Haavind assisted Nordea Bank in its financing of EQT's acquisition of XXL, Norway's largest chain of sports-supermarkets.
Haavind partners Trond Kildal and Peter L. Brechan advised Nordea Bank in one of the most significant acquisitions in the retail sector this year. The deal saw EQTV, a fund managed by EQT - Scandinavia's leading PE-manager acquire XXL, Norway's leading sports retailer valued in excess of EUR 400 million.
While the deal is not as large as we have seen in the past, it is indicative of the market picking up and heralds a new and optimistic future for PE funds and banks.