Practice Areas
Corporate
The legal structure of an organization serves a purpose. How is your organization structured? And what are the drivers that organize it in this way – or should it be organized differently and be restructured? Acquisitions, globalization, privatization, liberalization and rules of good governance and compliance often drive entrepreneurs and non-commercial organizations into the arena of corporate law (i.e. Book 2 of our Civil Code).
But what are the consequences for your strategic policy? How can you continue to build on your success?
The majority of large companies in the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba conduct business at an international level. In addition, many offshore companies are based in the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba and these are regularly involved in international acquisitions and restructuring. Finally, a substantial number of smaller companies are domiciled in the Netherlands Antilles or Aruba conducting business at the regional or local level only.
Depending on the client, we help in drafting and implementing effective strategies to build our clients’ businesses. As a result, VanEps Kunneman VanDoorne regularly assists in:
- Acquisitions, for example by means of controlled auctions;
- Privatization of public companies – demanding specific knowledge of administrative law, for example, but equally important, also requiring political sensitivity, diplomacy and tact;
- Corporate governance issues, especially following the introduction of new laws regarding legal entities, has meant the implementation of stricter liabilities for company directors, officers and supervisors and as a result this specialty has increased notably. We advise management boards and supervisory bodies of most of the large companies and (governmental) institutions in the region on a regular basis;
- Litigious corporate work.
In such cases, the role of VanEps Kunneman VanDoorne includes providing the principals with information on the laws and regulations of the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba and advising on and drafting of the required contract documentation.
When assisting companies directly, our work ranges from drafting letters of intent and takeover contracts, to final negotiations on the terms of the takeover. In most cases, an important part of the process is the so-called due diligence investigations.
When acting for an intended buyer, we collect information on the company to be acquired, enabling the client to arrive at an informed opinion of the legal status and the risks of the potential purchase.
When our client is the seller, it is important to organize the due diligence investigation in such a way that it interferes as little as possible with normal business operations. We also ensure that the seller discloses all information essential for the transaction.
VanEps Kunneman VanDoorne clearly has the experience, know-how and skills to satisfy the high level of requirements that corporate advice in general demands. With in-depth industry expertise and an outstanding regional and international reputation, our Corporate team leads the pack. In the 2009 edition of Practical Law Company’s PLC’s Mergers and Acquisitions, VanEps Kunneman VanDoorne is the only highly recommended firm in the region while, with four recommended partners in this field – by far the most of any firm in the Dutch Caribbean – we feel confident in stating that we are the best firm to assist you.
Recent experience
- A branch of a major Dutch insurer in a sale and subsequent transition to independent operation
- ABN AMRO Bank and ABN AMRO Trust in the sale of the Curacao branches
- Alternative energy resources players on legal structures
- An international trust and management company in acquiring a Curacao trust company
- Bear Stearns' acquisition of the finance entities of Wells Fargo in the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba
- Digicel, a mobile telephone provider, in the take-over of Curacao Telecom, the largest private mobile telephone provider on Curacao
- Dutch building conglomerate in the purchase of an Aruban and Antillean construction company
- ING Bank in the sale of its regional private banking activities to Van Lanschot
- The purchaser in the acquisition of a hotel on Curacao
- The purchaser in the USD 230 million acquisition of the Aruba Wyndham Hotel
- The purchaser in the USD 237 million acquisition of the Marriott Hotel on Aruba
- Various Curacao hotel property owners in the sale of their hotels
- Windward Insurance Solutions in its purchase of the Netherlands Antilles insurance company Pearl General Insurance and of insurance broker Verzekeringswinkel Pearl
- Windward Insurance Solutions in its purchase of the Netherlands Antilles insurance company Pearl General Insurance and of insurance broker Verzekeringswinkel Pearl
- Windward Insurance Solutions in its purchase of the Netherlands Antilles insurance company Pearl General Insurance and of insurance broker Verzekeringswinkel Pearl
