Noerr advises Bauer Media in WeNet Group’s planned acquisition of Semergy Group

Noerr has advised Bauer Media in the planned strategic acquisition of the Semergy Group by WeNet Group.

The Semergy Group, comprised of five digital marketing agencies including Sunrise System, Artefakt, Grupa-TENSE, Semahead and Widzialni.pl, is highly regarded for its focus on delivering SEO services to small and medium-sized businesses across Poland.

The acquisition is part of WeNet’s strategy to consolidate the digital marketing services sector, thereby creating a robust business with the scale needed to innovate and serve SME customers in Poland effectively. WeNet, backed by the Polish private equity firm Innova Capital, is undergoing a significant transformation to maintain competitiveness in a landscape where the use of AI in internet marketing has substantially increased.

For Bauer Media, this transaction signifies an exit from the SEO/SEM business in Poland, which was one of the five segments of the group’s operations in the Polish market. The remaining segments include activities in the audio market through the country's largest RMF Group, publishing (primarily women’s magazines), financial comparison platforms in partnership with the Netrisk Group, and printing operations (two large printing facilities in Ciechanów and Wykroty).

Bauer Media, as stated by Chief Operating Officer, Paul Keenan, will continue to focus on the transformation of its core publishing and audio divisions maintaining a strong presence in Poland.

Closing of the transaction is subject to clearance by the regulatory authorities and the fulfilment of the closing conditions.

Advisors to Bauer Polen Invest GmbH, Heinrich Bauer Verlag KG: Noerr Żelich sp. k.

Lead: Karol Kicun (associated partner, Corporate/M&A, Warsaw)

Corporate/M&A: Ada Zahorodna (associate), Gustaw Steinke (legal advisor, both Warsaw)

Employment & Pensions: Jarosław Karlikowski (senior associate, Warsaw)

Antitrust & Competition: Jerzy Kapitańczuk (senior associate, Warsaw)

Real Estate Investment Group: Maciej Gorgol (senior associate, Warsaw)