Our business is to enable our clients’ success and ensure their legal protection. To acknowledge their versatile expertise and dedicated work towards our clients’ success, we appoint Marcus Blomfelt as Senior Counsel and Piia Raappana and Yanhuan Zhou as Counsels as of 1 October 2023. Marcus was previously counsel at Castrén & Snellman, while Piia and Yanhuan were senior associates.
28.9.2023
Marcus Blomfelt appointed as Senior Counsel and Piia Raappana and Yanhuan Zhou as Counsels
Marcus Blomfelt, Piia Raappana & Yanhuan Zhou
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Marcus Blomfelt, Senior Counsel, Dispute Resolution
Marcus Blomfelt is an experienced dispute lawyer who specialises in complex litigation and criminal cases. He has assisted companies and their management in various criminal proceedings, including white collar, corruption and environmental criminal cases. In addition to handling criminal cases with distinction, he has extensive experience in disputes relating to, among other things, commercial agreements, M&A, sale of goods and agency agreements.
Marcus has particular expertise in private enforcement of competition law and has acted as counsel in the largest damages cases based on competition law in Finland.
Piia Raappana, Counsel, Intellectual Property
Piia Raappana is an expert in intellectual property law and dispute resolution. Her expertise includes industrial property rights and copyright as well as matters related to commercial agreements. In addition, she is well-versed in marketing and consumer law, media law and sports law.
Piia provides IP advise to our clients also in mergers and acquisitions, private equity transactions and other transactions.
The latest Managing Intellectual Property IP Stars recognised Piia as a Rising Star.
Yanhuan Zhou, Counsel, Mergers & Acquisitions
Yanhuan Zhou has extensive experience in demanding mergers and acquisitions as well as in restructuring of international companies. She advises clients in a wide range of domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions in various fields, such as the food industry, wholesale and retail, and heavy industry. She also specialises in various corporate matters.
Yanhuan’s key expertise lies in complex M&A with a multinational aspect. Lately, she has worked on several arrangements in which Finnish companies have exited their Russian operations.
Our warmest congratulations to Marcus, Piia and Yanhuan for their new roles!
Read more: Castrén & Snellman appoints five new Senior Associates – an appointment also in Business Services
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Banyan Software – Acquisition of Carus Ferry
We acted as legal adviser to Banyan Software on its acquisition of Carus Ferry, a Finland-based provider of reservation, check-in and port operations software for ferry and passenger shipping operators. The acquisition further strengthens Banyan Software’s presence in the Nordic region while providing Carus with a long-term partner to support its continued growth and development. Carus was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Mariehamn on the Åland Islands, Finland. The company develops mission-critical software for ferry, cruise and passenger shipping operators, covering the full passenger journey from booking and ticketing to capacity management, check-in and boarding. Carus also provides port automation, onboard sales systems and business information tools. The company serves approximately 30 operators across four continents and is the largest vendor by customer count in ferry reservation and departure control. Banyan Software is an acquirer and long-term operator of mission-critical software businesses serving specialised industries. Founded in 2016, Banyan follows a buy-and-hold-for-life approach and supports the long-term growth and development of its portfolio companies. Banyan operates more than 130 portfolio companies across North and South America, the United Kingdom, Europe and APAC. Following the acquisition of Carus, Banyan operates three businesses in the Nordic region.
Case published 20.10.2026
Move Energy – Combination of 3North Partners and Steady Energy and related private placement and IPO
We advised Move Energy as an investor in connection with the combination of 3North Partners Plc and Steady Energy Oy and the related private placement and initial public offering of the combined company on Nasdaq First North Growth Market Finland. In connection with the transaction, 3North Partners received approximately EUR 69.8 million in investor commitments from a group of institutional and other investors, including Move Energy, to fund the combined company. Steady Energy is a Finnish nuclear technology company developing a new generation of small modular reactors (SMRs) particularly suited for district heating. Its LDR-50 reactor is designed to provide cities and utilities with a scalable and low-carbon alternative to combustion-based heat production.
Case published 19.10.2026
Efima – Sale of AI business
We advised Efima Oyj on the sale of its AI business to Better Care Technologies Oy. The transaction included Efima’s Moiva AI platform developed for the care sector, the related technology and brand, customer contracts, and the experts working in the business. Efima is a Finnish digital company that supports the sustainable growth of large and mid-sized companies by streamlining their business processes and by creating competitive advantage through the innovative use of artificial intelligence and data. The company has nearly 200 experts based in Helsinki and Tampere.
Case published 21.9.2026
Neoen – Sale of data centre
We advised Neoen Renewables Finland Oy, part of the French Neoen Group, in its sale of a data centre project to a consortium consisting of international data centre developers and operators. This marked Neoen’s first data centre development project in Finland. Founded in 2008, Neoen is one of the world’s leading independent renewable energy producers. The company operates in 15 countries. It develops, finances, builds, owns, and operates solar power plants, wind farms, and battery storage systems. Neoen Group is owned by global alternative asset manager Brookfield Corporation.
Case published 17.9.2026