What is the objective of Tech Tour?
To identify the upcoming and leading top 25 high-growth privately held companies in French & Benelux regions and to introduce them to key European, US and Asian investors and professionals who can assist in their global expansion.

Why Ambos NBGO is participating to the French & Benelux Tech Tour 2012?
Ambos NBGO is actively supporting the French & Benelux Tech Tour, because we are and want to stay a pre-eminently partner of both investors and innovative companies. Ambos NBGO representatives have also acted as members of the selection committee together with representatives of leading venture capital firms.

Our private equity/venture capital lawyers represent venture capital and corporate strategic investors in start-up, early-stage and growth-stage companies, particularly in the ICT and biotech sectors. We regularly act on behalf of entrepreneurs in their fundraising and business needs.

Why clients choose to work with Ambos NBGO?
We provide practical and tailor-made legal solutions for your business needs. Our lawyers have years of multi-disciplinary expertise with an in-depth legal and business knowledge of your industry. We work closely with you during all stages of the business lifecycle and assist you with start-up, seed funding, venture capital and debt financing, acquisitions and dispositions, as well as intellectual property, executive compensation, employment and contracting issues.

Tech Tour contacts at Ambos NBGO
* David.dessers@amboslaw.be
* Jeroen.bral@amboslaw.be

For more information, please visit the website of Tech Tour.

Ambos has advised MarkaVIP since its incorporation with its previous capital raising rounds.

A publication of Tech Crunch of which you can find a copy here, contains further details on MarkaVIP and this transaction.

MarkaVIP is an exclusive, invitation-only flash sales website focused on the Middle East.

Any information included in this news flash is communicated with the consent and approval of all parties involved.

For further information about this transaction, please contact David Dessers or Pieter Capiau.

Within Banking, finance and capital markets, tier 4

Wilfred Goris heads Ambos NBGO’s banking and finance practice, which experienced an increase in capital markets instructions. The ‘open-minded’ and promising Jeroen Bral maintains a ‘high service level’.

Within Corporate and M&A , tier 4

Clients are ‘truly impressed with the combination of business knowledge and transactional expertise’ at Ambos NBGO, which includes nine corporate partners across the Antwerp and Brussels offices. The team represents a number of listed companies, such as Autogrill and IBM, as well as private companies including Fortis and Nuon. Christina Trappeniers and Caroline Wildemeersch are highly regarded, and the ‘versatile, innovative and committed’ David Dessers is also recommended.

Within Dispute resolution, tier 4

Ambos NBGO recruited the ‘truly exceptional’ Kathleen Paisley from White & Case LLP, where she was a partner in the London arbitration group. The firm ‘always delivers an outstanding service, through a client-oriented mindset’.

Within Intellectual property, Ambos NBGO is a third tier firm,

Ambos NBGO’s lawyers show a ‘hands-on approach and availability’, and the team’s knowledge and experience compare favourably to most other firms. It is advising on various non-contentious patent matters, including advising a patent holder on a €1bn deal with potential licensees. Kathleen Paisley is ‘a truly exceptional partner’, and Bart Vandereeckt is ‘very astute and an inventive litigator’.

Within Labour and employment, tier 4

Ambos NBGO’s lawyers are ‘responsive, inquisitive and persistent in looking at all potential options for a favourable conclusion’. The department’s expertise includes advice on social security, benefits and pensions. The firm mainly represents mainly large corporate employers, including Expedia and Pfizer. Carl Bevernage and Johan Kerremans co-head the team.

Within Shipping and transport, Ambos NBGO is a first tier firm,

Ambos NBGO’s transport group ‘keeps its clients informed throughout and ensures that all procedures are made clear’. It acts for the Port Authority of Ghent on all maritime matters including recently advising on the sinking of a ship in the port. Ingrid Van Clemen is ‘certainly one of the most respected lawyers in Belgian maritime law’. Peter Van de Vijver is also highly regarded.

Itineris, founded in 2003, is a company specialized in modular software solutions based upon Microsoft Dynamics AX and services for the utility industry. The services of Itineris are focused on solutions for billing systems, management of measurement data, market interaction, smart metering, data traffic and customer relationship management.

More information with respect to Itineris and the acquisition itself, you can find on Datanews and in a  publication of De Standaard, of which you can find a copy here.

Following our assistance in the successful completion of the capital injection in Itineris by ParticipatieMaatschappij Vlaanderen in 2011, this is Itineris’ next step in its foreign expansion plans,   which allows Itineris to further strengthen its market position.

Any information included in this news flash is communicated with the consent and approval of all parties involved.

For further information about this transaction, please contact David Dessers or Tessa Gijbels.

ThromboGenics NV, a Belgian listed biopharmaceutical company (Euronext Brussels: THR) focuses on developing innovative ophthalmic medicines.  ThromboGenics is headquartered in Leuven, Belgium.  ThromboGenics lead product, Ocriplasmin, has successfully completed several clinical trials for the pharmacological treatment of symptomatic vitreomacular adhesion (VMA) (for more information about Ocriplasmin, see www.thrombogenics.com).

Alcon, the global leader in eye care, provides innovative products that enhance quality for life by helping people worldwide see better.  Alcon is the second largest division of the Novartis Group with pro-forma sales of USD 10 billion in 2011.  Alcon is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, USA.

Ambos NBGO is an independent, full service Belgian law firm with offices in Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent and Zeebruges.  Ambos NBGO provides top level corporate, commercial and IP/IT expertise combined with an in-depth industry focus. Typical industries served by Ambos NBGO are the following:  Automotive, Biotechnology, New Energy, Financial Services, Real Estate, Corporate Governance and Technology (see also www.legal500.com and www.chambersandpartners.com).    

For further details on this transaction, we refer to http://thrombogenics.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/THR_06_Ocriplasmin-Alcon-agreement-Final_ENG2.pdf

Any information included in this news flash is communicated with the consent and approval of ThromboGenics. 

The AMBOS team was led by Kathleen Paisley, who co-chairs the firm's  IP team, and Roel Nieuwdorp, who is co-head of the corporate team, both of who are located in the firm's Brussels office.  For further information about this transaction, please contact Kathleen Paisley or Roel Nieuwdorp.

Natalie Lemense, senior associate, who joined Ambos at the end of 2011, strengthens our litigation team and advises and assists clients with regard to corporate disputes, as well as general commercial and contract matters. In addition, she has special expertise in customs law.

Samuel Darcheville and Frédérique Joos, both associates, joined Ambos in January and February 2012 and are both specialized in general commercial and contract law, as well as corporate law.

Dieter Beyens, associate, has also strenghtened our corporate team in February 2012 with his extensive expertise in company law, including M&A, corporate finance and tax law.

Together with our 4 new associates Ambos continues its expansion as one of the largest and seasoned corporate teams in Belgium.

For more information about Ambos, please visit our website (www.amboslaw.be) or contact us at info@amboslaw.be.

For further information about this transaction, please contact David Dessers or Pieter Capiau.

For listed companies, the notice period is extended, an additional means of notice is introduced and the minimum content of the notice is specified. Furthermore, the Act introduces a right to put proposals on the agenda of a general meeting for shareholders who own together at least 3 percent of the share capital, as well as a right to submit proposals for resolutions. Another important innovation is the mandatory registration date, which is at present mere optional. Finnaly, certain postponement terms for the board of directors are expanded.

For both listed and unlisted companies, the terms of the (verbal and written) right to ask questions are more narrowly defined. Participation to the shareholders' meeting by proxy has been specified in detail. In order to enable voting prior to the shareholders' meeting, voting from a distance and electronic voting is introduced. These possibilities however are an option, which a shareholder can only use in case the articles of association of the company in question expressly included these rights.

To comply with the Act, companies must, if and where necessary, amend their articles of association before 1 January 2012 (date of taking effect). The modifications to the articles of association will then come into effect as of 1 January 2012. If the articles of association fail to be modified, the provisions contrary to the Act will be deemed not to be written and the mandatory provisions of the Act will automatically apply to the company in question as of 1 January 2012.

Clear2Pay is an innovative payments technology company, headquartered in Mechelen (Belgium), and focuses on delivering globally applicable solutions for secure, timely and streamlined payments processing.

Following our assistance in the successful completion of the recent acquisitions of J-Ware, Lexcel and Level Four, this is Clear2Pay’s third acquisition of 2011, which allows Clear2Pay to further strengthen its market position.

Any information included in this news flash is communicated with the consent and approval of all parties involved.

For further information about this transaction, please contact David Dessers or Pieter Capiau.

Clear2Pay is an innovative payments technology company, headquartered in Mechelen (Belgium), and focuses on delivering globally applicable solutions for secure, timely and streamlined payments processing.

Any information included in this news flash is communicated with the consent and approval of all parties involved.

For further information about this transaction, please contact David Dessers or Pieter Capiau.