Paul de Vries

Civil-law Notary | Partner

Paul de Vries specialises in public and private M&A and other strategic corporate transactions. He has extensive experience in advising on cross-border matters, capital market transactions and public takeover bids. He also advises on corporate governance, joint ventures and complex corporate structures. Paul has practised in the firm’s New York office.

Paul is also part of Houthoff’s multidisciplinary team, with experts in corporate governance and regulatory and corporate litigation, carrying out governance stress tests to improve and reinforce governance practices. Read more about the governance stress test. In addition, Paul is a Professor of “Cooperation & Transactions” at Utrecht University (UU) and member of the Houthoff’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee.

Recent Work

Advised European Healthcare Acquisition Growth Company B.V., a Euronext Amsterdam-listed special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), on the intended business combination with Croma-Pharma GmbH.

Represented Fortenova Group, the largest food producer and retailer in South-Eastern Europe with an annual turnover of EUR 5 billion and 47.500 employees, in the implementation of a comprehensive restructuring resulting from the presence of sanctioned debt and equity holders in its capital structure and cross-border litigation in connection therewith.

Assisted the Salvation Army in setting up the investment fund 'Stichting Leger des Heils WoonVermogen' for construction projects that make a social impact. The 'Stichting Leger des Heils WoonVermogen' is funded by private investors and aims to build 250 residences for vulnerable people in the coming years.

Advised Frazier Lifesciences Acquisition Corporation (SPAC) on its intended business combination with NewAmsterdam Pharma and listing of the combined entity on Nasdaq.

Advised VARO Energy BV on its acquisition of 80% of the shares in Bio Energy Coevorden BV, one of the largest biogas manufacturers in Europe.

Advised Carlyle and Ares Management Credit funds on their EUR 800 million strategic investment in the form of preferred equity in Your.World.

Assisted e& in forming a strategic joint venture with PPF Telecom Group. e& acquired a controlling stake (50% plus one economic share) in PPF Telecom Group. The transaction value is EUR 2.15 billion, with a potential earn-out of up to EUR 350 million.

Advised Sopra Steria Group SA (Euronext Paris), a European Tech leader recognised for its consulting, digital services and software development, on its recommended public offer for all ordinary shares in the capital of Ordina N.V. (Euronext Amsterdam), a Benelux-based consulting and IT services provider.

Advised Loyalty Ventures Inc. and the BrandLoyalty Group on the sale of BrandLoyalty, a global provider of tech-enabled data-driven consumer loyalty solutions to Opportunity Partners.

Advised Libbey on the sale of its European operations, Royal Leerdam and Crisal Glass, to Anders Invest. Libbey is one of the world's largest glass tableware manufacturers.

Advised Parkland N.V. and Magnus I B.V. on the take private transaction of GeoJunxion through the acquisition of all shares in GeoJunxion B.V. from GeoJunxion N.V.

Advised Castik Capital on its acquisition of the Andra Tech Group, a leading group of companies specialising in the manufacturing of high-precision, complex components for €500-1000 million.

Advised an ad hoc group of secured lenders to Tupperware Brands Corporation who successfully completed the acquisition of certain key assets of the Tupperware Group, including global rights to the Tupperware brand name and related intellectual property as well as operations in core geographic markets.

Advised Seek Limited on the sale of Brasil Online Holdings Coöperatief U.A. and Online Career Center Mexico, S.A.P.I. de C.V. to Red Arbor Holding, S.L. for a cash consideration of USD 85 million.

Advised TBAuctions Netherlands B.V. on its acquisition of Epic Auctions.

Advised Vestia, once the largest social housing corporation of the Netherlands, with the legal demerger of Vestia into three new social housing corporations. This transaction included the division of Vestia's real estate portfolio, consisting of approximately 65,000 rental units with a value of EUR 11.5 billion.

Advised Lumileds, a global leader in innovative lighting solutions, in its comprehensive financial restructuring. Lumileds emerged from a Chapter 11, resulting in a leadership transition and a funded debt reduction of approximately USD 1.4 billion.

Advised Vauban Infrastructure Partners on the acquisition of Boreal Holding AS, a leading public transport provider in Norway, from Everbright Overseas Infrastructure Investment Fund.

Advised Corporation Service Company (CSC) and its subsidiary Intertrust, a large global corporate services provider with various licensed businesses across the globe (including an AIFMD depositary and trust office in the Netherlands), on legal regulatory matters in relation to Dutch AML and trust legislation.

More recent work

Qualifications

Ph.D. Company Law (University of Groningen)
LL.M. Notarial Law (University of Groningen)
LL.M. Civil Law (University of Groningen)
English Legal Methods Summer School (University of Cambridge)

Additional positions

Languages

Expertises

Corporate/M&A

Mergers and acquisitions are among the most transformative decisions a business can make – whether driven by ambitions for growth, entry into new markets, evolving industry dynamics or long-term investment objectives. These transactions demand clear insight and the ability to navigate legal and regulatory complexity across jurisdictions.

Capital Markets

Whether you want to raise capital through equity, debt or alternative forms of financing, you need to thoroughly understand the sector and the legal ins and outs of domestic and international capital market regulations.

SPAC

A SPAC (Special Purpose Acquisition Company) is an alternative way of raising capital through an initial public offering, before acquiring an operating target company.

Corporate/M&A

Capital Markets

SPAC

A SPAC (Special Purpose Acquisition Company) is an alternative way of raising capital through an initial public offering, before acquiring an operating target company.

Publications

Show all

25 June 2025

Consultatiereactie Wijzigingsbesluit toegang UBO-registers voor bestuursorganen en rechtspersonen met een overheidstaak. Houthoff.

20 March 2025

Position Paper: Wet integere bedrijfsvoering zorg- en jeugdhulpaanbieders (Wibz)_x000d_. Houthoff.

1 September 2024

Schuldeiserbescherming bij grensoverschrijdende verrichtingen naar het recht van Nederland, Duitsland en Spanje. Onderneming en Financiering.

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About us

Paul de Vries

Expertises

Contact

On this page

Recent Work

Qualifications

Additional positions

Languages

Expertises

Corporate/M&A

Capital Markets

SPAC

Corporate/M&A

Capital Markets

SPAC

Publications

Consultatiereactie Wijzigingsbesluit toegang UBO-registers voor bestuursorganen en rechtspersonen met een overheidstaak. Houthoff.

Position Paper: Wet integere bedrijfsvoering zorg- en jeugdhulpaanbieders (Wibz)_x000d_. Houthoff.

Schuldeiserbescherming bij grensoverschrijdende verrichtingen naar het recht van Nederland, Duitsland en Spanje. Onderneming en Financiering.

Paul de Vries

Expertises

Contact

On this page

Recent Work

Qualifications

Additional positions

Languages

Expertises

Corporate/M&A

Capital Markets

SPAC

Corporate/M&A

Capital Markets

SPAC

Publications

Consultatiereactie Wijzigingsbesluit toegang UBO-registers voor bestuursorganen en rechtspersonen met een overheidstaak. Houthoff.

Position Paper: Wet integere bedrijfsvoering zorg- en jeugdhulpaanbieders (Wibz)_x000d_. Houthoff.

Schuldeiserbescherming bij grensoverschrijdende verrichtingen naar het recht van Nederland, Duitsland en Spanje. Onderneming en Financiering.

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