Private Equity

EBN has one of the most active and highly regarded private equity transaction practices in Israel.

Our main focus is in providing counsel to local and foreign private equity funds in a variety of industries in their investment activity, and acquisitions and operations in Israel. We are actively involved in structuring the most high-profile, large scale and complex cross-border transactions involving equity funds in Israel. As such, we represent the largest and most prominent private equity funds in their M&A activities in the Israeli M&A market.

Our dedicated team of private equity attorneys has extensive experience in representing private equity funds and structuring various innovative forms of their investments and exit transactions, including leveraged buyouts, management buyouts, spinoffs, strategic investments, majority and minority investments or acquisitions, joint ventures and other tailor made structures.

We also provide ongoing advice to our private equity clients in their management and oversight of portfolio targets, including by providing corporate, securities, financing and litigation advice to portfolio companies.

In addition, we are also experienced in fund formation and structuring, designed to meet the particular tax and investment goals, together with the cooperation of tax, accounting and foreign counsel when necessary.

• Representation of Permira, one of the largest European private equity funds, in various transactions and operations in Israel, including the acquisition and thereafter the sale of all of its holdings (approximately 61%) in the iconic drip irrigation pioneer Netafim to Mexichem, a Mexican public company for US $1.9 billion.
• Representation of XIO Group, a global private equity firm, in various transactions and operations in Israel, including
  • the acquisition of Lumenis Ltd., an Israeli medical device company which develops surgical, ophthalmology and aesthetic applications in consideration of approximately US$ 514 million; and
  • in its proposed acquisition of Meitav Dash, a leading Israeli investment house, for NIS 1.8 Billion.
• Representation of Tene Investment Funds, an Israeli leading private equity fund in various transactions:
  • the sale of 100% (together with all other shareholders) of the Israeli-based dairy herd specialist, S.C.R. (Engineers) Ltd. to Allflex Group in consideration for US$250 million;
  • NIS 150 million acquisition of 60% of the share capital of Sharon Laboratories Ltd., a global manufacturer and industry leader in the fields of development, production and marketing of preservatives for the food and cosmetics industries; and
  • USD 130 million acquisition of a substantial stake in Caesarstone Ltd., a leading Israeli manufacturer traded on NASDAQ.
• Representation of Magma Ventures, Vertex Venture Capital, Samsung Catalyst and Japanese SBI, in the sale of their shares in Argus Cyber Security, an Israeli smart car technology startup, to German tire and advanced car components company Continental, in a transaction valued at approximately US$450 million.
• Representation of the leading global venture capital funds Magma Venture Partners, Horizons Ventures, DFJ Venture Capital, Trilogy Equity, Iris Fund, DFJ Tamir Fishman in a USD 200 million divestiture of their portfolio company Hola Networks to EMK Capital Partners LLP, a UK private equity fund.
• Representation of Apax Partners, a global private equity investment group, in various transactions:
  • acquisition of approximately 76% of Psagot Investment House from York Capital in exchange for over NIS 2.35 billion (US $622 million); and
  • acquisition of a controlling interest in Tnuva, Israel’s largest dairy and food manufacturer, for a total amount of US$1.025 billion.
• Representation of Saban Capital Group, a leading global private investment firm in the acquisition of a controlling stake of 33% in Partner Communications by in consideration of US$400 million.