TRANSACTION INTERVIEW 103 Please tell us more about the role that you played during this transaction. Hye is still a very young start-up. We brought together the views and interests of the founders and provided legal support for the negotiations with Warsteiner’s M&A team. I have worked successfully with Hye’s founding team in the past because of this shared history the founders already had experience with transactions. Therefore we are a wellcoordinated team and have been able to set up a very lean process. Due to the complexity of such transactions, the advisory effort for newcomers is usually intensive, which was not the case here. We were therefore able to concentrate on the corporate and contractual aspects for which I was responsible; IP issues were handled by my partner, Dr. Michael Jilek. Since all parties involved were very willing to find solutions, the transaction was closed quite smoothly. What key factors regarding the investment needed to be taken into account to ensure a good deal for both parties? A start-up already has a different corporate culture than a large and globally known company. When such differences meet, it requires a lot of understanding of the perspective of the other side. All parties involved have managed this excellently here. In this way, the combination of the innovative team from Hye and the experience and size of Warsteiner will be an ideal cooperation. What impact do you expect the investment will have on the two firms and the wider German beverage market? My wish for Hye is that sales can be multiplied in the shortest possible time with the new investment. This will open up the functional beverage market in Germany and Europe. Hendrik Wolfer GRUB BRUGGER Due to the complexity of such transactions, the advisory effort for newcomers is usually intensive, which was not the case here.
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