Noerr advises Whynow on acquisition of EMP from Warner Music Group

A Noerr team led by Hans Radau, Laurenz Tholen and Anna Olbrys-Sobieszuk has advised Whynow Limited on the acquisition of all shares in EMP Merchandising GmbH. The seller is Warner Music Group.

The transaction was complex from a commercial, legal and tax perspective because, concurrently with the share acquisition, EMP GmbH's logistics property, all related assets and the entire logistics business were sold by way of an integrated carve-out to, and long-term logistics services agreements were entered into with international fashion and lifestyle logistics specialist Bleckmann.

The acquisition is an important step for Whynow in building a global platform connecting artists, brands and fans. The deal will also integrate Europe’s leading ecosystem for rock and metal fans with over 10 million customers into the rapidly growing Whynow group. This will strengthen the existing media, licensing and e-commerce business, while creating new opportunities for artists and rights holders to build stronger fan communities, deepen engagement and unlock new revenue streams. The Whynow group was founded in 2019 by Gabriel Jagger, son of Rolling Stones singer Mick Jagger.

Advisors to Whynow Limited: Noerr

Lead: Hans Radau (Partner, M&A, Berlin), Laurenz Tholen (Partner, M&A, Frankfurt), Anna Olbrys-Sobieszuk (Associated Partner, M&A, Berlin)

M&A: Moritz Nikolaus Koch (Partner, Hamburg), Eckhart Schleifenbaum (Partner, Munich), Sebastian Voigt (Partner, Dresden), Eojin Lie (Senior Associate, Frankfurt), Asina Roth (Senior Associate, Berlin), Valentina Scheler (Senior Associate, Frankfurt), Lena Felden (Associate, Frankfurt), Tarik Khettal (Associate, Berlin), Janna Lakos (Associate, Frankfurt), Victoria Rosendahl (Associate, Hamburg)

Antitrust: Fabian Badtke (Partner, Frankfurt), Bastian Müller (Senior Associate, Brussels)

Banking & Finance: Alexander Schilling (Partner, Frankfurt), Nikolai Warneke (Partner, Frankfurt), Martina Buller (Associated Partner, Frankfurt), Katharina Trompler (Associate, Frankfurt)

Digital: Tom Billing (Partner, Berlin), Tobias Bosch (Partner, Berlin), Pascal Schumacher (Partner, Berlin), Mansur Pour Rafsendjani (Partner, Munich), Korbinian Hartl (Associated Partner, Munich), Marvin Bartels (Senior Associate, Berlin), Fernanda Bremenkamp (Senior Associate, Berlin), Lukas Schu (Senior Associate, Frankfurt), Thomas Sternberg (Associate, Munich, Paul Vogel (Senior Associate, Munich), Anja-Sophia Thalheim (Associate, Munich)

Employment & Pensions: Benjamin Jahn (Partner, Munich), Mercedes Hummel (Associate, Berlin), Matthias Laarmann (Associate, Berlin)

Real Estate Investment Group: Clemens Schönemann (Partner, Berlin), Linus Paul Kijewski (Associate, Berlin), Tim Lieder (Senior Associate, Berlin), Jacob Mudrich (Senior Associate, Berlin)

Regulatory, Government Affairs & Investment Controls: Carsten Bringmann (Associated Partner, Berlin), Ines Mittermeier (Senior Associate, Düsseldorf), Salomo Ortega Sawal (Senior Associate, Düsseldorf)

Tax: Carsten A. Heinz (Partner, Munich), Peter Scheuch (Associated Partner, Berlin), Tim Löper (Associated Partner, Munich), Christian Garz (Counsel, Berlin), Antonia Bach (Senior Associate, Frankfurt), Paul Gurr (Senior Associate, Berlin), Patrick Heinrich (Senior Associate, Munich), Thomas Renner (Senior Associate, Frankfurt), Ekaterina Zuev (Associate, Berlin)