Edward Lajos Keller is a partner and a key member of the Mergers & Acquisitions and Private Equity practice groups of the Budapest office. He also heads the office's Capital Markets practice. Edward joined the Budapest office from White & Case’s London office in the beginning of 2005.

A US-qualified attorney of Hungarian descent, Edward has more than eight years experience in cross-border M&A, private equity and capital markets matters. He has represented various private equity groups in acquisitions and dispositions in Hungary, the Czech Republic, Romania and Germany. Edward also has substantial experience in representing public and private issuers, underwriters and selling shareholders (including private equity houses) in both equity and debt offerings, including US-registered public offerings, Rule 144A offerings and Regulation S private placements.

His recent, significant experience in M&A transactions includes advising: 

• One of the leading telecommunications service providers in Hungary in connection with: 
  • its bolt-on acquisition of the fourth largest cable operator in Hungary, along with a simultaneous asset sale to the leading provider of cable television, broadband internet and voice services in Europe; 
  • the auction sale of its leading international wholesale business with operations in 16 countries, for €221 million; 
  • the acquisition by a leading private equity firm in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE ) of a 65% stake in the company and the restructuring of the company's debt. We represented the company in connection with a due diligence exercise conducted by the buyer, represented management in negotiations with the buyer to remain with their company, and ensured that the content of the negotiations did not breach any US securities laws; 
  • its €90.5 million purchase of 95.7% of the outstanding equity in an Austrian-based telecom company, one of the leading alternative infrastructure providers in CEE; and 
  • one of its principal operating subsidiary's purchase of the Hungarian business of a Swedish-based alternative telecom operator; 
• One of the largest private equity and venture capital management firms in CEE in connection with its acquisition of an 80% stake in the leading independent online non-life insurance broker in Hungary; 
• The Hungarian subsidiary of a multinational corporation in its winding down of operations in Hungary; 
• A Hungarian company specializing in energy efficiency and alternative energy projects in Hungary and CEE: 
  • on the financial structuring of a proposed biomass investment in Croatia, Slovakia and Hungary; and 
  • the company's former sole shareholder, in the previous subscription for shares by a Japanese conglomerate, representing 20% of the company; 
• A leading CEE private equity fund in connection with its $20 million acquisition of a 30% stake in a Romanian conglomerate with four principal business lines: IT and communications; security and defense; construction and engineering; and facility management; 
• The shareholders in the second largest Czech cable television company, including a leading CEE private equity firm, in the company's €322.5 million sale to a leading global investment bank and a leading US-based global financial services firm, which concluded an equity derivate agreement to sell the company to the leading international cable operator offering advanced video, telephone, and broadband internet services; 
• The shareholders of the largest private health care services company in CEE, in connection with the auction sale of the company. The company was ultimately sold to a global private equity leader; and 
• The shareholders of Romania's leading broadband telecommunications operator, including a leading CEE private equity fund, in one of the largest private M&A transactions ever in Romania: the $416.5 million sale of the telecommunications operator to an indirect subsidiary of the leading international cable operator offering advanced video, telephone, and broadband internet services.

Edward's recent, significant capital markets transactions include advising: 

• One of the leading telecommunications service providers in Hungary in connection with: 
  • the tender offer by its largest shareholder for all of its shares; 
  • its €345 million aggregate principal amount issue of senior secured notes due in 2016 and listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange; 
  • its offering of €200 million aggregate principal amount of Floating Rate Notes due in 2013, listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange; and 
  • its offering of €125 million floating-rate senior secured PIK Notes due 2013. This was the first such issuance by a CEE issuer, and the proceeds of the offering were used to finance a payment to the investors, permitting them to achieve a return of three times their original investment; 
• One of the most successful shopping center developers in CEE and a premier global financial services firm in connection with the developer's successful international public offering of shares listed on the London Stock Exchange. The developer raised approximately UKP 154 million through the offering; 
• A Nordic telecom operator in its $1 billion US-registered global rights offering and listings on the Nasdaq National Market and Helsinki Stock Exchanges; 
• A leading paper and board manufacturer in Europe in connection with its $750 million, US-registered and Luxembourg Stock Exchange-listed global bond offering (the largest bond offering in the history of Nordic region, other than by sovereigns, to date); 
• A Central European government in connection with its $2 billion shelf registration of notes with the US Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the US Securities Act of 1933; 
• A global flavors and fragrances manufacturer based in Israel in connection with its $92 million offering of GDSs, including to certain institutional investors in the United States pursuant to Rule 144A, with a listing on the London Stock Exchange; 
• One of Turkey's largest commercial and financial conglomerates in connection with its proposed $200 million bond offering pursuant to Rule 144A and Regulation S, with a listing on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange; and 
• A Ukrainian bank in connection with its proposed $150 million bond offering pursuant to Regulation S, with a listing on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange.

Edward is regularly recognized as a "leading individual" by venerable benchmark legal publications such as Chambers Europe, Legal 500 Europe, Middle East and Africa and IFLR 1000.

Edward is a member of the board of the Hungarian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association.

Bars and Courts
Budapest Bar, Foreign Legal Advisor, 2008
New York State Bar, 2001

Education
JD, Boston University School of Law, 2000
BA, Binghamton University, New York, 1997

Professional Associations and Memberships
Board Member of the Hungarian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association

Awards and Recognition
International Financial Law Review 1000, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012
Chambers Europe, 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2011
Chambers Global, 2010 and 2011
Legal 500: Europe, Middle East & Africa, 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2011

Languages
English
Hungarian
German

Citizenship
United States