Epicenter Group - advising on the acquisition of Nova Linia DIY hypermarket chain

Vasil Kisil & Partners advised Epicenter Group as a strategic investor in the acquisition of Nova Linia group of companies. The firm’s lawyers have supported all stages of the transaction, including negotiations throughout the process, development and adaptation of transaction structure, legal due diligence of the target, preparation of documents for the transaction, as well as advising the client on current issues related to the implementation of the deal.

The project had a complex structure that called for a pre-restructuring of group’s companies and the transition of operational control to the buyer in several stages, as well as a complex package of security items and other challenging aspects.

VKP’s lawyers have successfully represented client’s interests before the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine, which performed a detailed investigation under the case of concentration. Following this inquiry the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine has issued a merger clearance subject to certain requirements.

Ukrainian Epicenter retail chain was created in 2003 by Epicenter K and it specializes in construction materials. Over the years it opened 42 hypermarkets in Ukraine, with 36 hypermarkets in the regions and 6 in the capital.

Nova Linia is also a national chain of DIY and Home Improvement hypermarkets with 16 stores all over Ukraine with a combined gross trade area of over 230,000 square meters.