Fortune Brands Acquires Allied Domecq Brands

On July 26, 2005, Fortune Brands, Inc. announced the completion of the transaction for the acquisition of more than 20 spirits and wine brands, including Canadian Club whisky, from Pernod Ricard following the completion of Pernod Ricard's acquisition of Allied Domecq. Fortune Brands paid approximately 2.8 billion British pounds (approximately US$5 billion) in cash for the brands, related production facilities and key distribution assets. As a result of this transaction, Fortune Brands will be among the top four spirits companies in the world.

Fortune Brands was represented by Kent Rose, senior vice-president and general counsel of Jim Beam Brands Worldwide, and Mark Roche, senior vice-president and general counsel of Fortune Brands; and by Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP in Canada with a team that included Gail Lilley, David Kruse, Paul Singh and Marianne Smith (corporate), Calvin Goldman, Crystal Witterick, Cliff Sosnow, Jason Gudofsky and Ben Little (competition and Investment Canada). The Fortune Brands global team was led by Herbert Smith LLP with a team that included Richard Fleck, Malcolm Lombers, Richard Lewis and James Palmer (corporate) and James Quinney (competition). Fortune Brands was represented in the US by Chadbourne & Parke LLP with a team that included Edward Smith, Charles Hord, III, and William Cavanagh, and by Howrey LLP with a team that included James Rill and Chris MacAvoy (anti-trust).

Pernod Ricard was represented by Stikeman Elliott LLP with a team that included Simon Romano, Robert Sutton, Tim Lewis, Alex Banry and Nicholas Barclay (corporate) and Paul Collins and Deborah Salzberger (competition); Marc Israel and Malcolm Walton (competition) of Macfarlanes; and Ian FitzSimons, general counsel, Frédéric Villain, vice-president administration and finance, Thomas Lalla, Jr., vice-president – administration and legal affairs, and Adam Tracy, intellectual property counsel, of Pernod Ricard.

Allied Domecq was represented by Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP in Canada with a team that included Jon Levin and John Elias (corporate) and Tony Baldanza and Angela Di Padova (competition). The Allied Domecq global team was led by Linklaters with a team that included David Cheyne, Dominic Welham and Nicola Mayo (corporate) and Paula Riedel and Meredith Brooks (competition). Allied was represented in the US by Latham & Watkins LLP with a team that included Marc Williamson, Hanno Kaiser, Richard Rosalez and Thomas Hoffman.