Finance Monthly Deal Maker Awards 2016 Edition

FINANCE MONTHLY DEAL MAKER AWARDS 2016 www.finance-monthly.com 51 Sponsoo Closes Investor Funding Chosen for his involvement in the following transaction: SASCHA FEHSENFELD LL.M. Senior Partner, RUGE FEHSENFELD, Germany WINNER: RUGE FEHSENFELD is a legal consulting firm specialising in accounting, tax law and inheritance law. The firm’s focus is on advising medium-size companies and individual clients on all tax compliance and tax law issues as well as inheritance matters. RUGE FEHSENFELD is providing a comprehensive advisory service leading to full customer satisfaction. An efficient and a highly professional approach to the clients’ needs define the firm’s core principles and philosophy. RUGE FEHSENFELD attaches great importance to a long- lasting client relationship - a relationship characterised by trust, appreciation and reliability. Clients benefit from a long standing experience and an interdisciplinary team of professionals. In the firm, accountants and attorneys work together to efficiently achieve the clients’ goals. The partners of RUGE FEHSENFELD enjoy developing creative and tailor-made solutions to the benefit of the clients’ needs and preferences. For legal matters other than tax law and inheritance law, the firm works closely with different specialized law firms. About Sascha Fehsenfeld LL.M. Sascha Fehsenfeld studied law at the University of Hamburg. In 2006 he qualified as a German tax advisor and later as attorney. He worked as the managing director for an accounting and tax firm in Hamburg. In 2010 Sascha Fehsenfeld qualified as a certified expert for international tax law and in 2011 he founded his own law and accounting firm in Hamburg. Since 2013 he is a partner at RUGE FEHSENFELD. Sascha Fehsenfeld is specialized in international tax law and cross-border inheritance law. Firm Profile CONTACT Sascha Fehsenfeld LL.M. Partner, RUGE FEHSENFELD Bergstedter Chaussee 92, 22395 Hamburg, Germany Tel: +49 40 5284030 | Email: info@rugefehsenfeld.de Web: www.rugefehsenfeld.de Please summarise the transaction Sponsoo is Germany’s largest marketplace for sport sponsorship. Sponsoo connects sports people and sponsors. The company’s portfolio includes thousands of athletes and clubs from more than 300 different sports. Sponsors can search a portfolio and select the perfect sponsorship targets. The capital increase, for which RUGE FEHSENFELD was mandated, ensures further growth for Sponsoo in a highly dynamic market not only in Germany but all of Europe. The capital will mostly be used to increase marketing efforts and staff. In addition, the four investors promised to provide the company with further strategic support and advice. What was your role within the transaction? RUGE FEHSENFELD was the legal tax adviser during the transaction. The focus was to draft and implement certain tax clauses covering the full scale of applicable tax consequences. What were the challenges or difficulties presented? To bring together the parties different views on how to achieve the increase of the company’s capital was quite a challenge since not all solutions discussed could have been implemented without unwanted tax burdens due to the highly complex German tax code. How were the challenges or difficulties overcome? At the end a draft was presented which all parties could agree on. The tax clauses finally used in the contract ensured that all parties achieved their economic goals without the burden of harmful tax consequences. What are your thoughts and predictions for 2017 and beyond? Tax law is continuing to become more and more complex not only nationally but internationally. Tax laws are subject to permanent changes and revisions. Comprehensive tax advice is therefore more important than ever. RUGE FEHSENFELD will ensure that national or international tax burdens will not prevent companies from implementing their business strategy and achieving their economic goals. We are dedicated to be our clients’ reliable partner and long-term adviser in an increasing volatile economic environment. Transaction Repor t Q Q Q Q Q