2.3.2022

Castrén & Snellman Condemns Russia’s Invasion and Provides Humanitarian Support to Ukraine

We at Castrén & Snellman condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The attack is a violation of international law, and there is no justification for it. 

As lawyers and attorneys, we promote the rule of law. At the heart of this mission lie justice, peace, safety, security and human rights, which are undisputable and concern all of us. What happens in Ukraine is against all these basic principles. 

Our thoughts are with the people of Ukraine and our friends and colleagues in Ukraine and in Russia, where we used to have offices in St Petersburg and Moscow.

We give our support to Ukraine through the international charities Unicef and Red Cross and contribute through our pro bono partners. And when it comes to our own business, we will take the Russian invasion of Ukraine and its repercussions into account in reviewing our client relations.

Latest references

We advised a fund managed by Swiss Life Asset Managers Nordic in its acquisition of a logistics property in Hyvinkää from a fund managed by Savills Investment Management. In addition to advising on the transactional aspects, we also advised on the financing of the acquisition as well as in designing an appropriate international acquisition structure and addressing relevant tax implications. The property serves as the central warehouse in Finland for Ahlsell, a leading Nordic technical wholesaler, which has been leasing the property since its construction. The state-of-the-art logistics centre was originally built in 2002 and has undergone several improvement projects over the years. The latest extension, completed in 2024, added around 11,000 square meters of new storage area to the property, bringing the total lettable area to 47,000 square meters. The property has been developed with a strong emphasis on energy efficiency with on-site solar power and renewable district heating. The sustainability features of the property were also further optimised and the asset just received BREEAM Excellent certifications in both BREEAM New Construction and BREEAM In-Use.
Case published 20.1.2025
We advised Metsäliitto Cooperative in relation to a new EUR 200 million sustainability-linked revolving credit facility with a syndicate of eight banks. This new credit facility refinances the existing EUR 200 million facility signed in December 2018 and will be used for general corporate purposes. The facility has a tenor of five years and includes two one-year extension options. The pricing mechanism of the revolving credit facility is linked to two of Metsä Group’s ambitious sustainability targets: Target 1: Zero tonnes of fossil carbon dioxide emissions, Scope 1 and 2, by 2030. Target 2: Share of certified wood in wood supply 100% by 2030. ‘Incorporating sustainability criteria into our financing further demonstrates the company’s strong commitment to actions that reduce our carbon footprint and mitigate climate change,’ says Vesa-Pekka Takala, EVP, CFO of Metsä Group.
Case published 16.1.2025
We advised NoHo Partners Plc on a 119-million-euro financing arrangement. The financing arrangement frees up a significant part of the cash flow for the business and enables the implementation of an acquisition-driven growth strategy also in the future.
Case published 16.1.2025
We advised CapMan Buyout in the exit of Renoa Group. Renoa Group management together with Korpi Capital and other investors have acquired the group. Renoa Group is a Finnish established expert in the building technology sector specializing in detached houses in Finland and Sweden. Renoa is a major provider of turnkey domestic water & heating, sewer system and electricity network renovations, with significant operations also in Sweden. The Group reported sales of €35 million and employed c. 300 personnel across its 10 offices in Finland and 6 in Sweden. Korpi Capital is a Finnish investment company with holdings in 29 companies. 
Case published 14.1.2025