METAWATER Co., Ltd. - Acquisition of E&P Anlagenbau GmbH
Nishimura & Asahi advised METAWATER Co., Ltd. [TSE: 9551], a company that specializes in the engineering, design, construction and operation of water, wastewater and solid waste treatment plants, on its acquisition of E&P Anlagenbau GmbH, an engineering company specializing in wastewater and sludge treatment. This transaction is a significant acquisition for METAWATER as it seeks to grow and diversify its portfolio in the European market.
The team was led by partners Yoshiyuki Kizu, Dominik Kruse, Timothy Merchant, Kristina Winkelmann and counsel Maximilian Lentz, with support from associates Jessica Christina Larkins, Roman Landin Rehmke, Miriam Steinke, Yuki Takada and Aoi Kato.
People
Dominik serves as co-representative of our offices in Frankfurt and Düsseldorf, Germany. He advises Japanese companies on corporate and cross-border M&A matters, as well as European companies regarding their business expansion into Southeast Asia (notably Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam). He has a wealth of international experience and brings unique insights into deal-making across different cultures in both emerging and mature markets. Before joining the Tokyo office of Nishimura & Asahi in November 2019, Dominik worked at Clifford Chance (based out of Düsseldorf, Germany, and New York) and as in-house counsel at Pfizer, Inc. (New York).
He advises on a wide range of M&A transactions, including acquisitions, disposals, co-investments, minority investments, complex joint ventures and general corporate matters, regularly representing financial sponsors, Japanese and international investors, and other financial institutions across a range of sectors.
*Legal advice in the UK is provided under the name of Nishimura & Asahi UK Limited, a legal entity independent from, and a subsidiary of, Nishimura & Asahi (Gaikokuho Kyodo Jigyo). Neither Nishimura & Asahi (Gaikokuho Kyodo Jigyo) or Nishimura & Asahi UK Limited is authorised by the SRA, and none of Nishimura & Asahi (Gaikokuho Kyodo Jigyo), Nishimura & Asahi UK Limited or Timothy Merchant will undertake any reserved legal activity as defined in the United Kingdom Legal Services Act 2007.
She has practiced for over 8 years at a leading international law firm in Brussels. Her practice covers, inter alia, merger control, cartel investigations, abuse of dominance, and antitrust compliance. She has particular expertise in FSR filings & compliance, guiding numerous international companies through in-house data collection processes.
Kristina draws on first-hand experience from the European Commission in Brussels and the Japan Fair Trade Commission in Tokyo. She has counseled across a wide range of industries - such as automotive, electronics, heavy industries, and logistics - with a strong focus on helping Asian corporate clients navigate European regulatory challenges. She has also spoken on the FSR developments at the Competition Law Forum Japan.
Kristina holds law degrees from Germany and France and is admitted to the German Bar in Munich (Rechtsanwältin) and the Brussels Bar (EU registered lawyer / E-list, Ordre Français). She is a member of the German-Japanese Lawyers’ Association, as well as the Antitrust Lawyers Association in Germany.
Maximilian’s practice covers cross-border M&A transactions, set-up of cross-border Joint Ventures, and day-to-day commercial business activities of international corporations in Europe. He lived in Japan for more than two years including a one-year research fellowship at Kyoto University. Before joining Nishimura & Asahi, Maximilian worked at leading law firms in Germany focusing on legal advice to international clients especially from Japan, China and other Asian jurisdictions.
Leveraging his professional and intercultural experience, Maximilian is considerate of the client’s business culture and provides tailored solutions also by coordinating closely with legal counsel from other European jurisdictions, where necessary.
Yoshi’s practice covers various M&A transactions, cross border deals, and day-to-day commercial businesses, with a focus on Europe-related matters. He lived in Europe approx. 8 years including studying at the master of law at UCL in London, working approx. 3 years in leading firms in Frankfurt, Paris and Italy, a short secondment in Barcelona/Madrid and having regular business trips all across Europe including the Netherlands, Nordic countries and Eastern Europe. As a leading partner of Europe practice and cross-border team, Yoshi provides a tailored legal services in a timely and flexible manner.
*Legal advice in the UK is provided under the name of Nishimura & Asahi UK Limited, a legal entity independent from, and a subsidiary of, Nishimura & Asahi (Gaikokuho Kyodo Jigyo). None of Nishimura & Asahi (Gaikokuho Kyodo Jigyo), Nishimura & Asahi UK Limited or, the representative, Yoshiyuki Kizu is authorized by the Solicitors Regulation Authority for England and Wales, and none will undertake any reserved legal activity as defined in the United Kingdom Legal Services Act 2007.