Berlin, March 5, 2021 — SMP advised a fund managed by Dutch Rhein Management B.V. (Rhein Invest) on the acquisition of Spiegel Institut Holding GmbH & Co KG, Spiegel Institut Mannheim GmbH & Co KG, Spiegel Institut Ingolstadt GmbH and Spiegel Institut Shanghai Co Ltd (together Spiegel Institut) in the course of a management buy-in. The previous owners of Spiegel Institut will retain a stake in the company and will continue to support the management in an advisory capacity.
Rhein Invest was accompanied by a team led by Jörn Wöbke and Moritz Diekgräf. SMP’s scope of advice in this transaction included corporate and tax advice on the acquisition as well as on the future group structure and the corporate and tax structuring with regard to the management participation as well as the return participation of the sellers. The parties agreed not to disclose the purchase price or further details of the transaction.
About Rhein Invest
Rhein Invest is a Dutch investment company focused on majority investments in profitable, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the industrial, business services, software, agricultural technology and leisure sectors in the Netherlands and Germany. Particular emphasis is placed on a strong DNA, expandable market position and pronounced innovative strength of the investments.
The Mirror Institute
The Spiegel Institute is an internationally operating research and consulting institute for consumer research and user experience consulting. Founded as early as 1950 by Prof. Dr. Bernt Spiegel as the first market psychology institute in Germany, it now has locations in Mannheim, Ingolstadt, Stuttgart, Hamburg, Munich and Shanghai. From there, the Spiegel Institute is active worldwide for its renowned customers. By including the user and consumer perspective in the development process of products and services, the Spiegel Institute thus actively contributes to the success of its customers, which primarily include global players.
About SMP
SMP is a specialist tax and commercial law firm operating in the core areas of corporate, funds, litigation, tax and transactions. SMP’s attorneys and tax advisors represent a wide variety of clients. These include emerging technology companies and family-run medium-sized enterprises as well as corporations and private equity/venture capital funds. Since its foundation in 2017, SMP has become one of the leading addresses for venture capital, private equity and fund structuring in Germany. The firm and its partners are nationally and internationally ranked by JUVE, Best Lawyers, Legal 500, Focus, and Chambers and Partners. Today, SMP employs more than 60 experienced lawyers, tax advisors and tax specialists in three offices in Berlin, Hamburg and Cologne. www.smp.law
Consultant Rhein Invest: SMP
Dr. Jörn Wöbke, Photo (Lead/M&A/Corporate Law), Partner
Dr. Moritz Diekgräf (Co-Lead/M&A/Corporate Law), Associate
Dr. Malte Bergmann (Taxes), Partner
Ann-Kristin Lochmann (Taxes), Senior Associate
Moritz von Saß (M&A/Corporate Law), Research Associate