London/Moscow/Kyiv, 15 July 2008 - Baker & McKenzie announces that it has advised SABMiller plc on the acquisition of 100% of the participation interests in Vladpivo LLC, which completed on 17 June 2008, and on the acquisition of 100% of the shares of UBH (Ukrainian Brewery Holding) Limited, which completed on 3 July 2008.

Vladpivo LLC is the largest brewer in the Russian Far East Primorie region.  It is located near the city of Vladivostok and has an annual capacity of 1 million hectolitres. The value of the gross assets being acquired is approximately US$69 million. 

UBH (Ukrainian Brewery Holding) Limited is the parent company of Sarmat which is one of the largest brewers in the Ukraine and, on completion, will operate one brewery in Donetsk in the east of the country with an annual production capacity of 2.9 million hectolitres, producing the Sarmat, Dnipro and Drive Max brands.  The value of the gross assets being acquired is approximately US$130 million.

SABMiller is one of the world’s leading brewers with brewing interests or major distribution agreements in over 60 countries spread across six continents.

Gordon Low, Corporate Partner at Baker & McKenzie (London), said: "The beer industry in Russia and other CIS countries is continuing to show signs of rapid growth and consolidation amongst the key market players.  We were very pleased to act for SABMiller in these strategically important acquisitions across the CIS region.  It is another example of the strength and depth of Baker & McKenzie's M&A practice across the CIS region.''

The Baker & McKenzie team on the Vladpivo acquisition was led by partners Gordon Low (London), Alexander Chmelev and Alexey Trusov (Moscow) and included associates David Allen and Tom Wilcox (London) and Andrey Fillipenko and Maria Kostenko (Moscow). The Baker & McKenzie team on the UBH acquisition was led by partners Gordon Low (London) and Viacheslav Yakymchuk (Kyiv) and included associates David Allen and Tom Wilcox (London) and Liudmyla Pavlenko (Kyiv).