White & Case provides legal advice to Actis
White & Case LLP has advised Actis on its acquisition of a newly carved-out tower portfolio from leading Central & Eastern European telecommunications operator Telekom Srbija.
“This is an extremely exciting transaction for Actis and is intended to be its cornerstone platform investment for towers in the region,” said White & Case partner Sandra Rafferty, who led the Firm’s deal team. “We have supported Actis on a transaction in a sector that is forecast to expand significantly in Central & Eastern Europe and the western Balkans in the coming years.”
The carved-out portfolio comprises approximately 1,800 macro towers, of which approximately 1,000 are in Serbia, approximately 700 in Bosnia & Herzegovina and approximately 100 in Montenegro. As part of the transaction, an independent Actis-controlled Towerco has been established, which has entered into a long term Master Services Agreement (MSA) with Telekom Srbija as the Towerco’s anchor tenant and partner for future growth. The MSA anticipates significant build-to-suit (BTS) commitments to further expand the platform’s reach and to accommodate new technologies that will be rolled out in the region.
Actis is a leading global investor in sustainable infrastructure, with US$25 billion raised since its inception and more than US$12.5 billion of assets under management. It has a team of more than 120 investment professionals operating from 17 offices across five continents.
Telekom Srbija is a leading telecommunications operator in Central & Eastern Europe across Serbia, Bosnia & Herzegovina and Montenegro.
The White & Case team which advised on the transaction was led by partner Sandra Rafferty (London) and included local partners Fraser Galloway, Philip Vavalidis (both Dubai) and Jan Stejskal (Prague), partners Vit Stehlik, (Prague), Philip Trillmich, Jessica Kemp