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Dr Maria Boerner

Senior Associate

Email

maria.boerner@aoshearman.com

Phone

+49 69 2648 5316

Offices

Frankfurt

V-CARD
Dr Maria Boerner is a senior associate in the Corporate/M&A practice group in Frankfurt am Main.

She has extensive experience in advising national and international clients, private equity investors and venture capital funds on complex M&A transactions, intra-group reorganizations, joint ventures, and carve-outs. Maria also has a focus on cross-border private equity transactions, which she has further developed through an international secondment to the private equity practice group of the firm’s Amsterdam office. Maria combines her legal expertise with a sound understanding of business management, which she acquired through an Executive MBA at the WHU Otto BeisheimSchool of Management.

Before joining A&O Shearman, Maria gained professional experience in Hong Kong, China, as well as at a major international US-law firm in Frankfurt am Main and at the German Embassy in Washington, D.C. Parallel to her PhD-thesis focusing on European trade and corporate issues, she worked for another international US-law firm in Berlin.

Experience

Representative matters

  • DWS on the carve-out and disposal of its digital investment platform to a joint venture between DWS and BlackFin, including the post-closing outsourcing and service relationships between DWS and such joint venture.
  • Family-owned Franz Haniel& Cie GmbH on the sale of ELG Haniel GmbH, one of the world's leading businesses in the trading, processing and recycling of raw materials for the stainless steel industry as well as high-performance materials such as superalloys, to Luxembourg-based steel producer AperamS.A.
  • PE-investor Eurazeo on a Series B funding round concerning premium hair care brand Gisou, a premium honey-based hair and beauty brand. The investment comprises a primary investment and the acquisition of certain shares from the founders through a secondary sale.
  • Aermont Capital on an investment from GIC and existing investor APG in The Student Hotel to accelerate international expansion. The transaction values The Student Hotel, including assets currently under development, at EUR 2.1 billion.
  • Fenergo, an Irish fintech company, and its investors Bridgepoint and Astorg, on the acquisition of Sentinels, an Amsterdam-based developer of anti-money laundering transaction monitoring software for financial institutions.
  • The shareholders of L’EtoileProperties on the sale of their group to Sienna Capital, an investment platform of Groupe Bruxelles Lambert.
  • Sole shareholder of DIAMOSAG on its acquisition by FNZ, operator of one of the leading global asset management platforms.
  • GERRY WEBER International AG, an international fashion and lifestyle group, in connection with its ongoing complex financial and corporate restructuring process.
  • ISRA Vision as target company of the EUR 1.1bn public tender offer launched by Atlas Copco and on the integration into the Atlas Copco Group, including the merger squeeze-out of minority shareholders.
  • The Supervisory board of AKASOL AG on the public takeover offer of US automotive supplier BorgWarner.
  • A German listed company on the proposed EUR 8bn public takeover bid for Hella, the German listed manufacturer of automotive lighting systems.
  • NIBC Bank (NIBC) on the sale of West European performing mid-market leveraged loans with a total exposure of over EUR500m to a consortium formed by German financial institution Oldenburgische Landesbank(OLB) and leading Dutch insurer ASR Vermogensbeheer(ASR).
  • Bitè Lietuva on two secured high yield bonds with fixed and floating interest rates as well as revolving super senior credit facility.
  • Exponent Private Equity on the refinancing of the BBI Group and its acquisition of Diarect AG, a specialist in the development and production of recombinant and native antigens.
  • Bird Rides, Inc. based in Santa Monica, California, on its acquisition of the Berlin-based e-scooter provider Circ.

Pro bono

  • Supporting an international NGO in relation to applications of vulnerable Afghan citizens under the German Federal Admission Programme for Afghanistan (Bundesaufnahmeprogramm für Afghanistan).
  • Winner of the Outstanding Contribution award of Allen & Overy (2023).

Published Work

  • Die EU-Frauenquote kommt – aber auch für Deutschland?, in Deutscher AnwaltSpiegel, August 2022
  • Gender diversity on corporate boards – What to expect from the new EU Women on Boards Directive, including the practical changes for your management structure and the impact on the national legislation of each Member State, Client Alert, July 2022
  • Gender Diversity on the Board – Neues aus Brüssel (together with Dr. Hans-Peter Löw), in Personalführung, April 2022
  • Overview – Gender balance quota and targets in Europe, White Paper published by European Women on Boards, April 2022

Speaking Engagements

  • Co-Host and Panelist together with Claire Toumieux (Global Head of Employment of A&O Shearman) and in collaboration with European Women on Boards on the topic “How do ESG and diversity shape corporate governance and directors' liabilities?“ in Paris, France, June 2024
  • Co-Host of Legal Session “Governance and Fiduciary responsibilities of a Non-Executive Board” together with Claire Toumieux (Global Head of Employment of A&O Shearman) for the Board Readiness Program of European Women on Boards, April 2024, October 2023, March 2023, October 2022
  • Guest Speaker, Podcast Spellcast (Lead long and prosper): „Lateral Leadership“, February 2024
  • Panelist, Legal500 GC Summit DACH 2022: “Fireside Chat on social corporate responsibility”, September 2022
  • Guest Speaker, Jura Podcast IMR123: „Diversity, Kanzleikultur und Secondment in Amsterdam“ Irgendwas mit Recht | Vorbilder, Jobs & Karrieren, Irgendwas mit Recht Podcast, April 2022

Leadership Positions And Professional Affiliations

Executive Board Member, WHU Women in Business

Recognition

“Winner of scholarship for the Executive Global Online MBA at WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management”
Generation CEO –Young Talent Award

Qualifications

Admissions

Admitted as Rechtsanwältin, Germany, 2019

Academic

PhD (Dr. iur.), University of Hamburg, Germany, 2021

Second German State Examination (Zweites Staatsexamen), Higher Regional Court, Germany, 2017

First German Examination (Erste Juristische Prüfung), University of Hamburg, Germany, 2015

Languages

German, English, French, Spanish, Chinese (Mandarin)

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.