Germany

Germany’s attractiveness as a place to invest and as a trading partner is unbroken.

Generally, there are no restrictions on foreign investors establishing companies in Germany or acquiring an interest in German companies. However, the articles of association of a company may individually restrict the transfer of shares in that company.

PDS & Associates and DLA Piper advised Indian conglomerate PCM Group in its €36m (Rs 255 crore) acquisition of German international railway equipment conglomerate Rail One whose shareholders were advised by Hogan Lovells.

PDS & Associates Mumbai partner Sajid Mohamed, with DLA Piper Germany partner Benjamin Parameswaran and counsel Isaschar Nicolaysen and a raft of other DLA partners acted for the Siliguri-based Indian private company in acquiring the 118-year old German giant.

Hogan Lovells Berlin-based partner Jörg Meissner acted for Rail One shareholders. The €150m company with plants in Germany, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Spain and South Korea was acquired for €36m reported the Economic Times.

Linklaters partner Dr Eva Reudelhuber acted for the banks for the sellers.

Exclusive: German independent firm Hengeler Mueller has hired former J Sagar Associates (JSA) Gurgaon associate Abhijit Narayan for its India desk after the departure of Anish Mashruwala last year, who had joined JSA after eight years with the German firm.

DLA Piper has launched a continental European India practice by hiring Benjamin Parameswaran and Daniel Sharma from German independents Hengeler Mueller and Heuking Kühn Lüer Wojtek respectively.