Wesley R.Johnson Jr.

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New York + 1.212.326.3907 Paris + 33.1.56.59.39.42

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Wesley Johnson is a recognized leader among M&A lawyers in the United States and Europe. Wesley focuses on cross-border mergers and acquisitions in a wide variety of business sectors.

Major corporate client representations have included: Essilor, in its acquisition of a controlling stake in Transitions Optical; Alcatel-Lucent in its disposition of the Genesys business to Permira; Rhodia in dispositions and restructurings involving French and overseas assets; La Poste Française, including acquisition of the DPD parcel network in Germany; Rossi family interests in connection with the sale of Martini & Rossi to Bacardi; France Telecom/Orange with its acquisitions of Spanish mobile operator Amena and network services provider Equant; Thales in dispositions of the Magellan GPS business and of its stake in Embraer; Canadian paper group Cascades in a business combination with Reno de Medici; and OM Group in connection with refining assets in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Other corporate clients have included China Investment Corporation, Crown Packaging, Eutelsat, Sinochem, Parker Hannifin, and Total.

Wesley is cited yearly as among the best corporate/M&A lawyers in France in the guides Chambers Global, Chambers Europe, PLC Which lawyer?, and The Legal 500 EMEA. He has lectured on M&A and corporate governance topics, including for the Conference Board Directors' Institute. He has been awarded the French Legion of Honor.

Experience

  • BNP Paribas acquires certain assets and liabilities from RBS relating to its structured retail investor products and equity derivatives businessJones Day advised BNP Paribas on its acquisition of certain assets and liabilities from Royal Bank of Scotland PLC relating to the structured retail investor products and equity derivatives businesses.
  • Essilor acquires controlling stake in Transitions Optical joint venture with PPG for $1.7 billionJones Day advised Essilor International SA in its $1.7 billion buyout of a 51 percent interest in Transitions Optical group from joint venture partner PPG Industries.
  • Alcatel-Lucent sells Genesys business to European private equity firm Permira for $1.5 billionJones Day advised Alcatel-Lucent in its sale of its Genesys business to Permira for US$1.5 billion.
  • Alexandre Pugachev obtains court approval to take over newspaperJones Day assisted Alexandre Pugachev in the take over of a newspaper.
  • Cascades merges with Reno De MediciJones Day advised Cascades Inc., in its $101 million stock merger transaction whereby after reorganizing its European recycled cartonboard operations by contributing them to its indirect Italian subsidiary Cascades Italia S.r.l., merged Cascades Italia S.r.l. with Italian listed company Reno De Medici S.p.A., becoming the single largest stockholder in Reno De Medici S.p.A.
  • Rhodia sells worldwide silicones business to China National BluestarJones Day advised Rhodia SA in the sale of its worldwide silicones business to China National Bluestar Corporation, a large-scale state-owned enterprise and a specialized subsidiary of ChemChina Group Corporation.
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    June 2019 Jones Day Publications

    French Blocking Statute: A Renewed Interest?

    July 2013 Jones Day Publications

    New Merger Control Filing Regime in African COMESA, Africa Bulletin

    June 2013 Commentary

    Africa Bulletin

    July 2012 Commentary

    Africa Resources Update

    Additional Publications

    • 14 avril 2009
      Comment la crise financière affecte-t-elle les contrats de fusions-acquisitions ?, Capital Finance

    Additional Speaking Engagements

    • July 25, 2012
      Jones Day: Global Viewpoints
    • 24/25 et 26 juin 2011
      Jones Day partenaire de la 1ère édition du Championnat de France de Squash des Avocats - 24/25 et 26 juin 2011 à Paris
    • May 6, 2011
      Cross-Border Business Briefing (Dallas)
    • July 23, 2009
      International Business Roundtable: Pittsburgh in the Global Economy - Doing Business in Europe, Asia, Mexico, and the Middle East
    • 29 avril 2009
      Comment se protéger contractuellement face aux nouveaux risques juridiques ?, Commission M&A de l’AFJE “Comment sécuriser vos transactions en temps de crise ?”
    • February 5, 2009
      Impacts juridiques de la crise financière sur les opérations de fusions-acquisitions, Atelier AFJE
    • May 14-15, 2008
      Legal aspects of sovereign wealth fund investment, "European Council on Corporate Governance" Seminar, co-sponsored by The Conference Board and Axa Investment Managers
    • 14-15 mai 2008
      Legal aspects of sovereign wealth fund investment, Séminaire "European Council on Corporate Governance" co-organisé par The Conference Board et Axa Investment Managers
    • 29 avril 2009
      Comment se protéger contractuellement face aux nouveaux risques juridiques ?, Commission M&A de l’AFJE “Comment sécuriser vos transactions en temps de crise ?”
    • March 20, 2008
      M&A: The new environment trends and perspectives in 2008, Thalès M&A Seminar 2008
    • 20 mars 2008
      M&A: The new environment trends and perspectives in 2008, Séminaire Thalès M&A 2008
    • 12-16 novembre 2007
      What do directors need to know about the structure of their JV?, Séminaire "The Joint Venture Directors' Institute" organisé par The Conference Board en partenariat avec Saudi Aramco
    • November 12-16, 2007
      What do directors need to know about the structure of their JV?, "The Joint Venture Directors' Institute" Seminar, sponsored by The Conference Board in cooperation with Saudi Aramco

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