Berlin—Global law firm Dentons has advised Medien Union, based in Ludwigshafen, Germany, on the split-up of Südwestdeutsche Medien Holding (SWMH). SWMH currently bundles the activities of the publishing groups Medienholding Süd and Süddeutscher Verlag.

Medienholding Süd includes the newspapers Stuttgarter Zeitung, the Stuttgarter Nachrichten and the Schwarzwälder Bote, among others. Süddeutscher Verlag includes the Süddeutsche Zeitung publishing group, the Hof, Coburg, Suhl and Bayreuth publishing group (HCSB) and a specialist information division.

The split-up provides for Medien Union to manage the specialist information division of Süddeutscher Verlag on its own, while Neue Pressegesellschaft—publisher of the Südwest Presse in Ulm, among other titles—will acquire a majority stake in the Stuttgarter Zeitung, the Stuttgarter Nachrichten and the Schwarzwälder Bote. Antitrust approval is still pending.

SWMH is one of the largest newspaper publishers in Germany, currently employing around 4,500 people.

Medien Union was advised by a Dentons team led by Dr. Arne Friel in the preparation, negotiation and execution of the transactions around the split-up of Südwestdeutsche Medien Holding.

Advisors to Medien Union

Dentons (Berlin):

Corporate/M&A: Dr. Arne Friel (Lead Partner), Matthieu Emonet (Counsel), Yasmin Mohammadi (Senior Associate)

Tax: Hauke Thieme (Partner)

Competition and Antitrust: Dr. Josef Hainz (Partner)

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