Gernot Wagner - “outstanding expertise and ability to go beyond one's own professional horizon to the interests of the client”, client; “leading expert (Lichtgestalt) in High Yield Bonds”, competitor
Biography
A partner in White & Case's global Capital Markets Practice, Gernot advises clients on a wide range of financing, corporate and restructuring matters. He is widely recognized as a market leader for high yield offerings, Term Loan B deals and public and private debt and equity transactions, including IPOs. He also regularly acts for both issuers and underwriters, on both SEC-registered and Rule 144A transactions.
Clients to have benefited from his knowledge and experience include domestic and international banks, private equity houses and major corporations. Over his career, Gernot has developed a strong track record representing clients in distressed situations and is often called upon in bet-the-company situations, including billion dollar M&A transactions.
International in outlook and practice background, Gernot was educated in Germany and the United States and is bilingual in German and English. Prior to joining White & Case in 2014, he was a partner at another major international law firm.
Experience
Advised a banking consortium coordinated by Commerzbank on Vonovia's €3 billion refinancing (2025).
Advised a consortium of banks led by J.P. Morgan SE on Deutsche EuroShop AG's €500 million green bond issuance due 2030 with a 4.500% coupon (2025).
Advised Aareal Bank on the €160 million financing of the Frankfurt I Data Center in Mörfelden-Walldorf for Goodman Group (2025).
Advised Adler Group on a dual-tranche corporate bond issuance comprising €700 million 1.875% senior notes due 2026 and €800 million 2.250% senior notes due 2029 (2025).
Advised Adler Group on its tender offer, refinancing and consent solicitation for its €300 million senior secured notes due 2028 (2025).
Advised Adler Group on the €422.5 million sale of a 89.9% stake in its Cosmopolitan residential portfolio in North Rhine-Westphalia to Orange Capital Partners and One Investment Management (2025).
Advised Berenberg and the banking syndicate on the €218 million IPO of innoscripta SE and listing on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (Scale segment) (2025).
Advised BNP Paribas, J.P. Morgan SE, Morgan Stanley Europe SE and UniCredit Bank GmbH on the issuance by Czechoslovak Group a.s. of US$1 billion 6.500% and €1 billion 5.250% senior secured notes due 2031 (2025).
Advised D.V.I. Deutsche Vermögens- und Immobilienverwaltungs GmbH on its inaugural €350 million 4.875% green bond due 2030 and concurrent tender offer for its existing €350 million 2.500% bond due 2027 (2025).
Advised D.V.I. Deutsche Vermögens- und Immobilienverwaltungs on its €350 million debut bond issuance (2025).
Advised Deutsche Bank, HSBC and Morgan Stanley on Sirius Real Estate's €350 million 4.00% bond due 2032 (2025).
Advised Deutsche Lufthansa on the issuance of €1.0 billion notes in two €500 million tranches listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange (2025).
Advised Georg Fischer AG on the US$336 million sale of its automotive unit GF Casting Solutions to Nemak S.A.B. de C.V. (2025).
Advised Joh. Berenberg, Gossler & Co. KG on BioNTech's US$1.25 billion public exchange offer for all outstanding shares in CureVac N.V. (2025).
Advised MAHLE GmbH on the €300 million private placement of 7.125% senior notes due 2032 and the concurrent tender offer for its €750 million 2.375% notes due 2028 (2025).
Advised Net Zero Properties on the acquisition and financing of a residential portfolio of 3,300 units from ZBI, expanding its total portfolio to over 14,000 units across Germany (2025).
Advised Noteus Partners and Sofina on their €155 million equity investment in Scalable Capital's financing round (2025).
Advised Stabilus SE on a new €150 million long-term credit facility and the amendment of its existing €450 million financing structure (2025).
Advised the BENTELER Group on its €2 billion refinancing, including a €1 billion term loan A, a €400 million revolving credit facility and a €600 million 7.25% high-yield bond due 2031 (2025).
Advised wefox Holding AG on its €151 million financing and restructuring program, including a €76 million capital raise and €75 million refinancing from Searchlight Capital Partners (2025).
Advised a syndicate of lenders on the financing of Triton's acquisition of Siemens Energy's Trench business (2024).
Advised Adler Group and Adler Real Estate on a tender offer and consent solicitation for €300 million senior secured notes due 2024 (2024).
Advised Adler Group on its agreement with bondholders supporting a comprehensive recapitalization of the Group (2024).
Advised Adler Group on the €1.3 billion sale of a residential portfolio to LEG Immobilien SE (2024).
Advised BNP Paribas, Deutsche Bank, J.P. Morgan and Société Générale on CECONOMY AG's €500 million sustainability-linked senior notes due 2029 (2024).
Advised Delivery Hero on the extension and upsizing of its US$813 million and €300 million term loans and €500 million revolving credit facility (2024).
Advised Delivery Hero on the US$950 million sale of its foodpanda business in Taiwan to Uber and Uber's US$300 million equity investment in Delivery Hero (2024).
Advised Deutsche Bank and Morgan Stanley on the financing for SES S.A.'s US$3.1 billion (€2.8 billion) acquisition of Intelsat (2024).
Advised Deutsche Bank and Morgan Stanley on the US$3.1 billion financing of SES's acquisition of Intelsat (2024).
Advised Deutsche Bank, J.P. Morgan and a syndicate of initial purchasers on the refinancing of Kelvion's restructuring liabilities through new debt instruments issued by Mangrove LuxCo III S.à r.l. (2024).
Advised Enpal on Equitix and Keppel's €160 million majority stake in one of Enpal's energy system portfolios (2024).
Advised ENVIRIA Energy Holding on a US$200 million capital commitment from BlackRock's Global Renewable Power Fund IV (2024).
Advised Meyer Burger on its CHF 206.75 million capital increase (2024).
Advised Enpal on €215 million Series D financing round (2023).
Advised Adler Group on its €3.2 billion debt restructuring and new money financing of up to €937.5 million (2023).
Advised BENTELER Group on its €2.1 billion refinancing, including €525 million and US$500 million high-yield bonds due 2028, a €810 million term loan and a €250 million revolving facility (2023).
Advised Signa Group on its restructuring and leadership transition under Arndt Geiwitz of SGP Schneider Geiwitz & Partner (2023).
Advised Adler Group on financing commitments for a new secured debt package of up to €937.5 million and related lock-up agreement covering bonds with an aggregate nominal amount of €3.2 billion (2022).
Advised Adler Group on the €1.05 billion sale of a residential portfolio to KKR and Velero (2022).
Advised Delivery Hero on a Term Loan B comprising US$825 million and €300 million term facilities and a €375 million revolving credit facility (2022).
Advised J.P. Morgan and JPMorgan Chase Bank on the €1.4 billion financing of the voluntary public takeover offer by Hercules BidCo for Deutsche EuroShop (2022).
Advised J.P. Morgan on the financing of the public takeover offer for Deutsche EuroShop by Oaktree and Cura (2022).
Advised Qatar Investment Authority as cornerstone investor on the €9.1 billion IPO of Porsche, valuing the company at €75 billion (2022).
Advised Stabilus on a €450 million long-term credit facility financing (2022).
Advised wefox on its US$400 million Series D funding round led by Mubadala (2022).
Advised a banking consortium on the financing of Triton's acquisition of Schock (2021).
Advised a Spanish bak consortium on the financing of Fertiberia Group, Spain's largest fertilizer producer (2021).
Advised Consolidated Energy Finance on the issuance of US$525 million and €250 million high-yield bonds (2021).
Advised Deutsche Lufthansa on its €2.1 billion rights issue to repay the Economic Stabilization Fund's silent participation (2021).
Advised Deutsche Lufthansa on the issuance of €1.5 billion notes in two tranches of €600 million and €900 million, respectively (2021).
Advised Enpal on its €150 million Series C funding led by SoftBank Vision Fund 2 (2021).
Advised Enpal on on the preparation, execution and closing of its €150 million Series C financing from SoftBank Vision Fund 2 (2021).
Advised Goldman Sachs and HSBC on DIC Asset's €400 million green bond issuance (2021).
Advised Hapag-Lloyd on its €300 million sustainability-linked high-yield bond (2021).
Advised lenders on the financing of Triton's acquisition of Bergman Clinics (2021).
Advised Summit Group on the €1 billion sale of its German commercial real estate portfolio to Tristan Capital Partners (2021).
Advised the underwriters on the €414 million IPO of Friedrich Vorwerk on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (2021).
Advised wefox on its US$650 million Series C financing led by Target Global (2021).
Advised ACCENTRO Real Estate on the €250 million 3.625% notes due 2023 (2020).
Advised ADO Properties on its €400 million 3.250% senior notes due 2025 (2020).
Advised ADO Properties on its public takeover of ADLER Real Estate AG, creating ADLER Real Estate Group with a combined portfolio value of €8.6 billion (2020).
Advised ADO Properties on the acquisition of Consus, a €450 million rights issue, and the takeover and delisting offer for Westgrund (2020).
Advised Consus Real Estate on its €400 million 9.625% senior secured notes due 2024 (2020).
Advised Credit Suisse, ING, ABN AMRO, Rabobank and BNP Paribas Fortis on a €1 billion term loan B and revolving credit facility for Boels Topholding (2020).
Advised Goldman Sachs, Commerzbank and LBBW on the financing of Triton's acquisition of All4Labels and its add-on acquisition of GPS-Rotomet (2020).
Advised J.P. Morgan and Morgan Stanley on the €340 million 9.25% senior secured notes due 2025 issued by HT Troplast (2020).
Advised x+bricks Group on the acquisition of 120 grocery-anchored properties from TLG Immobilien (2020).
Advised BNP Paribas and UniCredit on Symrise's €400 million capital increase (2019).
Advised DIC Asset on the €225 million acquisition of GEG German Estate Group (2019).
Advised J.P. Morgan and Credit Suisse on Peach Property Finance's €250 million senior high-yield bond issuance (2019).
Advised Jefferies and a banking syndicate on the financing of the management buyout of NSO Group (2019).
Advised Methanol Holdings (Trinidad) on a TTD 1 billion (€133 million) term loan facility (2019).
Advised VIC Properties on its €250 million secured pre-IPO convertible bond (2019).
Advised Consolidated Energy Finance on a US$600 million Term Loan B, a US$225 million revolving facility, and US$400 million 6.50% notes due 2026 (2018).
Advised Consus Real Estate on its €200 million debut bond issuance (2018).
Advised Natgasoline LLC and its shareholders OCI and Consolidated Energy on a US$565 million Term Loan B and a US$60 million bond refinancing (2018).
Advised Triton portfolio company WernerCo on its acquisition of ZARGES Group (2018).
Advised Zur Rose Group on its CHF 200 million rights offering in connection with the acquisition of medpex (2018).
Advised a banking consortium on Befesa's €636 million post-IPO financing, including a term loan B, revolving credit and guarantee facility (2017).
Advised Deutsche Bank and Morgan Stanley on Summit Germany's €300 million 2.0% senior notes due 2025 (2017).
Advised Deutsche Bank, Morgan Stanley and Berenberg on DEMIRE's €400 million high-yield bond issuance and €130 million tap-up (2017).
Advised Guggenheim Securities, Baader Bank and Trout Capital on Medigene's capital increase (2017).
Advised Hapag-Lloyd on its €352 million rights offering (2017).
Advised Hapag-Lloyd on the €250 million senior notes and €200 million tap-up issuance (2017).
Advised Hapag-Lloyd on the prospectus for the admission of 42.7 million new shares in connection with a capital increase in kind (2017).
Advised Proman Holding on the CHF 200 million high-yield bond issuance (2017).
Advised Triton on the US$265 million high-yield bond issuance in connection with its acquisition of WernerCo (2017).
Advised Zur Rose Group on the acquisition of Dutch online pharmacy Vitalsana and ApDG GmbH from Ströer SE & Co. KGaA (2017).
Advised a bank syndicate on Triton's LBO of Voith Industrial Services (2016).
Advised Consolidated Energy on the 50% acquisition of Natgasoline and related US$630 million financing (2016).
Advised Consolidated Energy on the US$680 million acquisition of a stake in Natgasoline LLC to support the construction of a methanol production facility in Texas (2016).
Advised Credit Suisse and UBS on the CHF 164.5 million capital increase of Meyer Burger (2016).
Advised lenders on the planned (later aborted) LBO of lighting manufacturer SLV by Triton (2016).
Advised lenders on the planned (later aborted) LBO of Tipico by Centerbridge (2016).
Advised Stabilus on an amendment of its senior facility agreement, adding a €50 million credit line and €150 million Schuldschein capacity (2016).
Advised Stabilus on the acquisition financing of ACE, Hahn Gasfedern and Fabreeka/Tech Products (2016).
Advised Triton on the LBO of Fläkt Woods Group, a leading air technologies provider (2016).
Advised Deutsche Bank and J.P. Morgan on the €1.5 billion LBO financing for Senvion by Centerbridge (2015/2016).
Advised Deutsche Bank, J.P. Morgan and Citigroup on Senvion's €294 million IPO (2015/2016).
Advised gategroup on its RCF and term loan refinancing and upsizing totalling €350 million (2015/2016).
Advised Allianz Capital Partners, Borealis, Infinity Investments and MEAG on the acquisition financing of Autobahn Tank & Rast (2015).\
Advised IPO global coordinators on a US$125 million RCF for Hapag-Lloyd in connection with its IPO (2015).
Advised Methanol Holdings on its US$590 million refinancing, including a US$300 million RCF and a US$290 million term loan B (2015).
Advised Molecular Partners on its IPO on SIX Swiss Exchange – the first Swiss biotech IPO in five years (2014).
Advised Telekom Austria on its €1 billion capital increase with strong investor participation (2014).
Advised Triton on the €775 million high-yield bond issuance for its €1.3 billion acquisition of GEA's heat exchanger business (2014).
Highly recommended lawyer for Capital Markets: Debt, Chambers Global/Germany 2025
Highly recommended lawyer for Capital Markets: Debt & Equity (USA Expertise Based Abroad), Chambers Global 2025
Highly recommended lawyer for Capital Markets: High Yield-Products (USA Expertise Based Abroad), Chambers Global 2025
Highly recommended lawyer Capital Markets (Foreign Expertise in USA), Chambers Global 2025
Highly recommended lawyer for Capital Markets, JUVE 2025
Best Lawyer Germany in Capital Markets Law, Real Estate Law, Handelsblatt 2019-2025
Recommended lawyer in Capital Markets – Debt & Equity, Lexology (formerly Who’s Who Legal) 2025
Top 10 Advisor Lawyers in EMEA – M&A, MergerLinks 2022