Norton Rose Fulbright Warsaw advises PLAY on financing acquisition of UPC in Poland

Global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright advised P4 sp. z o.o. (branded as PLAY) on PLN 5.5 billion (EUR 1.12 billion) partial financing for the acquisition of UPC Polska in Poland from Liberty Global.

Closing of the acquisition of UPC Polska and financing is subject to pending antimonopoly clearance.

The financing will be provided by a consortium of banks comprising BNP Paribas Bank Polska S.A., Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank, ING Bank N.V., Powszechna Kasa Oszczędności Bank Polski S.A., Raiffeisen Bank International AG, Santander Bank Polska S.A. and Société Générale as mandated lead arrangers, underwriters and bookrunners; BNP Paribas Bank Polska S.A., Credit Agricole Bank Polska S.A., Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank, ING Bank N.V., ING Bank Śląski S.A., Powszechna Kasa Oszczędności Bank Polski S.A., Raiffeisen Bank International AG, Santander Bank Polska S.A. and Société Générale as original lenders; Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank as documentation agent; and Santander Bank Polska S.A. as agent.

The Warsaw team was led by counsel Tomasz Rogalski and associate Igor Kondratowicz who were supported by associate Karolina Majcher, all from the banking and finance team in Warsaw headed by partner Grzegorz Dyczkowski.

P4 sp. z o.o. (branded as PLAY) is the largest mobile telecommunications service provider in Poland with 28% market share and one of Europe’s fastest growing telecoms companies. PLAY is part of iliad Group, French telecommunication operator.

UPC Polska is one of the largest cable television operators and a leading provider of triple play services in Poland.

PLAY team included Marek Chruściel, Agnieszka Kolanek and Bolesław Juraś (treasury) and Klaudia Boczewska, Barbara Tekieli and Anna Kryńska-Górska (legal).