Antitrust Law Daily Wrap Up, ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS NEWS: EC approves acquisitions of Acenden and AMS by The Blackstone Group, Azelis by Apax Partners, (Mar 24, 2015)

By Linda O’Brien, J.D., LL.M.

The European Commission (EC) has cleared under the European Union (EU) merger regulation the proposed acquisition of Acenden Ltd. and AMS Decision Advisors LLP, both of the U.K., by The Blackstone Group L.P. and Koala HoldCo, LLC, a portfolio company of TPG Global, LLC and TPG Special Situations Partners, LLC , all of the United States, the EC announced today. The transaction was examined under the simplified merger review procedure.

Acenden and AMS Decision Advisors provide mortgage administration and management services for lenders in the UK and, for Acenden, also in Ireland. The Blackstone Group is a global alternative asset manager and provider of financial advisory services. TPG Global and its investment platform TPG Special Situations Partners form a global private investment firm, investing in a variety of companies through acquisitions and corporate restructuring. The Commission concluded that the proposed acquisition would not raise competition concerns, because the companies' activities overlap only to a very limited extent.

Azelis-Apax Partners merger. The EC also announced today that it has approved under the EU merger regulation the acquisition of Azelis of Luxembourg by Apax Partners of the U.K. Azelis is a distributor of specialty chemicals. Apax Partners is an adviser to private equity funds. The Commission concluded that the proposed acquisition would raise no competition concerns because the companies' activities do not overlap. The transaction was examined under the simplified merger review procedure.

Companies: Acenden Ltd.; AMS Decision Advisors LLP; The Blackstone Group L.P.; Koala HoldCo, LLC; Azelis Holding S.A.; Apax Partners

News: AcquisitionsMergers Antitrust