We advise Belgian public entities as well as private and public companies, whether listed on a Stock Exchange or not, and their shareholders. We accompany them in their role as shareholders, in negotiating their agreements, in setting up corporate structures, their investments, partnerships, or corporate restructurings and also in the resolution of conflicts arising therefrom. This type of involvement leads us to set the framework for the company’s financing methods, and to negotiate the contracts that organize them, establish the statutes, regulations and other governance mechanisms which protect investor rights.

Our practice also regularly leads us to resolve family shareholder conflicts, which require a fair dose of listening and remaining open to alternative dispute resolution methods.

This experience has been developed in a variety of industrial sectors, including finance, holding companies, aeronautics, steel, energy, petroleum products, as well as construction and biotechnology.

• Representing the “Société Fédérale de Participations et d’Investissement” (the Belgian Federal public investment fund) in multiple investments, including among others an investment in an Indian Fund and in Euronext.
• Representing the “Société Fédérale de Participations et d’Investissement” in litigations matters related to the past or current investments arising from the bankruptcy of the former SABENA (Belgian airline).
• Representation of family shareholders in managing shareholder relations or the buying back of shares or companies in several industry sectors.
• Representing regional public investment companies, or private or industrial shareholders, in restructuring companies active within sectors facing difficulties.
• Representing the Ministry of Finance of the Walloon Region in a dispute on guarantees issued in view of facilitating an industry restructuring.
• Separation of the companies in charge of the transport of gas and electricity (Transmission System Operators), Fluxys and Elia, from their historical shareholder, organization of their activities as independent companies and assistance in setting up and managing their corporate governance in accordance with EU sectorial regulation.
• Advice given for the last 25 years to a large non-European family group on an alliance with another family group for investments made in various European companies, several of which are listed.
• Assistance given to investors and shareholders in view of acquiring shares or structuring partnerships in listed or private companies.
• Assisting investors regarding specific duties or restrictions and governance in certain regulated sectors (energy, insurance, finance, etc.).
• Assisting a European telecoms operator in the acquisition by a Belgian subsidiary – resulting in a takeover bid – of a North African telecoms operator.