Malaysian bank CIMB Group has acquired most of Royal Bank of Scotland’s cash equities and associated investment banking businesses in the Asia-Pacific region, including some of its assets in India for £174 million (approx Rs.1440 crore)..Slaughter and May acted as the global transaction counsel to CIMB. Slaughter Hong Kong Partners David Watkins and Laurence Rudge led the transaction..Amarchand Mangaldas acted as the Indian legal advisor to CIMB with a team led by Partners Vandana Shroff and Ashish Jejurkar..Linklaters acted as the International legal counsel to RBS. The Linklaters team was led by Hong Kong Partner Matthew Middleditch. Talwar Thakore & Associates acted as Indian legal counsel for the Indian entities of RBS. The TTA team was led by Partner Feroz Dubash..The deal will enable CIMB emerge as the largest investment banking franchise based in Asia Pacific (excluding Japan)..In India, CIMB is (subject to receipt of regulatory approvals) proposing to acquire the merchant banking, stock broking and underwriting business of RBS being conducted by RBS Equities (India) Limited and RBS Corporation Finance Private Limited. The India business is being acquired for Rs. 720 crore (approx £87 million)..ET reports, CIMB has aggressive plans to expand in broking, investment banking and equity capital markets. RBS will continue to focus on international debt financing, transaction services, risk management and investor products and equity derivatives in the 11 Asia Pacific markets in which it currently operates..According to Legalweek, Slaughters was joined on the deal by 10 of its best friend firms, including Australia’s Allens Arthur Robinson, China’s Jun He, US outfit Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison and Singapore’s Allen & Gledhill..Indonesia’s Soewito Suhardiman Eddymurthy Kardono, Malaysia’s Zaid Ibrahim & Co, South Korea’s Shin & Kim, Taiwan’s Tsar & Tsai, and Chandler & Thong-ek in Thailand were all also involved on the deal.
