China/Hong Kong
Linklaters is advising Chinese private equity company Hony Capital on the proposed $1.54 billion acquisition of restaurant chain PizzaExpress Ltd. London-based PizzaExpress operates in 13 countries outside of the United Kingdom, including 12 restaurants in Hong Kong, nine in Shanghai and one in Beijing. Hony Capital is buying the company from U.K. private equity firm Cinven Partners, which controls PizzaExpress and a number of other casual dining restaurants through its portfolio company Gondola Group Ltd. Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer London partner Adrian Maguire is acting for Cinven on the transaction. [Read full story]
