Karel Petržela
Karel Petržela
Karel Petržela
Karel Petržela

“Karel Petržela has great market insight and a strong business approach.”

Legal 500, 2025

Biography

Karel Petržela is a partner in the EMEA Private Equity team of our Global Mergers & Acquisitions practice. With over 10 years of experience, Karel advises clients on all aspects of M&A and private equity, with notable experience in healthcare, infrastructure, energy, real estate, and other regulated sectors.

Karel has a proven track record of leading high-profile transactions in the CEE and SEE regions. His expertise spans strategic joint ventures and both domestic and cross-border M&A throughout Central, Eastern, and Southeast Europe.

Experience

Karel's examples of his experience include advising:

Actis, a leading global investor in sustainable infrastructure, on its acquisition of a newly carved-out tower portfolio from leading Central & Eastern European telecommunications operator Telekom Srbija. The transaction was recognized as the 'Country Deal of the Year (Serbia)' by the CEE Legal Matters Awards 2024.

TPG Real Estate on the €470 million sale to funds managed by Blackstone of CT Real Estate, a portfolio of ten logistics parks located in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, one of the largest real estate deals in Europe in 2024. 

Bonatrans Group on the sale of a majority stake in Bonatrans India to the Indian rolling stock manufacturer, Jupiter Wagons.

HB Reavis Group on the disposal of its Luxembourg subsidiary, HB Reavis Investment Management, the manager of the CE REIF fund, to leading Slovak asset management company IAD Investments.

Packeta Group, a Czech technology and logistics company and a CVC Capital Partners portfolio company, in relation to the disposal of Mailstep, the largest fulfillment provider in the Czech Republic, to Emma Capital, a private investment firm based in the Czech Republic, focusing on strategic investments in various sectors, including technology, real estate, and finance.

CTP Group, continental Europe's largest owner, developer and manager of logistics and industrial real estate in terms of gross leasable area, on its initial public offering (IPO) and listing of its shares on Euronext Amsterdam – the largest real estate IPO in Europe since 2014.

Bonatrans Group, a leading European manufacturer of railway wheelsets, wheels, axles, and related components, on its investment to Terraverse, a Czech startup specializing in innovative solutions for sustainable construction and environmental technologies.

Trigea on its acquisition of Arkády Pankrác, a prime shopping center situated in Prague, from real estate company G City. 

Wirtualna Polska group on the acquisition from European Bridge Travel of 100 percent of the shares in Invia Group for more than PLN 1 billion (€239.7 million). The other parties to the transaction were Rockaway Group and CITIC Europe Holdings, as existing shareholders of the Invia Group and guarantors of EBT's obligations resulting from the sale of the shares.

CTP Group as issuer in connection with the establishment and subsequent update of its EUR 4 billion EMTN programme, as well as seven successful green bond issuances thereunder.

Ali Group, the largest and most diversified global leader in the foodservice equipment industry, on its acquisition of JIPA, a Czech Republic-based manufacturer of advanced electrical multifunctional devices for commercial kitchens, from its founders. 

CTP Property, Europe's largest publicly listed industrial property developer by GLA and a market leader in the business-smart markets of Central and Eastern Europe, on acquisition of Romanian logistics portfolio from P3. 

Avast, one of the world's largest cybersecurity companies, on the carve-out divestment of its Family Safety Mobile Business to Smith Micro Software for US$66 million.

Czech Bar Association
England and Wales, Solicitor
Cardiff University
School of Law, Cardiff, The United Kingdom
Mgr., Faculty of Law
Charles University

Prague, Czech Republic

Ing., Faculty of Management
University of Economics in Prague

Czech Republic

JUDr. (J.D. equivalent)
Charles University

Prague, Czech Republic

PhD.
Charles University

Prague, Czech Republic

Czech
English
French

Rising Star Partner in Corporate and M&A in the Czech Republic
(IFLR 1000, 2024)

Ranked for Real Estate in the Czech Republic
(Chambers Europe, 2025)

Leading Partner in Real Estate and Construction in the Czech Republic
(The Legal 500, 2025)

"Karel Petržela has great market insight and a strong business approach."
(The Legal 500, 2025)

"an extraordinary lawyer and a very good negotiator - he takes a practical approach but can also be tough when needed"
(Chambers Europe, 2024)

"Karel Petržela is professional, highly responsive, creative, and reliable."
(The Legal 500, 2024)

Service areas