William B.Rowland (Bill)

Partner

Atlanta + 1.404.581.8961

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Bill Rowland represents significant companies in M&A and other transactional matters, crafting pragmatic solutions to clients' complex business and legal needs. Clients have turned to Bill for more than 35 years to achieve their transactional goals. His practice focuses on domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, corporate governance, and takeovers. He is the coordinator of the Atlanta Office transactional practices.

Bill represents both public and private companies across an array of industries including chemicals, energy, manufacturing, and technology. Representative transactions include Guardian Pharmacy's initial public offering; Eastman Chemical's divestiture of its Texas City operations ($490 million), adhesives resins business ($1 billion), and rubber additives business ($800 million); Eastman Chemical's acquisitions of Solutia ($4.8 billion) and Taminco ($2.8 billion); Southern Company's acquisition of AGL Resources ($12 billion) and divestiture to NextEra Energy ($6.5 billion); and J.M. Huber's divestiture to Evonik ($630 million). Bill has led substantial matters for a number of other clients including Solvay, Syensqo, Cumulus Media, and Koch Industries.

Bill is the former chair of the Business Law Section of the State Bar of Georgia. He has served on the board of directors of the Alliance Theatre, the Georgia Council for International Visitors, and the Swedish-American Chamber of Commerce. He is a member of the Leadership Atlanta Class of 2009. Bill's work has been recognized in various legal surveys including The Best Lawyers in America and Chambers USA.

Experience

  • Guardian Pharmacy Services completes $128.8 million IPO and pre-IPO corporate reorganizationJones Day represented Guardian Pharmacy Services, Inc., a leading long-term care pharmacy services company, in connection with its $128.8 million initial public offering (“IPO”) and pre-IPO corporate reorganization.
  • Eastman Chemical Company sells Texas City operations to INEOS Acetyls for $490 millionJones Day advised Eastman Chemical Company (NYSE: EMN) on the sale of its Texas City operations to INEOS Acetyls, a global manufacturer and supplier of acetic acid and related chemicals owned by the INEOS Group for approximately $490 million.
  • Eastman sells adhesives resins business product lines for $1 billionJones Day advised Eastman Chemical Company in the $1 billion sale of its adhesives resins assets and business to Synthomer plc.
  • J.M. Huber acquires Biolchim GroupJones Day advised J. M. Huber Corporation in the acquisition of Biolchim Group, a leading producer and distributor of specialty plant nutrition and biostimulants, from private equity firms NB Renaissance and Chequers Capital and the Biolchim Group management team.
  • Eastman sells tire additives business product lines to One Rock Capital PartnersJones Day advised Eastman Chemical in the $800 million sale of the rubber additives (including Crystex™ insoluble sulfur and Santoflex™ antidegradants) and other product lines and related assets and technology of the global tire additives business of its Additives & Functional Products segment to an affiliate of One Rock Capital Partners, LLC.
  • Solvay acquires remaining stake in soda ash JVJones Day advised Solvay S.A. (Euronext Brussels: SOLB), a global leader in soda ash, with the acquisition from AGC of a 20% stake in a soda ash joint venture for $120 million. The acquisition results in Solvay holding a 100% stake in the operation, which is located in Green River, Wyoming.
  • Cumulus Media and WynnBET enter into multi-year, multi-platform partnershipJones Day advised Cumulus Media in its multi-year, multi-platform partnership which activates Cumulus Media’s ability to reach more than 250 million listeners each month to drive users to the WynnBET app. Under the terms of the deal, WynnBET becomes one of Cumulus Media’s largest advertising and marketing partners.
  • Unibloc Pump acquired by May River CapitalJones Day advised Unibloc Pump in its sale to May River Capital, a Midwest-based private equity firm focused on helping high-caliber industrial businesses grow and prosper.
  • Southern Company sells certain Florida assets to NextEra Energy for $6.5 billionJones Day advised Southern Company in three separate transactions for the sale of several of its Florida assets – Gulf Power Company, Florida City Gas, and the entities holding Southern Power’s interest in Plant Oleander and Plant Stanton – to NextEra Energy (NYSE: NEE) for an aggregate purchase price of $6.5 billion, including total equity value of approximately $5.1 billion.
  • Koch Methanol invests in YCI Methanol One and its $1.85 billion methanol production facilityJones Day advised Koch Methanol, LLC, a subsidiary of Koch Industries, Inc., in its minority equity investment in YCI Methanol One, LLC, an indirect subsidiary of Yuhuang Chemical Industries, Inc. and its parent company Shandong Yuhuang Chemical Company, Ltd.
  • J.M. Huber sells Silica business to Evonik for $630 millionJones Day advised J.M. Huber Corporation in the sale of its Silica business unit of Huber Engineered Materials to Evonik Industries AG for $630 million.
  • Huber Engineered Materials subsidiary acquires Nutri Granulations business assets of IMCD US, LLCJones Day advised Huber Engineered Materials with the acquisition through its subsidiary, J.M. Huber Micropowders Inc., of the Nutri Granulations business assets of IMCD US, LLC in La Mirada, California.
  • Cumulus Media sold broadcast communications tower portfolio to Vertical Bridge REIT for $208 million in sale/leaseback transactionJones Day advised Cumulus Media Inc. in the sale and leaseback of its broadcast communications tower portfolio to Vertical Bridge REIT for $208 million.
  • Cumulus Media adopts short-term shareholder rights planJones Day advised Cumulus Media Inc. in its adoption of a short-term shareholder rights plan designed to protect shareholder interests and maximize value for all shareholders.
  • Molex acquires Laird Connected Vehicle Solutions divisionJones Day advised Molex Electronic Technologies, LLC, a leading global manufacturer of electronic solutions, on its acquisition of the Connected Vehicle Solutions division of Laird Limited.
  • Birch Communications' Cloud and Business Services business acquired by Fusion Telecommunications International, Inc. for $600 millionJones Day advised Birch Communications, Inc. in the acquisition of its cloud and business services business by Fusion Telecommunications International, Inc. for approximately $600 million in an all-stock transaction which included the purchase of 50 million shares of Fusion’s Common Stock and the refinancing of $444 million of Birch indebtedness.
  • Koch Equity Development invests over $2 billion in InforJones Day advised Koch Equity Development LLC, the acquisition and investment subsidiary of Koch Industries, in connection with its equity investment of more than $2 billion in Infor, a leading provider of beautiful business applications specialized by industry and built for the cloud.
  • Koch Industries subsidiary acquires PetroLogistics for $2.1 billionJones Day advised Flint Hills Resources, LLC, a leading refining, chemicals, and biofuels company, and a subsidiary of Koch Industries, Inc., in its acquisition of PetroLogistics, LP, a master limited partnership that is a major U.S. producer of propylene, in a cash deal valued at approximately $2.1 billion.
  • Koch Industries acquires Guardian IndustriesJones Day advised Koch Industries, Inc. on the acquisition of the remaining 55.5 percent of Guardian Industries Corp. not already owned by affiliates of Koch.
  • Eastman Chemical acquires Solutia for $4.8 billionJones Day advised Eastman Chemical Company, a global chemical company that manufactures and sells a broad portfolio of chemicals, plastics, and fibers, in its $4.8 billion acquisition and related $3.5 billion financing of Solutia Inc., a global leader in performance materials and specialty chemicals.
  • Eastman Chemical acquires Taminco for $2.8 billionJones Day advised Eastman Chemical Company in connection with its acquisition of Taminco Corporation, a global specialty chemical company, for $2.8 billion.
  • The Southern Company acquires AGL Resources for $12 billionJones Day advised The Southern Company (NYSE: SO) in connection with the acquisition and related financing of AGL Resources (NYSE: GAS) in a cash transaction with an enterprise value of approximately $12 billion, including total equity value of approximately $8 billion.
  • The Southern Company acquires PowerSecure International, Inc. for $425 millionJones Day advised The Southern Company in its $425 million acquisition of PowerSecure International, Inc. (NYSE: POWR), a premier provider of distributed generation, energy efficiency, and utility infrastructure solutions.
  • Southern Company sells Pivotal Home Solutions to American Water Works Company, Inc. for $363.7 millionJones Day advised Southern Company in the $363.7 million sale of its subsidiary Nicor Energy Services Company (d/b/a Pivotal Home Solutions) to American Water Works Company, Inc.
  • Pinova sold to Symrise for $417 millionJones Day advised Pinova Holdings, Inc., a global leader in specialty chemicals manufactured from natural and renewable feedstocks, in its sale by TorQuest Partners to Symrise AG, a global supplier of fragrances, flavors cosmetic active ingredients, and materials as well as functional ingredients, for $417 million.
  • Barco sells Defense & Aerospace division to U.S.-based Esterline Corporation for €150 million (US$175 million)Jones Day advised Barco NV in the sale of its Defense & Aerospace division to U.S.-based Esterline Corporation for €150 million (US$175 million).
  • Eastman Chemical sells Performance Polymers PET business to DAK Americas for $600 millionJones Day advised Eastman Chemical Company, a global chemical company that manufactures and sells a broad portfolio of chemicals, plastics, and fibers, in its $600 million sale of its Performance Polymers PET business to DAK Americas LLC, the largest polyester staple fiber and the second largest PET resin producer in North and South America.
  • Eastman Chemical leases portions of its Texas City, Texas plant to Gulf Coast AmmoniaJones Day advised Eastman Chemical Company in connection with the ground lease of portions of its Texas City, Texas plant to Gulf Coast Ammonia, LLC for construction of a world-scale hydrogen-based ammonia production plant and a related deep water dock facility.
  • Eastman Chemical acquires Commonwealth Laminating & CoatingJones Day advised Eastman Chemical Company in its acquisition of Commonwealth Laminating & Coating, Inc., an independent manufacturer and global marketer and distributor of window films and specialty films for automotive, architectural, and protective applications.
  • Eastman sells its interest in former joint venture Primester to SolvayJones Day advised Eastman Chemical Company in the sale of its interest in the Kingsport, Tennessee, cellulose acetate flake joint venture named Primester, giving full ownership to Solvay.
  • Eastman Chemical acquires aviation turbine oil business from BPJones Day advised Eastman Chemical Company in its acquisition of the assets of BP's global aviation turbine engine oil business.
  • Birch Communications acquires Cbeyond for $323 millionJones Day advised Birch Communications Inc., a leading IP-based communications and cloud services provider to small and medium businesses, in the acquisition and related financing of Cbeyond, Inc., a technology ally to small and mid-sized businesses, for $323 million.
  • Cumulus Media makes $2.4 billion acquisition of larger rival Citadel Broadcasting to become 2nd largest U.S. radio companyJones Day advised Cumulus Media Inc., a leading owner and operator of radio stations in the United States, in connection with its acquisition, and related financing, of Citadel Broadcasting Corporation, a Nevada-based broadcast company, for $2.4 billion, payable in cash and shares of Cumulus.
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    Additional Speaking Engagements

    • February 22, 2016
      M&A Practice Development for In-House Counsel
    • February 27, 2014
      Negotiated Corporate Acquisitions - Mock Negotiation - Acquisition Basics: Buyers' and Sellers' Goals; Negotiation Process; Timing; Non-Tax Structural Considerations
    • February 26, 2014
      Cross Border Transactions: Navigating a Flat World, Jones Day CLE Academy
    • October 30, 2013
      Hot Topics Facing General Counsel, 32nd Annual Business Law Institute, Institute of Continuing Legal Education in Georgia
    • October 18-19, 2012
      Program Chair, 31st Annual Business Law Institute, Institute of Continuing Legal Education in Georgia
    • May 2012
      Doing Business in Emerging Markets
    • October 7, 2010
      The Anatomy of a Deal, Chemical Marketing & Economics Group
    • May 14, 2010
      Initial Considerations in Forming a Business Entity, Urologic Invention Convention, Georgia Institute of Technology
    • 2010, 2009, 2008, 2006, 2005
      Acquisition Basics: Buyers' and Sellers' Goals; Negotiation Process; Timing; Non-Tax Structural Considerations, Institute of Continuing Legal Education in Georgia
    • April 23, 2009
      Current Developments in Georgia Law Affecting Business Lawyers, Insititue of Continuing Legal Education in Georgia
    • January 8, 2009
      State Bar Of Georgia Hosting Program on Corporate Acquisitions
    • December 9, 2008
      Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) Seminar on Recent Developments in the Laws of BRIC Countries: Brazil, Russia, India, China
    • February 18, 2005
      Current Developments in Georgia Law Affecting Business Lawyers, Institute of Continuing Legal Education in Georgia
    • June 22, 2004
      North American Cross-Border Private Middle-Market Acquisitions: Legal Perspectives, International Buyer Symposium

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