Antonio Ferri

Antonio Ferri

Counsel

Email

antonio.ferri@aoshearman.com

Phone

+39 02 2904 9731

Offices

Milan

V-CARD

Antonio has almost 20 years of experience and assists in the full range of corporate and M&A transactions, advising private equity funds, listed and unlisted companies and investors on deals including acquisitions, co-investments, mergers and cross-border mergers, joint ventures, corporate reorganisations and restructurings, in a number of industries such as industrial and manufacturing, consumer goods, telecommunications and infrastructures and real estate.

 

Antonio combines deep legal expertise with commercial acumen and a pragmatic approach to deal execution and he led and coordinated numerous high-profile deals, often involving multiple jurisdictions and stakeholders.

Antonio is listed as a "Rising star" for Corporate/M&A in Italy by the international legal directory Legal 500 (since 2019) and as an "Up & Coming" by Chambers Europe since 2024.

Experience

Representative matters

  • A global telecommunications services provider on its EUR21.8bn agreement with CK Hutchison to form a joint venture with 3 Italia and Wind Telecomunicazioni. The combined businesses create the number one operator in Italy for mobile customers.
  • Brookfield on the USD5bn acquisition of Modulaire, a leading provider of modular leasing services in Europe and Asia Pacific, from funds managed by TDR Capital.
  • Hitachi Rail on the agreement to transfer Alstom’s business activities associated with Bombardier Transportation’s contribution to the V300 ZEFIRO very high-speed train to Hitachi Rail. The transaction is part of Alstom’s commitments to the European Commission in relation to its acquisition of Bombardier Transportation.
  • Prysmian Group, world leader in the energy and telecom cable systems industry, on the agreement to acquire 100% of EHC Global in a transaction valued at CAD130m. EHC Global is a leading manufacturer and supplier of escalator handrails, rollers, elevator belts, strategic components and integrated solutions for the vertical transportation industry.
  • Represent international pipeline services company in its non-judicial restructuring of approximately $150 million in secured debt, including through an equity investment and a new secured credit facility.
  • Asahi Group Holdings on its acquisition of Italy’s most famous brewer Birra Peroni, as part of its wider cross-border deal to acquire Grolsch and Meantime from Anheuser-Busch InBev. The deal has an aggregate enterprise value of over EUR2.5bn.
  • Campari Group on the disposal of the Lemonsoda business to Danish based beverage company Royal Unibrew for an enterprise value of EUR80m. The sold business includes the alcohol free fruit-flavoured carbonated variants grouped under the Freedea brand name, the Crodo brands (with the exception of the Crodino brand) as well as the manufacturing, bottling facility and water source located in Crodo.
  • Greif Italy, the Italian branch of Greif Inc., a major global operator in the industrial packaging sector, on the acquisition of a minority stake in and establishment of a joint venture commercial partnership with LAF, a subsidiary of DEA&DEA, a leading company active in the refurbishing of industrial packaging.
  • Greif, a U.S. listed corporation, on the tax aspects in connection with its acquisition of Fustiplast S.r.l., the Italian-based international produces of industrial packaging from the Italian company Cassina Packaging Group. The value of the deal is confidential.
  • Indorama Ventures, a leading global petrochemicals company listed in Thailand, on its acquisition of the entire share capital of Sinterama – an historical Italian company active in the production of colored polyester threads and yarns.
  • Primark on the opening of its flagship store in Milan as well as advising in relation to the start-up and expansion of Primark’s business operations in Italy including the negotiation of all the related real estate and commercial contracts.
  • The Riverside Company on the acquisition of the entire share capital of Optima S.r.l., a leading Italian producer of ingredients and formulas for ice-cream and pastries operating with the brand "MEC3" from the company's founder, and on its subsequent disposal to private equity fund Charterhouse Capital Partners.
  • The shareholders of Metra, a global, vertically integrated manufacturer of extruded aluminum profiles and related services, on the sale of the entire stake in Metra to US investment fund KPS Capital Partners. The transaction will implement Metra’s positioning in the European markets and its entry in the US market. The shareholders of Metra have re-invested in KPS Capital Partners’ acquisition vehicle resulting to own, indirectly, 25% of Metra’s capital.

Speaking Engagements

Guest Speaker, Masterclass AFGE, The Sale and Purchase agreement, 13 October 2020

Guest Speaker, Fiscal aspects of the extraordinary transactions, Università Commerciale Luigi Bocconi, 12 November 2019

Guest Speaker, Masterclass AFGE, M&A deals, 18 June 2019

Recognition

“Antonio Ferri is always available and timely in requests”
Chambers & Partners Europe 2024 (Corporate/M&A: Italy)
“He is a great team member who is proactive and easy to get along with”
Chambers & Partners Europe 2024 (Corporate/M&A: Italy)

Awards

  • "Up and Coming", Chambers & Partners Europe, Italy, Corporate M&A
  • "Rising Star", Legal 500, Italy, Corporate/M&A

Qualifications

Admissions

Admitted as avvocato, Italy, 2010

Admitted as praticante abilitato, Italy, 2008

Academic

JD, Università Commerciale Luigi Bocconi, 2007 

Languages

English, Italian
Disclaimer
A&O Shearman was formed on May 1, 2024 by the combination of Shearman & Sterling LLP and Allen & Overy LLP and their respective affiliates (the legacy firms). Any matters referred to above may include matters undertaken by one or more of the legacy firms rather than A&O Shearman.