Serge Levy is a partner in the Banking & Finance Group. His practice is focused on banking law, corporate finance, financial services and commercial law. He is routinely involved in high-profile, sophisticated debt financing transactions representing corporate borrowers and financial institutions alike, on both a secured and unsecured basis. Serge has acquired a wealth of experience in the area of cross-border leveraged finance transactions with a focus on traditional (cash flow) as well as asset-based lending. He has also had significant experience in various financing fields, including in insolvency and restructuring transactions (including debtor-in-possession financings), public debt offerings, real estate, receivables, mining, project financing, leveraged buyout and factoring transactions. He is a member of the Montréal office’s Students and Stagiaires Committee and of the Associates Committee.
On August 3, 2018, Navacord Inc. (Navacord), a leading Canadian insurance brokerage, completed a management-led buyout of its minority partner with the support of US private equity firm Madison Dearborn Partners (MDP), a leading private equity firm based in Chicago.
On May 1, 2018, Transcontinental Inc. (TSX: TCL.A), a leader in flexible packaging in North America and Canada’s largest printer, completed the transformational acquisition of the business of Coveris Americas, a leading flexible packaging business based in Chicago, Illinois, for a purchase price of approximately $1.72 billion, subject to customary purchase price adjustments.
Blackstone Property Partners and Ivanhoé Cambridge Inc., a subsidiary of Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, completed their all-cash acquisition of Pure Industrial Real Estate Trust (PIRET) for $8.10 per unit in a transaction valued at $3.8 billion including debt. Affiliates of Blackstone Property Partners and Ivanhoé Cambridge Inc. acquired 62% and 38% of PIRET, respectively.
On June 30, 2017, Stelco Inc. (Stelco), formerly U.S. Steel Canada Inc., emerged from Companies’ Creditors Arrangements Act (CCAA) proceedings through the implementation of a CCAA plan. This involved the compromise of more than $2 billion of debt and the restructuring of approximately $2 billion of pension and benefit obligations.
Roots Canada Ltd. (Roots) completed the sale of a majority stake in Roots to Searchlight Capital Partners, L.P. (Searchlight), with the co-founders Michael Budman and Don Green retaining a significant equity ownership. This investment will support the brand’s next phase of growth. The terms of the agreement were undisclosed.
On July 8, 2015, TPG Capital LP (TPG), a global private investment firm, acquired a majority stake in Cirque du Soleil (Cirque), Canada’s iconic entertainment company, for an undisclosed amount. Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec along with Fosun Capital Group, one of China’s leading privately-owned investment groups, also acquired a minority stake in Cirque. In addition, Mitch Garber, Chair of the Cirque Board, Claridge, Stephen Bronfman’s family investment arm, and Cirque President and CEO Daniel Lamarre acquired ownership stakes.
MRC Global Inc. and certain members of its global family of companies (collectively, “MRC Group”) entered into a second amended and restated loan, security and guarantee agreement.
