GESSEL advises Polish Enterprise Fund V, a private equity fund managed by Enterprise Investors, and Harper Hygienics S.A. on a transaction for sale of a controlling stake in Harper Hygienics S.A.

GESSEL provided comprehensive legal services with regard to the indirect sale of 59.95% of the shares in Harper Hygienics S.A. to iCotton SIA, a Latvian producer of cosmetic and hygiene products.

Harper Hygienics is a Polish producer of skin care products; since 2010, it is listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange. It has a workforce of over 500 people, and its revenue for Q1 through Q3 2016 was PLN 155 million. Harper Hygienics’ main product is Cleanic cotton pads, recognised by almost 75% of the target group.

Enterprise Investors is one of the largest private equity groups in Central and Eastern Europe. Active since 1990, it has established eight funds with combined capital of over EUR 2 billion. The various Enterprise Investors funds have invested over EUR 1.7 billion in 137 companies from various sectors and effectuated 120 exits, achieving gross revenue approaching EUR 3 billion.

GESSEL has already advised PEF on its acquisition of a 75% stake in Harper Hygienics in 2004 and of 100% of the shares in 2007, and likewise on Harper Hygienics’ IPO in 2010. Thus, our firm is proud to have provided Harper Hygienics S.A. and its shareholders with legal expertise for what is now 13 years.

The GESSEL team working on this project was supervised by Marcin Macieszczak, managing partner, and led by Karol Sokół, advocate, with input by Bartłomiej Woźniak and Michał Osowski.