Jiri SIMECEK |
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His real estate practice, in particular, has included the structuring of new deals in co-operation with tax advisors to maximize investment returns, real estate due diligence (land and buildings), and the preparation of reports for both Czech-based investors and others in the CEE region (working closely with local counsel), focusing on solutions to issues arising from the due diligence process, advising on tenders, and ultimately on whether to proceed with any given transaction. In addition, Mr. Simecek has extensive experience in drafting and negotiating acquisition agreements for both asset and share (SPV) deals, bank financing documentation, shareholder loans, joint venture arrangements and shareholder agreements, managing the whole process through to the successful closing of the transaction. He also advises on and prepares agreements on asset management, leasing and the provision of property services, and advises on construction law, including assistance with obtaining zoning and urban planning permits. The types of deals Mr. Simecek has handled range from purely Czech-party transactions for one-off asset purchases located in the Czech Republic, to highly complex cross-border investments for large real estate funds, involving development and construction contracts, the establishment of joint ventures and project financing, with no Czech connection other than Mr. Simecek’s own location. He has negotiated on behalf of clients and against counterparties from the U.S. to Bulgaria, from Ireland to Israel, regularly structuring deals through tax-effective jurisdictions, such as The Netherlands, Luxembourg and Cyprus. Mr. Simecek also provides ongoing advice and assistance to clients on various corporate and commercial issues arising upon the completion of a transaction, including restructurings, management changes and financing. He has managed several large local acquisitions for a major Czech real estate fund, involving due diligence investigations, proposing solutions to issues discovered, preparing and negotiating the purchase agreements and completing them in conjunction with financing banks. He also represented the tenant, a major international conglomerate, in negotiating and concluding a lease for the largest industrial facility in the Czech Republic, and has structured a scheme for private investments in real estate operated by a major financial institution, handling the negotiations with the Czech regulatory authorities. Abroad, Mr. Simecek has specific experience in negotiating and implementing a phased joint acquisition of two Bulgarian shopping centres, with office components (while under construction), including bank financing, shareholder debt and leasing, as well as the preparation of the joint venture and acquisition documentation. He has also designed a Dutch fund structure for real estate investments in Central Europe, and negotiated a consortium agreement for a Czech industrial group building a power plant in China. Investors and businesses advised by Mr. Simecek include Quinlan Private, The Czech and Slovak Property Fund, General Electric Real Estate, PPF, Raiffeisenbank Real Estate, KBC (the largest Belgian bank), Erste Bank, Honeywell, Akzo Nobel, Sekyra, Pfizer, Citigroup, Eastman and CEZ. Deal sizes have typically ranged between EUR 25 million and EUR 150 million. PRINCIPAL PRACTICE AREAS
PROFESSIONAL CREDENTIALS
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Mr. Simecek has been practicing law in the Czech Republic since 1997, commencing while completing his legal and economic studies in Prague, The Hague and New York. As a long-time associate of a major international law firm in Prague, Mr. Simecek has specialized in all aspects of commercial investment and development, as well as corporate acquisitions, mergers and disposals, and project financing.