Florian Becker

Head of Noerr London, Rechtsanwalt (Lawyer), Partner

Corporate
Restructuring & Insolvency
Mergers & Acquisitions
Private Equity

Becker Florian

Florian Becker is a specialist in complex transactions and reorganisations, particularly in special situations. He has advised on more than 100 successfully closed transactions in the last 18 years and regularly takes a leading role in advising national and international clients on cross-border M&A transactions. He has a strong focus on the areas of technology, financial services and restructuring. Florian also frequently advises in private equity/venture capital and distressed M&A transactions.

Projects

  • Europcar Mobility Group on the acquisition of the majority in the rent-a-car and car subscription business of VW (2023)
  • AUCTUS: Advising on the sale of PharmaLex to AmerisourceBergen for EUR 1.28bn (2022)
  • Advising on the investor processes regarding the global activities of the insolvent Wirecard group (2020)
  • Advising local payments infrastructure provider PPRO on an investment round of more than USD 180m (2021)
  • Advising the insolvency administrators of Thomas Cook group on the sale of the operations (2019)
  • Generali Group: Advising on the reorganisation of the group in connection with the sale of the majority stake in Generali’s German life insurance (2018)
  • Bayer AG: Advising on the divestment of the Digital Farming Division to BASF (2018)
  • Europcar: Advising the company on the purchase of Buchbinder by Europcar (2017)
  • Shanghai Electric: Advising on the acquisition of the Broetje-Automation Group (2016)
  • Guangzhou Pearl River Piano: Advising the piano manufacturer on the purchase of German pi-ano maker Schimmel (2016)
  • Janssen Pharmaceuticals: Advising the Johnson & Johnson group company on the sale of the US Nucynta franchise to Depomed (2015)
  • ATU Group: Advising the group on restructuring and refinancing (2013/2014)
  • AVIC International: Advising on the acquisition of the business of Thielert Aircraft Engines GmbH (2013)
  • Petroplus: Assisting in the investor process and sale of German Petroplus refinery out of insolvency (2012)
  • BayWa AG: Advising in the reorganisation of BayWa AG and DIY and garden centre business joint venture with Hellweg (2011)
  • Augusta Technologie AG: Advising the technology company on the sale of the Sensortechnics Group (2011)
  • Robbins & Myers, Inc.: Advising the engineering manufacturer on the sale of Romaco Group (2011)
  • Cinterion Wireless Modules GmbH: Assisting in the auction process and sale of the company (2010)
  • DyStar Textilfarben GmbH: Assisting in the investor process and sale of the business in an auc-tion out of insolvency (2010)
  • AUDI AG: Advising on the investment by AUDI in FC Bayern Munich (2009)
  • Qimonda AG: Advising on restructuring and investor process at the insolvent Qimonda AG (2009)
  • CA Immobilien: Advising on the company’s acquisition of Vivico Real Estate (2007)
  • Oaktree: Advising on the purchase of the foreign spirits business of Eckes AG (2007)

Distinctions

  • For more than 15 years frequently recommended lawyer for M&A, JUVE Handbook
  • Clients see him as "extremely competent, client oriented, can be reached anytime", JUVE Handbook (2021/2022)
  • Described and recommended as "good negotiator" and "very efficient and pragmatic" for M&A, Legal 500 Deutschland
  • For many years recommended as leading expert in M&A and Restructuring and Insolvency, Best Lawyers in Germany
  • Recommended as leading expert in restructuring & insolvency, Legal 500 Deutschland (2017)

Career

Studied industrial business management (company degree and training program at Siemens AG, Berlin)
Received a law degree from Humboldt-University in Berlin.
Experience abroad: Law firm in Atlanta (USA), Secondment at Macfarlanes in London (England)
Worked as an academic assistant for Prof. Schwark at Humboldt-University in Berlin, specializing in corporate law, banking and capital markets law
With Noerr since 2004
Admitted to the Munich Chamber of Lawyers

Publications

  • Handbuch Restrukturierung in der Insolvenz, § 36 Obstruktionsverbot, in: Kübler (Ed.), RWS Verlag, Köln, 4. Ed., 2023
  • Schuldschein-loan agreements in restructuring (with Dr. Nikolai Warneke) in ZIP 2018, S. 1332 ff.
  • Die Investitionsprüfung nach Änderung der AWV — offene Fragen aus Perspektive der Transaktionspraxis (with Dr. Bärbel Sachs) in Neue Zeitschrift für Gesellschaftsrecht (NZG) 2017, pp. 1336 et seq.
  • Hürden für Investoren: EU will neue Beschränkungen einführen (with Dr. Bärbel Sachs) in Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 20.09.2017
  • Germany tightens rules on FDI reviews, in: Trade Security Journal - National Security Controls (with Dr. Bärbel Sachs), 2017, issue 3, pp. 28 et seq.
  • Heidelberger Kommentar zum Aktiengesetz, §§ 222 240, in: Bürgers/Körber (Ed.), C.F. Müller Verlag Heidelberg, issue 4, 2017
  • Umwandlungen im Insolvenzplan und die Grenzen einer Überlagerung des Gesellschaftsrechts durch das Insolvenzrecht, in: Zeitschrift für das gesamte Insolvenzrecht (ZInsO), 2013, pp. 1885 et seq.
  • Pay to Play as an option (with Dr. Sascha Leske), in: Venture Capital Magazin, 78/2011, pp. 32 et seq.
  • Acquisition of a business out of insolvency (with Dr. Christian Pleister), in: Financier Worldwide, 3/2010
  • Eine knifflige Angelegenheit – zur übertragenden Sanierung, in Finance-Jahrbuch Restrukturierung 2010, pp. 72 et seq.
  • Aktienrechtliche Aspekte von Kapitalmaßnahmen in der Krise (with Dr. Christian Pleister), in Going Public / Special Distressed M&A, 2009, pp. 44 et seq.
  • Acquisitions under stress: A German view on distressed M&A transactions, in: International Mergers & Acquisitions Review 2009, Euromoney Yearbooks, 2009