Category: Press releases

Allegro has leased nearly 2,100 sq.m. in Lubicz Business Center in Kraków, a complex owned by Globalworth. The new office, which will be accommodated primarily by engineers who take care of the platform’s technological growth, will be ready at the start of next year.

Lubicz Business Center is made up of two A-class office buildings located close to Rondo Mogilskie, the Old Town, Kraków Główny Railway Station, Galeria Krakowska shopping mall and academic campuses. Both buildings have been awarded the BREEAM certificate (category: Management) with Very Good rating.

“When planning the upward extension of almost 2,100 sq.m. of new office space in Lubicz Business Center, we were positive that this option would generate a lot of interest among potential clients. We have held numerous talks and meetings, and today we can share great news that Poland’s largest e-commerce company has selected our building for its new office that will be used predominantly by the technology staff,” says Julie Archambault, Senior Leasing Manager at Globalworth Poland.

Comprehensive legal advisory services with respect to the negotiations and execution of the lease agreement were provided by Alicja Sołtyszewska, legal counsel, Partner at act BSWW.

“We are proud to be Globalworth’s trusted legal consultant that is routinely invited to cooperate on new projects. It was a pleasure to handle this transaction,” says Alicja Sołtyszewska.

Globalworth is a leading real estate company, concentrating its operations on Poland and Romania, two largest CEE markets. It acquires, develops and manages commercial assets, with a strong emphasis on the office sector. Globalworth has a real estate portfolio valued at approx. EUR 3bn, managed by a team of over 200 professionals working mostly from Warsaw and Bucharest.

Allegro is a shopping platform created in 1999. It is visited monthly by over 20 million clients who can shop for products offered by more than 117,000 businesses. Allegro has its registered office in Poznań, with offices in Warsaw, Toruń, Wrocław and Kraków. The company employs over 2,400 people.

The law firm was supporting the investment funds managed by Pekao TFI S.A., which developed – in cooperation with Bank Pekao S.A. and Pekao Investment Banking S.A. – the structure for the program involving the PLN 2.5 billion issue of bonds of Miejskie Przedsiębiorstwo Oczyszczania w m. st. Warszawie sp. z o.o., aimed at financing the modernization and extension of the municipal waste incineration plant, as well as the construction of a waste segregation plant for Warsaw.

The project was handled by Sebastian Sury and Matylda Juzala (Partners at act BSWW), and supervised by Piotr Smołuch (Managing Partner and Head of Bonds).

The strategically important project, involving the renovation and extension of the incineration plant, as well as the construction of a waste segregation plant, will see the emergence of two new technological lines for municipal waste combustion within the next three years. Following the completion of the works, this is going to be Poland’s biggest facility of this sort, while also being among the largest ones across Europe. It is supposed to combust over 300 tons of mixed waste annually, and generate energy for more than a dozen thousand households.

“We perfectly realize that this project is of crucial strategic importance for the city. Warsaw has been waiting for it for years. This makes us even prouder to be given the opportunity to contribute to its success,” says Piotr Smołuch, Managing Partner at act BSWW.

The facility is going to be eco-friendly as it was designed in line with top environmental standards related to waste management.

act BSWW has consulted on Rank Progress’ purchase of nearly 6.83 hectares of land worth almost PLN 24m net.

On November 19, 2020, Rank Progress Spółka Akcyjna Otwock spółka komandytowa (a subsidiary of Rank Progress S.A.) and Rank Progress S.A. entered into two final agreements for acquisition of ownership title to a land lot of 6.83 ha.

The property is located in Otwock. The transaction value is PLN 23.97 million.

The law firm provided a comprehensive range of legal advisory services, including a due diligence audit of the property.

The law firm’s team was supervised by Michał Wielhorski, Managing Partner at act BSWW. The team was made up of Mateusz Prokopiuk, Partner (transaction advisory), and Michał Sołtyszewski, Partner (due diligence).

“This is yet another project of this kind, on which we advise our Client,” says Michał Wielhorski.

Rank Progress is an investment and development company which has become a market leader when it comes to development of retail spaces. It is listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange.

act BSWW consulted TIM S.A. on the sale of 100% equity stake in Rotopino.pl

November 26, 2020 saw the execution of the conditional agreement for the sale of stocks in Rotopino.pl between TIM S.A. and Oponeo.pl S.A.

TIM S.A. intends to sell its 100% equity stake in Rotopino.pl for PLN 35 million. In order for the final agreement to be executed and for Oponeo.pl S.A. to acquire the stake, it is necessary to obtain an unconditional and final approval of the President of the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection for the intended concentration.

The law firm provided the seller with a comprehensive range of legal advisory services.

The transaction was handled by Mateusz Prokopiuk, Partner at act BSWW. Anna Sawaryn, Senior Associate, consulted on issues related to the procedure held before the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection.

The project team was supervised by Michał Wielhorski, Managing Partner.

Rotopino.pl S.A., with its registered office in Bydgoszcz, operates domestically and internationally, focusing predominantly on online sales of manual and electrical tools. It has over a dozen e-stores, including narzedzia.pl and rotopino.pl. The company’s rapid growth over the past few years has turned it into the domestic market leader. In 2019, its revenues reached PLN 65.5 million.

act BSWW, one of Poland’s largest law firms and a member of the European act legal group, has just relocated to Varso Place, considered among the most modern and prestigious mixed-use developments in Poland, and boasting features that make it unique in Europe.

The law firm has leased over 2,000 square meters of office space, occupying two levels at Varso 2, one of the three buildings that make up the project. The office buildings are directly linked to
the Central Railway Station.

“Given act BSWW’s ongoing growth, we needed more space. Varso 2, a flexible and multifunctional complex, perfectly matches our needs for years to come. We are pleased to have been given the opportunity to contribute to the success of this project implemented by HR Reavis – the developer that uses the legal services of both act BSWW and act legal in Europe,” says Michał Wielhorski, Managing Partner at act BSWW.

“Our choice was based on a variety of factors, including the project’s high standard, downtown location, transport links and a broad range of amenities for our clients and staff. The complex was designed and developed to the highest international standards. It is going to be a real pleasure for us to work here,” adds Piotr Wojnar, Managing Partner at act BSWW.

Located in the very heart of Warsaw, Varso Place is a unique project designed for business, residents and tourists. It is made up of three towers set along the western section of Chmielna street, across Złote Tarasy shopping mall. Two out of three Varso Place buildings have already been delivered, with the first tenants moving in. The most prominent feature will be the 310-meter-high Varso Tower, about to become the European Union’s highest building. The construction works are scheduled to finish in early 2022.

act BSWW has been building its reputation among Polish and foreign clients for almost 20 years. The law firm provides ongoing legal services to businesses, consults on prestigious transactions and handles complex litigation. It is one of the founding members of act legal, a European alliance of law firms operating in 10 countries. act legal has over 400 lawyers, tax advisors and business experts.

A Portuguese investor completed the refinancing transaction for the Porto Office complex developed in 2019. It is made up of two A-class office buildings.

act BSWW advised the investor on refinancing of this investment project.

The law firm’s team was led by Michał Wielhorski, Managing Partner. Its members were Mateusz Prokopiuk (attorney-at-law, Partner at act BSWW) and Anna Olmińska-Kieżun (trainee attorney-at-law, Associate).

“Our law firm also advised Porto Office on the earlier stages of the project, i.e. financing and leasing of both buildings,” says Michał Wielhorski, Managing Partner and Co-Head of Real Estate at act BSWW.

“act BSWW is a team of top-class professionals, thanks to which our cooperation was very efficient and ensured full protection for the investor’s interest. Except for being highly qualified and capable of providing comprehensive legal services, the team members are committed and adaptable,” says Barbara Zbyszewska, Managing Director at Porto Office.

The Porto Office complex features a total leasable area of 12,500 square meters and is LEED Gold-certified. In 2016, it won the second-degree Construction of the Year prize awarded by the Polish Association of Construction Engineers and Technicians.

Porto Office is located in the buffer zone of Bielańsko-Tyniecki Landscape Park and the popular Stare Dębniki district, very close to the Vistulan Boulevards and the future Zakrzówek Park.

The investor and developer are Porto Office B sp. z o.o. and Porto Office A sp. z o.o., special-purpose vehicles founded by Portuguese entrepreneurs that run investment projects in Portugal, Spain and Brazil. Porto Group has been actively pursuing new ventures in Poland for many years.

Pracuj Ventues, Poland’s first corporate innovation fund, which focuses on investments in technological companies operating in HR and Learning & Development sectors, has acquired a minority stake in Gamfi.

Gamfi offers innovative solutions that enhance workplace motivation and employee involvement through gamification.

“The funds will enable further development of our technology and simplification for clients. We are also planning to extend the scope of our activities related to the of the community of our existing and potential clients. Additionally, we intend to embark on new educational campaigns that will allow companies to build their gamification competencies,” says Adrian Witkowski, President of the Management Board at Gamfi.

act BSWW was advising Gamfi’s existing shareholders on negotiations and execution of the investment agreement with Pracuj Ventures, an investment company belonging to Grupa Pracuj.

The transaction was handled by Marta Kosiedowska, Partner at act BSWW.

“We are always more than happy to work with clients that run innovative projects and explore new areas of business,” says Marta Kosiedowska.

act legal (a European Alliance of law firms) has grown with the joining of VFGS+ (Milan, Italy) in July 2020.

act VFGS+ Avvocati is a future-oriented, experienced and dynamic team of lawyers. Its clients include private and public companies, private equity funds and financial institutions, from start-ups to global corporations operating across a wide range of industries.

“We have been working with VFGS+ for many years. Our clients appreciate its support in their international projects,” says Jacek Bieniak, Managing Partner and Co-Head of the Italian Desk at act BSWW (the alliance’s Warsaw-based law firm). “We are glad to welcome such reputable lawyers at act legal,” he adds.

This decision reflects the drive to provide the firm’s clients with top notch and also cross-border, legal services.

act legal has the relevant performance profile and efficient structures of a major international law firm, offering cross-border and regional full-service legal support to companies and investors that do business in continental Europe.

act legal, with 15 offices in most of the largest European business centres and combined forces of around 400 attorneys, stands for high quality, good value, efficient bespoke processes, strong partner involvement and a personal approach, all of which makes act legal an attractive one-stop-shop for excellent legal support in Europe.

“We truly put ourselves in our client’s shoes and, thinking how we can provide a good client experience going through a legal matter from their point of view, we believed that joining act legal is the best solution,” stated the partners of act VFGS+ Avvocati.

act legal understands the mechanisms influencing the business activities of its clients and has a unique insight into the true demands and expectations that a company has of external legal counsel.

“For more than 2 years, we have been looking for an Italian partner perfectly suited to act legal and have had discussions with many first-class Italian law firms. The high professionalism and future-oriented approach of VFGS+ Avvocati, combined with the extraordinary personalities both at partner level and among the younger lawyers, made the decision easy in the end”, said Dr. Sven Tischendorf, MBA, managing partner of the German act legal firm AC Tischendorf Rechtsanwälte and member of the act legal steering committee.

act VFGS+ Avvocati was founded in 2015 on the initiative of Luca Vicarioli, Federica Franchi and Angelo Giunta who, sharing their passion for the legal profession, combined their experiences, values and expertise driven by the ambition of creating a young, dynamic practice with high-level planning and a European vision. In 2018 Stefano Balzola, lawyer and professor at the Carlo Cattaneo University – LIUC and University of Turin, joined the firm as an additional partner. act VFGS+ Avvocati today counts 12 professionals and has offices in Milan and Turin.

act legal aims to further expand into other continental European countries in the coming years.

Mateusz Prokopiuk, attorney-at-law, has just joined the group of act BSWW’s partners.

He has been with the law firm since 2012.

Mateusz specializes in real estate law, real estate transactions (share and asset deals), due diligence audits, mergers, acquisitions and investment financing.

His professional focus is on transactions involving the sale/purchase of land lots for office, retail and residential developments. He negotiates financing conditions for notable real estate investment projects (incl. large shopping centers), while also advising companies from other market sectors on complex financing processes. Mateusz supervises due diligence audits related to the transactions that he handles. His experience also includes consulting on mergers (incl. cross-border ones) and acquisitions, as well as providing ongoing legal advisory services for companies operating across a wide range of industries.

“Mateusz is vital member of the real estate and investment financing teams, highly appreciated by clients for his knowledge and hard-working approach. We are glad to welcome him among the law firm’s partners,” says Michał Wielhorski, Managing Partner at act BSWW, Co-Head of the Real Estate Practice.

Real estate advisory is among act BSWW’s core competencies.

Adventum International, an investment fund operating internationally, has purchased an office building located at Plac Orląt Lwowskich in Wrocław.

Covering a usable area of over 17,000 sq.m., the building (“Centrum Orląt”) is located in a city center of Wrocław, nearby the Old Town.

Thanks to this transaction, the Polish portfolio of Adventum’s offices has grown to 63,000 sq.m.

– Centrum Orlat has an excellent location and strong property fundamentals. Our strategy with the asset is to undertake a full refurbishment program, transforming it into a modern, energy-efficient Class A office building with BREEAM certification. Leasing of the property has already commenced, with Centrum Orlat re-opening its doors in Q1 2021 – says Andras Marton, Business Development Director at Adventum International.

act BSWW advised Adventum throughout the purchase. The services provided by the law firm included due diligence of the property, drafting transaction-related documents, negotiation support and transaction-related advice.

The project team was led by Marta Kosiedowska (attorney-at-law, Partner) under supervision of Marek Wojnar (attorney-at-law and Managing Partner, co-heading the real estate practice of the law firm). Due diligence audit was prepared under the direction of Michał Sołtyszewski (attorney-at-law, Partner).

– It is the fourth project acquired by the fund in Poland over the last year; Adventum International has already purchased Poznań Financial Centre (Poznań), Renaissance Plaza (Warsaw) and Katowice Business Point (Katowice) – says Marta Kosiedowska, Partner at act BSWW. We had the opportunity to assist the Client on all four transactions – she adds.

Adventum is a group of boutique investment fund management companies focused on Central European real estate investments. The Group’s personnel includes highly experienced real estate professionals with CFA, NRW and MRICS qualifications, with a combined investment experience of 70+ years. The management has so far executed investments in the CEE region with a total value of over EUR 1.5bn.

The seller was represented by Deloitte Legal.