Oppenhoff & Partner advises Coty on the acquisition of the cosmetics manufacturer Dr. Scheller

Press Release 18 November 2010

An Oppenhoff & Partner team has advised Coty Inc., one of the leading perfume and cosmetics enterprises worldwide, on the takeover of the Swabian cosmetic supplier Dr. Scheller Cosmetics AG and its subsidiaries in Germany and abroad from the Russian cosmetics group Kalina. Dr. Scheller Cosmetics AG, which is primarily known for its MANHATTAN cosmetics brand as well as its MANHATTAN CLEARFACE anti-acne range, generated a turnover in 2009 of EUR 117 million. The natural cosmetics line that is also a part of the company portfolio will remain with Kalina.

Coty has been represented on the German cosmetics market to date with the brands Astor, Rimmel and Esprit Cosmetics. With the takeover, Coty will become the second largest supplier of decorative cosmetics in Germany.

The parties have agreed not to disclose the purchase price. The transaction is subject to the consent of the German and Russian cartel authorities.

The Oppenhoff & Partner team was led by Ronald Meißner (corporate/M&A). Further team members were Myriam Schilling (M&A), Dr. Gunnar Knorr (tax law), Dr. Maxim Kleine and Dr. Daniel Dohrn (both antitrust law), Dr. Gilbert Wurth, Isabel Kreienbrock (both employment law), Dr. Thomas Utzerath, Georg Lecheler (both IP), Stephan Müller, Holger Hofmann (both public law), Silvanne Helle and Marc Häger (both commercial).

ALRUD, Moscow (Ludmila Merzlikina), assisted with the notification to the Russian cartel authorities. The services of Bär & Karrer AG, Zurich (Mani Reinert), were retained for questions concerning Swiss contract law.

About Oppenhoff & Partner

Oppenhoff & Partner is an independent law firm located in Cologne. It sees itself as a top-ranking legal adviser of enterprises and entrepreneurs, offering a broad range of advice on commercial and tax law. With 55 lawyers, it focuses on the provision of advice to regional, national and international major and medium-sized enterprises. Oppenhoff & Partner’s clients include Ford, Hannover Rück, Johnson & Johnson, M. DuMont Schauberg, RWE, United Airlines, Vattenfall and the Zurich Group.


Contact at Oppenhoff & Partner

Elmar Salinger
Public Relations Manager
Tel: +49 (0) 221 2091-315
elmar.salinger@oppenhoff.eu