October 31, 2014
Investment continues 3i’s expansion in the global retail sector.
Willkie client 3i Group plc, and funds managed by 3i, have agreed to acquire a majority stake in Christ, a leading retailer for jewelry and watches in Germany, through an investment of approximately €214 million.
Christ is one of the market leaders in the German jewelry and watch retail sector, focusing on the affordable luxury segment. It employs more than 2,400 staff and has 220 retail outlets throughout the country in both shopping malls and prime city locations. 3i will use its experience in the retail sector and its consumer portfolio companies, including Amor, Mayborn and GO Outdoors, to work with Christ on further developing its business.
The cross-border Willkie team, led by Mario Schmidt (Corporate/Private Equity, Frankfurt) and Dr. Octávio de Sousa (Corporate/Private Equity, Frankfurt), included partner Jan Wilms (Finance, Frankfurt), national partners Dr. Bettina Bokeloh (Tax, Frankfurt), Adrien Giraud (Antitrust, Brussels), Rolf Hünermann (Compliance/Corporate Commercial, Frankfurt) and Dr. Christian Rolf (HR, Frankfurt) and associates Daniel Zakrzewski (Corporate/Private Equity, Frankfurt), Andreas Knödler (Corporate/Private Equity, Frankfurt), Mathilde Ayel (Antitrust, Paris), Marion Bailly (Antitrust, Paris), Tobias Daubert (Finance, Frankfurt), Johannes Eckhardt (Corporate/Private Equity, Frankfurt), Jochen Riechwald (HR, Frankfurt) and Maximilian Schwab (Corporate/Private Equity, Frankfurt).
