Norton Rose Fulbright advises UAE’s largest healthcare platform Pure Health on US$500m investment in US healthcare provider

Global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright has advised Alpha Dhabi Holding subsidiary Pure Health Capital (Pure Health) in a series of agreements related to the potential acquisition of an equity stake in US healthcare company Ardent Health Partners L.L.C (Ardent) for US$500 million.

Norton Rose Fulbright is acting as lead counsel for Pure Health on the acquisition, which would see it acquire a minority equity investment in Ardent from Chicago-based private investment firm Equity Group Investments (EGI), subject to customary closing conditions and receipt of all necessary US regulatory approvals.

Pure Health is the largest integrated healthcare platform in the United Arab Emirates and would receive board observer rights upon completion of the deal, but without having a seat on Ardent’s board of directors. The agreement supports the delivery of a key step in Pure Health’s efforts to expand its market presence throughout the US.

Ardent is the fourth largest privately-held acute care hospital operator in the US and owns 30 hospitals and approximately 200 sites of care and has 26,000 employees across six states.

As lead counsel, the cross-border Norton Rose Fulbright team, jointly led by partners Zubair Mir in Dubai, Debra Hatter in Houston and Purvi Maniar in St. Louis, advised on all the acquisition mechanics, US health regulatory aspects and applications for US regulatory approvals. They were supported by healthcare partner Mark Faccenda, counsel Shazi Askarpour and associate Kanan Kasuya in Dubai, senior counsel Hani Ghattas and associate Olivia Roberts in Houston, Sarah Jean Kansagra in St. Louis and Hayley White in Washington DC.. Partner, Stefan Reisinger in Washington DC provided specialist CFIUS advice.

Zubair Mir said:

“We were extremely pleased to provide legal support to Pure Health Capital on its investment in Ardent Health Partners. This deal represents a resounding achievement for Pure Health and we look forward to providing continued support to see this deal to its completion.”

With significant experience in regional, national and international corporate, M&A and securities matters, Norton Rose Fulbright is well positioned to provide strategic, business-oriented legal advice on complex domestic, cross-border and multi-jurisdictional transactions in both emerging and developed markets.