampo plc
  • If P&C Insurance
  • Danish Ministry of Finance
  • Zealand Pharma A/S
  • Carnegie Investment Bank
  • JP Morgan
  • Morgan Stanley
  • Deutsche Bank
  • Citi
  • Goldman Sachs
  • ABG Sundal Collier Denmark
  • Cowen
  • Tryg A/S
  • European Energy
  • Macquarie Group
  • NKT
  • NTG - Nordic Transport Group
  • Trifork
  • Risma Systems
  • Trustpilot

Work highlights

  • Advised Novozymes A/S in connection with the business combination agreement with Chr. Hansen Holding A/S, to combine in an all-share transaction.
  • Advised Deutsche Börse in connection with the cross-border all-cash voluntary recommend public takeover offer to the shareholders of SimCorp A/S, listed on Nasdaq Copenhagen, valuing SimCorp A/S at approximately DKK29bn/€3.9bn.
  • Advised Noble Corporation in connection with the $1.9bn business combination with The Drilling Company of 1972 A/S, involving a share exchange offer to the shareholders of The Drilling Company of 1972 A/S.

Lawyers

Leading individuals

Thomas Holst Laursen

Thomas Holst Laursen

Hall of famePlesner

Thomas Holst Laursen is a partner in Plesner's Corporate Finance team and has extensive experience in handling large complex transactions within private and public M&A, capital markets transactions (IPOs, etc) as well as transactions involving financing through other convertible securities, bonds, and securitisation. Thomas is active in all areas of transactions within a range of sectors. Clients include private equity funds and venture funds, investment banks and listed companies as well as international clients operating in Denmark. In addition to transactional work, Thomas also provides advice to boards of directors on board duties, including in relation to disclosure obligations and corporate governance. Thomas is involved in cross-border/international transactions globally. Over recent years Thomas has primarily been active in the pharmaceutical industry and in the energy and finance sector.

Next Generation Partners

Janus Jepsen

Janus Jepsen

Plesner

Janus Jepsen is a partner in Plesner's Corporate Finance team and has extensive experience with large complex public M&A transactions and capital markets transactions. In addition to handling transactions, Janus provides advice on securities law compliance and corporate governance to listed companies. Janus is one of the most active public M&A legal advisers in Denmark and he has been involved in some of the largest and most complex Danish transactions across industries, including the merger between Novozymes and Chr. Hansen Holding (still not completed), the take-over bid for TDC, the acquisition of RSA, the take-over bid for Veloxis, the combination of Maersk Drilling and Noble, and Sampo's take-over bid for Topdanmark. Janus has also advised on a large number of rights issues, IPOs and private placement transactions. Janus further has experience with regard to private M&A transactions and venture capital transactions.

Henrik Laursen

Henrik Laursen

Plesner

Henrik Laursen is a partner in Plesner's Corporate Finance team and has extensive experience in large complex transactions across all public M&A and capital markets transactions (IPOs, rights issues, ABBs, takeovers, restructurings, etc.) as well venture capital and private M&A transactions. In addition to transactional work, Henrik provides advice in relation to ongoing disclosure obligations and corporate governance. Henrik is among the most active capital markets lawyers in Denmark, having completed transactions with an aggregate value of more than DKK 200bn. Henrik has been involved in several Danish landmark transactions across multiple industries, including the IPOs of Netcompany, Nets, ISS and Scandinavian Tobacco Group, the takeover bids on Topdanmark and Nørresundby Bank and led the Plesner equity capital markets (ECM) team advising Tryg on its DKK 37bn Rights Issue, the largest ever ECM transaction in Denmark. In addition, Henrik regularly advises most Danish and international investment banks active in Denmark. In addition to substantial experience and a successful track record with capital markets transactions in the Danish market, Henrik is among the most experienced Danish practitioners within cross-border capital markets transactions, currently advising Noble Corporation on its combination with Maersk Drilling and subsequent listing on NYSE and Nasdaq Copenhagen and have advised on the IPOs of Forward Pharma (first main listing on Nasdaq NYC), Ascendis Pharma (second main listing on Nasdaq NYC), Bavarian Nordic (abandoned US IPO), Zealand Pharma (first dual-listing on Nasdaq NYC), Orphazyme (third dual-listing on Nasdaq NYC) Nordic Waterproofing (IPO on Nasdaq Stockholm) as well as the restructuring of SEK 350m bonds issued by Trigon Agri A/S (listed on Nasdaq Stockholm). While working across multiple industries, Henrik has a particular focus on the technology and life science sectors as well as providing advice to financial institutions.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Thomas Holst Laursen, Nicolai Ørsted, Søren Thyssen Valerius, Jakob Echwald Sevel, Henrik Kure

Other key lawyers

Micha Fritzen, Janus Jepsen, Henrik Laursen, Simon Västernäs

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