DLA Piper strengthens German M&A practice with the appointment of partner Dr Murad M. Daghles and counsel Dr Philipp Kynast
DLA Piper strengthens its M&A practice as of 1 April 2024 with a team led by Dr Murad M. Daghles as he joins DLA Piper’s Corporate practice in Germany. Dr Murad M. Daghles will be an integral part of the firm’s new office in Düsseldorf, where he will actively shape the expansion of the Düsseldorf office. He joins from White & Case, where he was a partner focusing on cross-border M&A transactions. Dr Philipp Kynast, who has been working with Dr Murad M. Daghles for many years, will join the team as counsel. In addition, team member Timo Heppner will join as senior associate and Colin Kastrup as associate.
“The Corporate practice is at the heart of our growth strategy in Germany and is of central strategic importance for the firm. We are therefore all the more pleased that Dr Murad M. Daghles and Dr Philipp Kynast will broaden our expertise in this area in the future and warmly welcome them to DLA Piper,” said Dr Kai Bodenstedt and Dr Martin Haller, Co-Managing Partners of DLA Piper in Germany.
“DLA Piper advises on more M&A transactions internationally than any other law firm. Dr Murad M. Daghles is a respected expert in cross-border deals, particularly with regard to the Middle East, and his team will be an ideal addition to our global corporate group. We are very much looking forward to working with him,” says Dr Benjamin Parameswaran, Global Co-Chair (Corporate) at DLA Piper.
Dr Murad M. Daghles focuses on complex cross-border M&A transactions and specializes in strategic joint ventures, particularly in the energy, infrastructure and chemicals sectors. He advises German companies on international investments and transactions, in particular in the Middle East, as well as foreign investors, companies and sovereign wealth funds on their investments in Germany and Europe. He recently advised Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) on its EUR1.6 billion strategic joint venture with the Spanish energy company Iberdrola to develop the 476 MW Baltic Eagle offshore wind farm in the German Baltic Sea and the Chinese company Inventronics on the strategic acquisition of Osram’s Digital Systems division. Another focus is advising on corporate real estate and venture capital, in particular with the participation of foreign investors.
Dr Philipp Kynast has wide-ranging experience in national and cross-border M&A, venture capital and private equity transactions as well as joint ventures. He also advises comprehensively on corporate, reorganization and takeover law as well as on shareholder activism. He is recognized by Best Lawyers/Handelsblatt in the “Ones to Watch” category for Corporate Law, M&A and Private Equity and has completed the global MBA program at IE Business School with a focus on Strategy & Entrepreneurship in addition to his legal practice.
“As part of DLA Piper’s international Corporate group, I am very much looking forward to working with my team to further expand and shape the firm’s new presence in Düsseldorf as well as to expand and strengthen the cross-border M&A offering of the firm in Germany and globally, in particular in relation to the Middle East. The DLA Piper platform offers excellent opportunities to provide clients from Germany and the Middle East with comprehensive and first-class legal support for their respective cross-border investments with a full-service approach,” concludes Dr Murad M. Daghles.
