Kerstin Henrich has more than 15 years of experience advising corporates and financial investors on complex and distressed M&A transactions, venture capital investments, and transactions in the renewable energy sector. Clients in the automotive, logistics, chemical, plastics, and other industries have relied on her negotiating skills and her hands-on, practical approach.
Kerstin's recent engagements include advising a global owner and operator of toll roads on the capital restructuring of a German toll road. In addition, Kerstin has represented financial investors and family offices on the acquisition and sale of wind and solar energy projects with a total capacity of hundreds of megawatts. Her recent engagements in the renewable energy sector include advising a German developer on a co-development agreement with Italian ERG group to implement a 600 MW early-stage photovoltaic power portfolio in Germany, a European family office on the acquisition of the project rights for and the development of an offshore wind farm in the German Baltic Sea, and a German investment holding on the sale of the majority shareholding in Italy's largest photovoltaic power plant.
In the venture capital space, Kerstin advised one of the founding shareholders of Jumia, the first African-focused start-up unicorn, in connection with Jumia's IPO on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).
Prior to joining Jones Day, Kerstin represented U.S., French, and Indian investors on distressed M&A transactions in Germany.
Kerstin is an alumna of the prestigious German National Merit Foundation. She is a member of the Düsseldorf Bar and the German American Lawyers Association.
Experience
The following represents experience acquired prior to joining Jones Day.
Advised a listed Swedish telecom company on a €300 million financing round of a joint venture with Rocket Internet and MTN Group.
Advised Imperial Logistics on the disposal of port and transport logistics provider Neska to Häfen und Güterverkehr Köln AG.
Advised French-listed Plastivaloire Group on the acquisition of Karl Hess GmbH & Co. KG, a leading German system supplier for plastics technology and tools, and on the planned acquisition of a German injection molding supplier from the insolvency administrator.
Advised Mistras Group, which is listed on the NYSE, on the acquisition of the GMA Group, a German provider of nondestructive testing solutions, and the planned acquisition of a German provider of nondestructive testing solutions from the insolvency administrator.
Advised an Indian investor on the planned acquisition of a German valve manufacturer from the insolvency administrator.
Advised a foreign strategic investor on an investment in a leading German online venture.
Advised Holidaybreak, an education, leisure, and activity travel group based in the United Kingdom, on the acquisition of the Meininger Group, which operates hotels in Germany, the U.K., Austria, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
Advised Findos Investor on the acquisition of Faist ChemTec Group, a manufacturer of products for reducing structure-borne sound for the automotive and home appliances industries from the Hannover Finanz Group and Faist Invest.
Advised the main shareholders of Metro AG (the Beisheim, Haniel, and Schmidt-Ruthenbeck family offices) on the sales of: a portfolio of 45 retail properties (mostly METRO Cash & Carry wholesale-retail properties) to affiliates of Cerberus Capital Management L.P. and a portfolio of 23 retail properties (mostly food retailing markets) to a consortium of Morgan Stanley Real Estate Fund (MSREF) Global VII and Redos Real Estate.
Advised EDEKA Group on the sale of 36 beverage and liquor wholesale stores to Oetker Group, Veltins Group, and REWE Dortmund.
Advised the shareholder of the trinkgut Group, Germany's leading operator of beverage and liquor wholesale stores, on the sale to EDEKA Group.
Additional Publications
- 2019
Hölters, Handbook Acquisition of Companies (Handbuch Unternehmenskauf), 9th edition, chapter 10 "Special Features of the Anglo-American Contract System"
- University of Bonn (Dr. jur. magna cum laude 2006); Second State Examination (Düsseldorf, 2005); Duke University (LL.M. 2001); First State Examination (Bonn, 2000)
- Germany
JUVE Handbook of German Commercial Law Firms (continuously since 2014): recommended for M&A — "respected M&A partner" and "has excellent legal knowledge and proactively takes economic considerations into account; moves transactions ahead"
Acritas "Star Lawyer" (2018-2021)
The Legal 500 Germany (2015): recommended for corporate and M&A and for her "hands-on, clear and practical advice"
- German, English, and French