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Dr Wolfram Distler M.Sc.

Partner
Wolfram Distler has represented the interests of our company in the best possible way.
CFO of a German corporate
About

Wolfram Distler is a banking & finance lawyer with over 20 years' experience advising multinational corporates, international private equity investors, financial institutions and debt funds on acquisition financings, corporate financings, public take-over financings, growth and venture debt financings, financings in the energy and infrastructure sector, mezzanine financings, Schuldschein financings and financings in special situations.

Having worked as a lawyer in Frankfurt, Munich and London, Wolfram knows the European debt market inside out  and has helped his clients getting their deals done in all phases of the credit cycle.

Wolfram has particular sector know-how in energy and infrastructure, IT, healthcare, chemical industry and steel industry. 

Professional QualificationsRechtsanwalt admitted with Rechtsanwaltskammer Frankfurt am Main

EXPERIENCE

CORPORATE FINANCE

  • Advising VARTA AG on the refinancing and extension of an existing syndicated credit facility, in connection with an additional bridge financing and the further reorganisation of their financing structure.
  • Advising the internationally operating Montana Aerospace AG (Montana Group) on a syndicated corporate financing of EUR 450 million provided by an international group of lenders.
  • Advising Georgsmarienhütte Group on the refinancing of its existing EUR400m syndicated loan agreement.
  • Advising STI Group – Gustav Stabernack GmbH, a packaging and POS solutions specialist, on a syndicated corporate financing provided by a German club of lenders.
  • Advising Feralpi Group, a pan-European steel producer, on a syndicated corporate financing provided by UniCredit Bank AG and BNP Paribas S.A..
  • Advising LINET, a European healthcare specialist, on a syndicated corporate financing provided by Commerzbank, Citibank, Deutsche Bank, Comercni banka and Ceska sporitelna.

ACQUISITION FINANCE/ LEVERAGED FINANCE

  • Advising Danish alternative lender Capital Four on the unitranche acquisition financing of KGS Software by GENUI.
  • Advising French alternative lender Eurazeo on several add-on acquisition financings granted to:
    • Avenga Group, a portfolio company of Oaktree Capital Management and Cornerstone Investment Management, and
    • Kinetics Group, a leading solution provider for critical processes.
  • Advising a club of lenders on the financing of the acquisition of eduPRO Group by Invision AG, a German-Swiss investment company, and several add-on financings.
  • Advising a club of international bank lenders on the financing for the acquisition by Morellato from 3i of Christ Juweliere und Uhrmacher.
  • Advising French investor Keensight Capital on the financing of the acquisition of:
    • Onventis, a leading provider of cloud procurement solutions for SMEs;
    • Quanos Solutions, a leading software developer for after-sales&service and technical documentation, and
    • Aconso AG, a leading software provider for HR processes.
  • Advising UK based investor BlueGem Capital Partners on the financing and refinancing of the acquisition of:
    • QMS, a leading German premium skincare brand, and
    • Petromax, a leading outdoor specialist.
  • Advising Dutch investor Bencis Capital on the financing of the acquisition of digital services provider DevelopX.
  • Advising Credit Suisse on the financing of the acquisition of Reichelt Elektronik Group by Invision.
  • Advising Golding Capital Partners on several debt investments in the German and international markets.

GROWTH FINANCE AND VENTURE DEBT

  • Advising Israel-based growth financier The Phoenix on a borrowing base facility for telecom start-up everphone, provided together with Deutsche Bank as well as on the refinancing.
  • Advising HSBC Innovation Capital on a financing provided to German software specialist easy Software AG.
  • Advising an international financier in connection with a growth financing for Vienna-based GoStudent Group.
  • Advising a leading US-based capital debt platform in connection with the second lien venture debt financing and issuance of warrants for a Germany-based start-up provider of medical software solutions.
  • Advising Riverside Partners on various investments in various tech start-ups in Germany.

PROJECT FINANCE

  • Advising BASF SE as well as the borrowers on the financing of the acquisition and the construction of the offshore wind parc Hollands Kust Zuid, one of largest offshore wind parcs in the world.
  • Advising a consortium of lenders on the intended acquisition financing of a portfolio of battery storage systems in Germany.
  • Advising scale-ups in the renewables space on convertible loans, growth financings as well as pre-IPO financings.
  • Advising the financing banks on the financing of numerous international onshore wind and solar projects, amongst others in Italy, France, the UK, Ireland, Norway and Spain.
  • Advising Prime Capital on the financing of numerous onshore wind projects in Scandinavia.
Languages
  • German
  • English
Education
  • University of Nicosia, M.Sc. (Blockchain and Digital Currencies), 2023
  • University of Munich, Second State Examination, 2000
  • University of Oxford, University of Munich, PhD, 2000
  • University of Passau, first state examination, 1997

Awards & Recognitions

  • JUVE Handbuch 2024/2025: Frequently recommended for energy law: regulatory and energy sector: transactions/financing.
  • Legal 500 Germany 2024: Recommended for industry focus: energy.
  • Chambers Europe Germany 2024: Recommended for banking & finance.
  • Handelsblatt in cooperation with Best Lawyers 2024/2025: Recommended for banking and finance law.
  • IFLR1000: Recommended for banking and capital markets: debt.

Publications

  • Infrastructure Investment & Finance Day: Key takeaways from our Event in Frankfurt, 10 May 2024
  • International Debt Finance Intelligence Report 2024, 23 April 2024
  • Legal Roadmap 2024 – Wir navigieren Sie durch die maßgeblichen rechtlichen Änderungen für 2024, 08 January 2024
  • European Debt Finance Intelligence Report 2023, 19 April 2023
  • Direct Lending Report 2022: Going mainstream, 06 April 2022
  • Pushing the envelope: Fundraising in 2022, 06 April 2022
  • The journey continues: The future of direct lending, 06 April 2022
  • Regions under the spotlight: DACH and Benelux, 06 April 2022

Seminars

  • Infrastructure Investment & Finance Day: Renewables in the focus, 07 May 2024
  • EV Charging, 16 April 2024

Prior Experience

Before re-joining DLA Piper in 2020, Dr Wolfram Distler worked for leading international law firms in Frankfurt and London.

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