DS Smith Plc Placing

Simmons & Simmons has advised J.P. Morgan Cazenove as the sole underwriter in relation to DS Smith Plc’s £47m placing.

The placing by DS Smith Plc, a FTSE 250 listed international packaging and office product wholesaling company, is to partly finance its proposed £206m acquisition of Otor Group, a leading French corrugated packaging company.

The Simmons & Simmons team was led by equity capital markets partner, Chris Horton, assisted by corporate lawyer Stephanie Johnston. US securities advice was provided by Daniel Winterfeldt, supported by Michael Burdei. Tax advice was provided by tax partner Nick Cronkshaw and tax associate Zoe Arnautov.

The Simmons & Simmons team has previously advised:

• RBS Hoare Govett as sole bookrunner and corporate broker in connection with a £36m placing by Fenner Plc
• J.P. Morgan Cazenove on the demergers by Petrofac and Lundin of their North Sea oil & gas assets and EnQuest Plc’s listing on the London Stock Exchange
• Rothschild on a firm placing and placing and open offer by Management Consulting Group
• Deutsche Bank AG, London Branch on the £100m placing undertaken by Drax Group plc
• J.P. Morgan Cazenove and Panmure Gordon on the £341.3m share issue by way of placing and open offer and firm placing undertaken by SIG plc
• Rothschild, Panmure Gordon and Investec as joint sponsors and joint brokers on a £87.2m rights issue by Workspace Group plc

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Notes for editors:

1.      The Simmons & Simmons international ECM team advises on a full range of domestic securities laws in relation to all types of equity and equity-related transactions. These include IPOs, secondary offerings, rights issues, depositary receipts and convertible and exchangeable bonds. Simmons & Simmons also regularly advises and supports a wide range of issuers, investment banks, exchanges and other market participants on ECM-related corporate governance, regulatory and compliance matters.

2.      The international corporate and commercial practice at Simmons & Simmons comprises over 240 legal staff of whom 60 are partners. It advises on the whole range of equity capital markets activity, M&A and private equity transactions as well as other corporate and commercial law matters for listed and unlisted companies on an international basis. In addition, it advises governments, financiers and contractors on private financings, partnering, procurement, outsourcing, and joint ventures. 

3.      For further information, please telephone Senior Communications & PR Manager, Daniela Conte on +44 20 7825 4411. Address: Simmons & Simmons, CityPoint, One Ropemaker Street, London EC2Y 9SS. Tel: +44 20 7628 2020 Fax: +44 20 7628 2070 DX Box No 12