Richard Åkerman
Richard Åkerman
Richard Åkerman’s practice focuses on corporate and private equity transactions. He frequently provides advice regarding corporate law, governance and transactional matters to corporations and financial sponsors. Richard has also advised many industrial and technology companies in restructuring and insolvency situations. Richard Åkerman is the chairman of Hannes Snellman’s board of directors.
He is not only a very experienced M&A lawyer, but he is very business-oriented and understands which matters to focus on.
Chambers Europe | Corporate/M&A
References
Parties
Charles River Laboratories International, Inc., Cognate BioServices, Inc. Cobra Biologics
Transaction
Swedish counsel to Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. in the acquisition of Cognate BioServices, Inc,. including its Swedish and British subsidiaries Cobra Biologics.
Deal value
The purchase price amounted approximately USD 875 million.
Role
Counsel to Charles River Laboratories International, Inc.

Richard Åkerman

Nicole Jerad

Douglas Essehorn

Iiris Ikkelä

Jenny Lundberg

Elisabeth Vestin

Itai Coleman
Parties
Altra Industrial Motion, MTEK Industry AB
Transactions
Altra Industrial Motion in the forming of a strategic partnership with MTEK Industry AB.
Deal Value
Value not public
Role
Counsel to Altra Industrial Motion

Richard Åkerman

Miklos Kovacs Kal

Nicole Jerad

Jenny Lundberg

Itai Coleman
Parties
SGS, SYNLAB’s Analytics & Services division
Transaction
SGS to buy SYNLAB's Analytics & Services division
Deal value
EUR 550 million
Role
Swedish and Finnish Counsel to SGS

Richard Åkerman

Nicole Jerad

Maisa Cederström

Emma Andersson

Josephine Lindgren

Itai Coleman

Amanda Blick

Noora Britschgi
Parties
The Kantar Group Limited (target), Bain Capital, LP (Buyer), WPP Plc (Seller)
Transaction
Bain Capital, LP. has agreed to acquire 60 per cent of the Kantar Group Limited, from WPP Plc in a restructuring transaction.
Deal Value
EUR 3551.77 million
Role
Counsel to WPP Plc

Richard Åkerman

Heidi Haanpää

Maisa Cederström

Sara Soini

Josephine Lindgren

Jenny Lundberg

Nicole Jerad
Parties
Transdev Group, Flygbussarna Airport Coaches
Transaction
Transdev Group in its divestment of Flygbussarna Airport Coaches to Vy
Deal Value
Value not public
Role
Counsel to Transdev Group

Richard Åkerman

Ammar Khan

Moa Fritzon Torbjelt

Anna Bergström

Jessica Tressfeldt

Jenny Lundberg

Josephine Lindgren
Parties
AAC Capital Partners, Intermediate Capital Group PLC and other shareholders (Sellers), Viking Redningstjeneste Topco AS (Target)
Transaction
P&C Insurance Ltd (publ) in its Acquisition of Viking Redningstjeneste Topco AS
Deal Value
EUR 32 million
Role
Swedish and Finnish counsel to Sweden-based insurance company If P&C Insurance Ltd (publ)

Richard Åkerman

Outi Raitasuo

Johanna Wärnberg

Moa Fritzon Torbjelt

Emmi Kantola

Anna Bergström

Sara Heikfolk
Parties
Fazer Food Services, Compass Group PLC
Transaction
Fazer Group in its divestment of Fazer Food Services to Compass Group PLC
Deal Value
EUR 475 million
Role
Counsel to Fazer Group

Richard Åkerman

Riikka Rannikko

Ammar Khan

Jonas Sjöberg

Nicole Jerad

Moa Fritzon Torbjelt

Sini Paajanen

Johanna Haltia-Tapio

Jenny Lundberg

Josephine Lindgren

Jenni Heurlin

Julia Wegelius
Parties
Transdev, Utö Rederi AB
Transaction
Transdev, a Sweden-based private passenger transport company, has acquired Utö Rederi AB, a shipping company that operates passenger traffic in Stockholm's southern archipelago.
Deal Value
Value not public
Role
Counsel to Transdev

Claes Kjellberg

Richard Åkerman

Moa Fritzon Torbjelt

Ninja Pyy
Parties
Ramirent Plc (buyer), Stavdal AB
Transaction
Ramirent in its acquisition of Stavdal AB to become the leading company in Swedish equipment rental market
Deal Value
EUR 158 million
Role
Counsel to Ramirent Plc

Peter Forsberg

Jenny Lundberg

Richard Åkerman

Sofia Bengtsson

Aina Renström

Julia Wegelius

David Olander

Anna Bergström
Parties
Direct Conversion AB (Target), Varex Imaging Corporation (Bidder)
Transaction
Counsel to the sellers of Direct Conversion in a 90% stake acquisition by Varex Imaging.
Deal Value
Value not public
Role
Counsel to sellers of Direct Conversion

Richard Åkerman

Mattias Friberg

Ammar Khan

Khaled Talayhan

Nicole Jerad

Douglas Essehorn

Carolina Wahlby
Parties
Kildare Partners, Technopolis Plc
Transaction
Kildare Partners’ public tender offer for Technopolis Plc, a Finland-based listed company providing offices, coworking spaces and related services
Deal Value
EUR 729.7 million
Role
Counsel to Kildare Partners

Klaus Ilmonen

Richard Åkerman

Antti Kuha

Anniina Järvinen

Antti Alanko

Lauri Marjamäki

Maisa Cederström

Katja Heikkinen

Noora Britschgi

Mari Miettinen

Jonas Sjöberg

Agda Vähä-Piikkiö

Susanna Hernberg

Tapio Teräkivi
Parties
AtoB@C Shipping AB (Target), Aspo Plc (Bidder) Anders Nilsson (Private Investor)(Seller)
Transaction
Aspo Plc has agreed to acquire AtoB@C Shipping AB from Anders Nilsson (Private investor).
Deal Value
EUR 30 million
Role
Counsel to Aspo Plc

Richard Åkerman

Riikka Rannikko

Mikko Huimala

Josephine Lindgren

Sara Soini
Parties
Asiakastieto Group Plc (Buyer), UC AB (Target), Six Swedish banks (Sellers)
Transaction
Asiakastieto Group Plc’s pending acquisition of UC AB, a credit information company
Deal Value
Appr. EUR 340 million
Role
Counsel to Asiakastieto Group Plc

Klaus Ilmonen

Richard Åkerman

Markus Bremer

Elisabeth Vestin

Antti Kuha

Toni Malminen

Albert Danielsson

Elina Toivakainen

Maisa Cederström

Sara Heikfolk

Lauri Marjamäki

Nicole Jerad

Suvi-Tuuli Saarnio

Jonas Sjöberg

Jenny Lundberg

Paula Röttorp

Annemari Rosi
Parties
Fazer Group (Buyer), Froosh (Target), Unilever Ventures and minority owners (Seller)
Transaction
Fazer Group's acquisition of Froosh
Deal Value
Value not public
Role
Counsel to Fazer Group

Richard Åkerman

Nicole Jerad

Julia Wegelius
Parties
Wärtsilä Corporation (Buyer), Puregas Solutions AB (Target)
Transaction
Wärtsilä Corporation’s agreement to acquire Puregas Solutions AB
Deal Value
EUR 29 million
Role
Counsel to Wärtsilä Corporation

Richard Åkerman

Peter Forsberg

Aina Renström
Parties
Dual Co Ltd (Buyer), Herenco AB, Pomona-Gruppen AB, Larsson Industrier i Smalandsstenar AB (Sellers), Borgstena Group Sweden (Target)
Transaction
DUAL Co., Ltd. will acquire 95% stake in Borgstena Group Sweden, from Herenco AB, Pomona-Gruppen AB, and Larsson Industrier i Smalandsstenar AB.
Deal Value
USD 56.2 million
Role
Counsel to DUAL Co., Ltd.

Richard Åkerman
Parties
Intrum Justitia AB (Buyer) Lindorff (Target)
Transaction
Counsel to Intrum Justitia in Connection with the Combination with Lindorff
Deal Value
SEK 40 billion
Role
Counsel to Intrum Justitia AB

Fredrik Olsson

Richard Åkerman

Claes Kjellberg

Paula Röttorp

Jenny Lundberg

Carolina Wahlby

Aina Renström

Sanna Böris
Parties
Valedo Partners Fund I (Seller), Akademikliniken (Target), Polaris Private Equity (Buyer)
Transaction
Valedo Partners Fund I has agreed to divest its majority holding in Akademikliniken to Polaris Private Equity
Deal Value
Value not public
Role
Counsel to Valedo

Aina Renström

Richard Åkerman
Parties
Oy Karl Fazer AB (Buyer), Frebaco Kvarn AB (Target)
Transaction
Oy Karl Fazer AB has acquired Frebaco Kvarn AB
Deal Value
Value not public
Role
Counsel to Oy Karl Fazer AB

Richard Åkerman

Moa Fritzon Torbjelt

Peter Forsberg

Aina Renström
Parties
Oak & Oak AB, managers and directors (Sellers), Ekelöw InfoSecurity AB (Target), PwC Sweden (Buyer)
Transaction
The sale of Ekelöw InfoSecurity AB to PwC Sweden
Deal Value
Value not public
Role
Counsel to Oak & Oak AB, managers and directors

Richard Åkerman

Claes Kjellberg
Parties
Discovery Networks Sweden and Modern Times Group (MTG) Sweden
Transaction
Discovery Networks Sweden and Modern Times Group (MTG) Sweden have established a joint venture to combine their regional advertising sales businesses for their respective flagship television channels in Sweden, Kanal 5 and TV3. The new 50:50 JV company is named Airtime Sales
Deal Value
Value not public
Role
Counsel to Discovery Networks Sweden

Richard Åkerman
Parties
Sensys Traffic (Buyer), Gatso Beheer B.V. (Target)
Transaction
Sensys Traffic has entered into an agreement to acquire the Dutch company Gatso Beheer B.V
Deal Value
Approximately MSEK 278.
Role
Counsel to Sensys Traffic

Richard Åkerman

Peter Forsberg
Parties
TeliaSonera, Spotify
Transaction
TeliaSonera is investing USD 115 million for a 1.4 percent stake in Spotify
Deal Value
USD 115 million
Role
Counsel to TeliaSonera

Richard Åkerman

Claes Kjellberg

Carolina Wahlby
Parties
Nefab AB (Target), Wallenberg Foundations FAM (Bidder), Nordgren/Pihl family (Seller)
Transaction
FAM's investment in Nefab
Deal Value
SEK 1.1 billion targeted share issue
Role
Counsel to the Nordgren/Pihl family

Richard Åkerman

Peter Forsberg
Parties
NEP Group Inc.(Buyer), Mediatec Group (Target)
Transaction
NEP Group Inc.'s acquisition of Mediatec Group from its current owners
Deal Value
Value not public
Role
Counsel to NEP Group Inc.

Richard Åkerman
Parties
Novax (Buyer), Academic Work (Target), Latour (Seller)
Transaction
Novax' acquisition of Latour’s entire shareholding in Academic Work
Deal Value
Value not public
Role
Counsel to Novax

Richard Åkerman

Claes Kjellberg
Rankings
- 'Described as "knowledgeable, pragmatic and results-oriented"', Corporate/M&A, Chambers Global, 2021
- "Assists a broad range of clientele with public and private M&A." Corporate/M&A, Chambers Global and Chambers Europe, 2020
- Ranked as Highly regarded lawyer, Private Equity, IFLR1000, 2020
- Recommended in Corporate/M&A, Legal 500, 2019
- Ranked as Highly regarded lawyer, Private Equity, IFLR1000, 2019
- "A respected lawyer in the market, Richard Åkerman advises clients on a broad range of M&A mandates and has recent experience assisting clients from the food and pharmaceutical industries.", Chambers Global and Chambers Europe, 2018
- Ranked as Highly regarded lawyer, Corporate/M&A, Private Equity, IFLR1000, 2018
- "Truly professional.", Commercial, Corporate/M&A, Legal 500, 2017
- 'One client says: "He is not only a very experienced M&A lawyer, but he is very business-oriented and understands which matters to focus on", also appreciating that he is "very pleasant to work with and has great social skills.", Corporate/M&A, Chambers Europe, 2017
- Ranked as Leading lawyer, Private Equity, IFLR1000, 2017
- "Richard Åkerman heads the firm's private M&A practice. He is recommended for his transactional experience, particularly in the information and communications technology sectors.", Corporate/M&A, Chambers Global 2016 and Chambers Europe 2016
- 'Richard Åkerman is "to the point in his advice and focused on the deal fundamentals."', Corporate/M&A, Chambers Global and Chambers Europe, 2015
Memberships and Positions of Trust
- Member of the Swedish Bar Association
Education and Professional Background
- Partner, Hannes Snellman, Stockholm, 2008
- Managing Partner, Hannes Snellman, 2002 – 2004
- Partner, Setterwalls, 2000 – 2008
- Associate Lawyer, Advokatfirman Hammarskiöld & Co., 1998 – 2000
- Associate Lawyer, Lagerlöf & Leman Advokatbyrå, 1995 – 1998
- LL.M., Columbia University School of Law, New York, 1994
- Service with Swedish Courts, 1991 – 1993
- Jur. kand. (LL.M.), Stockholm University, 1991