Benson Oak
An Investment Banking Company
Benson Oak, founded in 1991, is an investment banking firm based in Prague and with activities in the Central and Eastern European region.
Benson Oak assists clients in raising debt and equity capital, on the domestic and international markets, and in executing mergers and acquisitions transactions. Benson Oak's highly specialised corporate finance services also include advising in the areas of privatisations, project financing and risk management. Our clients are large Czech, Slovak and regional companies, multinationals and financial institutions, as well as small-to-medium sized enterprises.
Benson Oak has advised on more than 75 transactions amounting to in excess of EUR 6 billion.
Benson Oak advises Benson Oak Capital (BOC), a Dutch-based entity which provides equity financing for buyouts, expansion capital and special opportunities in the Czech and Slovak Republics. Benson Oak Capital has been making investments since 2001.
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
October 2007 Acquisition of City Sport
Benson Oak, together with CFM Capital, the Irish Global M&A partner, advised Lifestyle Sports Limited, the leading Irish sporting goods retailer and a subsidiary of the Stafford Group, on the acquisition of Market Line, a.s., the operator of the leading Czech sporting goods retailing business under the CitySport brand name with 23 outlets as at the acquisition date. Benson Oak advised on all aspects of this successful cross-border Global M&A buy-side transaction, including sourcing the target and assisting in execution.
September 2007 Acquisition of 100% of Shares in Bochemie
Benson Oak advised on the acquisition by Benson Oak Capital of a 100% stake of Bochemie, s.r.o. Based in Bohumín, Czech Republic, Bochemie is a leading manufacturer of cleaning, disinfection and biocide products in Central Europe with consolidated sales of Kc 1.8 billion. Bochemie develops and markets innovative products for household use as well as for healthcare, agriculture and wood-processing. Bochemie?s portfolio includes SAVO, a traditional Czech brand with 80 per cent market share on the bleach disinfectants market and leader in the market of bathroom & kitchen cleaning agents. In addition to leading products in the area of wood and masonry protection. Bochemie has a strong position in the specialized global markets for metal surface treatment chemicals and materials for production of Ni-Cd batteries. Bochemie Group includes Permedia, a manufacturer of inorganic pigments based in Lublin, Poland and Herbacos-Bofarma, a Pardubice-based generic pharmaceuticals company. Benson Oak structured and negotiated the acquisition as advisor to Benson Oak Capital, in a privately negotiated deal with the shareholders. Benson Oak also advised in the process of securing acquisition debt financing for the transaction from ABN AMRO.
June 2007 Acquisition of 100% of the Shares in Plastkov
Benson Oak advised on the acquisition by Benson Oak Capital of a 100% stake in Plastkov MR, a.s. Based in Liberec, Czech Republic, Plastkov is a Tier 2 producer of automobile parts, supplying car manufacturers such as Skoda, Volkswagen and Renault. Benson Oak structured and negotiated the acquisition as advisor to Benson Oak Capital, in a privately negotiated deal.
