Partners Stefan Odeurs and Dries Hommez join Benelux giant, Stibbe
White & Case partners Stefan Odeurs and Dries Hommez specialising in private equity and corporate transactions will join top-tier Benelux firm Stibbe later this spring. As a result Stibbe will have one of the largest and broadest Corporate & Finance teams in Belgium.
Stefan Odeurs joined White & Case as a partner in 2004. He is a commercial deal maker and an authority in the private equity sector. Stefan holds degrees in law and applied economics, making him "very in tune with the economic issues, not only those concerning the client but also in a wider sense," according to the independent legal directory Chambers Global 2012.
Dries Hommez was made partner at White & Case in 2009. He focuses on private equity, general M&A, and generic corporate work. Chambers Global 2013 states that he is hailed by sources as a "fantastic lawyer with great potential."
Both partners' clientele consists of Belgian and foreign institutional investors and private and publicly traded companies. They are highly regarded in the market for both national and cross-border transactions, as well as investment and funding transactions. One of their recent highlight cases was the sale of Accent Jobs For People, a major player in the Belgian recruitment market. The leading partner duo assisted the shareholders in selling partially their shares by means of an auction process. Then they further advised the remaining shareholders and the successful bidder on the debt financing of the transaction, which involved four major Belgian banks. This was one of the most high-profile M&A deals in Belgium in 2012.
At Stibbe, Stefan and Dries will work closely with fellow corporate partners Pascal Vanden Borre and Jan Peeters and finance partners Ivan Peeters and Wouter Ghijsels. Together with Katrien Vorlat and Marc Fyon, the team will count 8 partners and 27 associates. In addition, they will collaborate closely with the other practice groups of Stibbe's full-service offering.
Jan Peeters, Managing Partner of Stibbe's Brussels office, says, "Stibbe's position as a leading firm in the Benelux with a unique business model is very attractive for top-rated lawyers like Stefan and Dries. We - together with our dedicated liaison offices in the main financial hubs of the world - are a one-stop legal service centre in and for the Benelux. With our strategic locations and complete legal services' offering, Stibbe is recognised for its efficient and high-quality work. It is a great pleasure to welcome back two of our home-grown lawyers. Together with Stefan and Dries, we will be able to cater to our clients' needs with even broader excellence."
Both Stefan Odeurs and Dries Hommez kick-started their careers at Stibbe's corporate team. They practiced there for more than five years. Stefan Odeurs comments, "For demanding clients, the one-stop-shop and cost-efficient, full-service platform of Stibbe is the right choice to make, especially in the current challenging economic climate in a mature market like the Benelux. Becoming part of Stibbe will allow us to not only further grow our practice but also serve our clients even better." Dries Hommez continues, "We are very excited to return to our roots. Although it's been some time ago since we left, we've never lost touch with the current partners, and it feels as if we've never really parted."
