Morrison & Foerster’s (MoFo) global M&A group has represented SoftBank in a USD1.26bn investment in Miami-based Brightstar, a specialised wireless distributor.
The deal, giving SoftBank a 57 per cent stake, makes Brightstar the exclusive provider of handsets, accessories and services to certain SoftBank affiliates.
The Brightstar deal follows on the heels of SoftBank's announcement earlier this week that it is making a USD1.5bn joint venture investment in mobile game producer Supercell Oy, makers of such popular online games as Clash of Clans and Hay Day. Supercell is based in Finland. MoFo advised SoftBank and its joint venture partner GungHo Online Entertainment in that transaction.
MoFo also recently acted as SoftBank's lead M&A, litigation and antitrust counsel for the company's USD21.6bn acquisition of a 78 per cent stake in Sprint Nextel that closed on 10 July.
In the Brightstar deal, MoFo's team on behalf of SoftBank was once again led by Kenneth Siegel, managing partner of the firm's Tokyo office, along with Brandon Parris, co-chair of the firm’s global corporate department. They were joined by Tokyo partner Ivan Smallwood, Denver of counsel Erik Knudsen, and associates Tyler Sewell (Denver) and Noah Carr (Hong Kong).
