Thomas Holst Laursen

Attorney-at-Law, Partner

Thomas Holst Laursen is a partner in our Corporate Finance team and has extensive experience in handling large complex transactions within private and public M&A, capital markets transactions (IPOs, etc) as well as transactions involving financing through other convertible securities, bonds, and securitisation.

Thomas is active in all areas of transactions within a range of sectors. Clients include private equity funds and venture funds, investment banks and listed companies as well as international clients operating in Denmark.
 
In addition to transactional work, Thomas also provides advice to boards of directors on board duties, including in relation to disclosure obligations and corporate governance.

Thomas is involved in cross-border/international transactions globally.

Over recent years Thomas has primarily been active in the pharmaceutical industry and in the energy and finance sector. 

Highlights

Capital Market Transactions

  • Netcompany - IPO of Netcompany A/S
  • Ørsted - IPO of Ørsted A/S
  • Nets - IPO of Nets A/S
  • TDC - (DKT Finance ApS) - senior notes €1,400,000,000
  • Scandinavian Tobacco Group - IPO of Scandinavian Tobacco Group A/S
  • ISS - IPO of ISS A/S
  • Orphazyme - IPO of Orphazyme A/S
  • Zealand Pharma - IPO of Zealand Pharma A/S (Nasdaq Copenhagen and Nasdaq New York)
  • Nordic Waterproofing - IPO of Nordic Waterproofing
  • Bavarian Nordic, Bang & Olufsen, Nordea Bank, Veloxis Pharmaceuticals, Nordjyske Bank, Brdr. Hartmann - rights issues in Bavarian Nordic, Bang & Olufsen, Nordea Bank, Veloxis Pharmaceuticals, Nordjyske Bank, Brdr. Hartmann
  • Zealand Pharma, Tryg, NKT, Bavarian Nordic, Maersk, Danske Bank, Genmab, H+H, Chr. Hansen - accelerated bookbuilding, placing transactions and block trades in Zealand Pharma, Tryg, NKT, Bavarian Nordic, Maersk, Danske Bank, Genmab, H+H, Chr. Hansen
  • Zealand Pharma - royalty bond issuance for Zealand Pharma
  • TDC - takeover of TDC by Macquarie, atp, PFA and PKA (public M&A)
  • Danisco - takeover of Danisco by DuPont
  • Veloxis Pharmaceuticals - adviser to the company in connection with a public take-over offer from Asahi Kasei
  • Maersk Drilling Holding A/S - adviser to main shareholder A.P. Møller Holding A/S in connection with the demerger and separate listing of Maersk Drilling Holding A/S on Nasdaq Copenhagen
  • Nilfisk Holding A/S - verification lawyer in connection with spin-off listing on Nasdaq Copenhagen (2017)
  • NTG Nordic Transport Gourp A/S - adviser to Danske Bank A/S and Nordea Denmark in connection with an indirect IPO of NTG Nordic Transport Gourp A/S through Neurosearch A/S

M&A

  • Novo - joint Venture concerning ERT/Nordic Capital
  • Ørsted - investment in Ørsted A/S by Goldman Sachs, atp and PFA
  • Sivantos and Widex - merger between Sivantos and Widex
  • Nordjyske Bank - takeover defence of Nordjyske Bank A/S by Jyske Bank A/S (public M&A)
  • Shell - acquisition of Shell downstream activities on behalf of Circle K
  • Nordjyske Bank and Ringkjøbing Landbobank - merger of Nordjyske Bank A/S and Ringkjøbing Landbobank A/S (public M&A)
  • Flying Tiger Copenhagen - sale of Flying Tiger Copenhagen to EQT
  • Noerresundby Bank - takeover of Noerresundby Bank A/S (public M&A)
  • EET - sale of EET Group A/S
  • Novozymes - acquisition of PrecisionBiotics Group
  • Symphogen - sale to Les Laboratoires Servier SAS
  • Capidea Management - acquisition and sale of a number of portfolio companies
  • VIA Equity - acquisition of CEGO

Ratings

  • Thomas Holst Laursen has been inducted into the Legal 500 Hall of Fame as regards Commercial, Corporate and M&A. He is recommended as regards Commercial, Corporate and M&A. Further, he is recommended and listed as a leading individual as regards Capital Markets.

    "Thomas Holst Laursen is taking a very holistic and considered approach to the legal issues related to the company transition we are working on" (2022)

  • Thomas Holst Laursen is ranked as a leading individual as regards Corporate/M&A by Chambers Global and Chambers Europe. 

    Thomas Holst Laursen is a highly regarded practitioner in the field and is particularly noted for his prowess in equity capital market transactions. His areas of strength also include tender offers, company acquisitions and demergers. Clients enthuse that he is "extremely efficient and very commercial. He understands what is important and what is not, so he goes straight to the point" (2022)

     

  • Thomas Holst Laursen is listed as a Leading Lawyer (Market Leader) as regards Capital Markets: Equity, Private Equity Funds, Private Equity and M&A (2019+2020+2021+2021/2022)

    "Thomas Holst Laursen provides thorough solutions. He has a pragmatic and solutions-oriented approach to the challenges presented. He understands the commercial angle and remembers the personal angle can be important, too" (2021/2022) 

    Thomas Holst Laursen has "excellent knowledge and offers pragmatic business-centered solutions. A real pleasure to work with" (2020)

    Thomas Holst Laursen is "extremely diligent and hardworking. Thinks creatively and commercially while delivering first class legal analysis. Very pleasant to work with" (2020)

    Thomas Holst Laursen is "very strong and pragmatic, great to work with, always accessible and supportive" (2020)

    Thomas Holst Laursen is "extremely pleasant to work with. Diligent, commercial and superior technical abilities" and "outstanding in all metrics - the best adviser you can have" (2019)

  • Thomas Holst Laursen has been inducted into the Legal 500 Hall of Fame as regards Commercial, Corporate and M&A. Thomas Holst Laursen is recommended and noted for his financial services expertise. Further, he is recommended and listed as a leading individual as regards Capital Markets (2021)

  • Thomas Holst Laursen is ranked as a leading individual as regards Corporate/M&A by Chambers Global and Chambers Europe. Thomas Holst Laursen is a renowned figure in the field and is particularly noted for his prowess in equity capital markets transactions. His areas of strength also include tender offers, company acquisitions and demergers. (2021)

  • Thomas Holst Laursen is recommended and listed as a leading individual as regards Capital Markets by Legal 500 (2020)

    Thomas Holst Laursen is recommended and listed as a leading individual (Hall of Fame) as regards Commercial, Corporate and M&A by Legal 500 (2020)

  • Thomas Holst Laursen is ranked as a leading individual as regards Corporate/M&A by Chambers Global and Chambers Europe. Thomas Holst Laursen is a highly respected practitioner, recognised for his expertise regarding capital market transactions, with one source describing him as "the pre-eminent capital market lawyer in Denmark." He acts for clients on IPOs and mergers. Another source compliments his negotiation skills, stating: "He always has a good negotiation environment." (2020)

  • Thomas Holst Laursen is listed as a leading individual as regards Capital Markets. The "exceptional" Thomas Holst Laursen jointly leads the ECM team (2019)

    Thomas Holst Laursen is listed as a leading individual as regards Commercial, Corporate and M&A. Thomas Holst Laursen is "very responsive", "calm" and "takes no nonsense" (2019)

  • Thomas Holst Laursen is ranked as a leading individual as regards Corporate/M&A by Chambers Global and Chambers Europe. Thomas Holst Laursen commands an enviable level of respect for his impressive M&A and ECM practice. One client says that "he is superb: very knowledgeable in his field and one of the top capital markets lawyers in Denmark." This source goes on to say: "He is very good at finding solutions that work for all parties." (2019)

  • Thomas Holst Laursen is listed as a leading individual as regards Capital Markets. Thomas Holst Laursen is "very pragmatic, business-minded and efficient". (2018)

    Thomas Holst Laursen is listed as a leading individual as regards Commercial, Corporate and M&A. The team features "highly efficient" Thomas Holst Laursen." (2018)

  • Thomas Holst Laursen is ranked as a leading individual (Band 1) as regards Capital Markets by Chambers Global and Chambers Europe. ECM specialist Thomas Holst Laursen has a solid track record in IPO work, share listings and takeovers. He acted on @Leisure Group's bid in the voluntary conditional cash public takeover of Land & Leisure. One impressed client comments: "He is very helpful and his advice is second to none. He is very clear and has a complete understanding of commercial realities and financial mechanisms". (2018)

    Thomas Holst Laursen is ranked as a leading individual as regards Corporate/M&A by Chambers Global and Chambers Europe. Interviewees highlight Thomas Holst Laursen for exhibiting "a real understanding of underlying commercial issues, as well as his ability to engage and persuade all parties in a transaction".  Typically leading large, high-value M&A transactions, he was part of the team that advised Axel Springer and its subsidiary @Leisure Holding on a public takeover offer for Land & Leisure. (2018)

  • Thomas Holst Laursen is listed as a Leading Lawyer (Market Leader) as regards Capital Markets: Equity, Private Equity Funds, Private Equity and M&A (Financial and Corporate 2018).

  • Thomas Holst Laursen is listed as an expert with respect to Life Sciences: Transactional. (2017)

  • Thomas Holst Laursen is ranked as a leading individual (Band 1) as regards Capital Markets by Chambers Global and Chambers Europe. A client says:"He is skilled and knowledgeable. He is a very hands-on lawyer in this field. He is also a very direct, straight shooter, which works particularly well in a Danish context".

    Thomas Holst Laursen is ranked as a leading individual as regards Corporate/M&A by Chambers Global and Chambers Europe. Clients describe him as an "excellent and skilled lawyer". (2017)

  • Thomas Holst Laursen is listed as a leading individual as regards Commercial, Corporate and M&A. The M&A Group includes the "very experienced" Thomas Holst Laursen. (2017)

  • Thomas Holst Laursen is listed as a Leading Lawyer as regards Capital Markets: Equity, Private Equity Funds, Private Equity and M&A (Financial and Corporate 2017).

  • Thomas Holst Laursen is ranked as a leading individual (Band 1) as regards Capital Markets by both Chambers Global and Chambers Europe. Head of ECM Thomas Holst Laursen assists corporates with IPOs both in Denmark and abroad. In the words of one client, "he has substantial capital markets experience; he's a partner you can trust with complex matters".

    Thomas Holst Laursen is ranked as a leading individual as regards Corporate/M&A by both Chambers Global and Chambers Europe. Clients describe Thomas Holst Laursen as "pragmatic and hard-working. He drives a hard bargain but is good at finding a balance that enables people in the same room to work together". He advises on a broad range of corporate mandates, including transactions and corporate governance. (2016)

  • Thomas Holst Laursen is recommended as regards Capital Markets. The "business-focused" Thomas Holst Laursen co-heads Plesner's "highly experienced" Equity Capital Markets Group.

    Thomas Holst Laursen is listed as a leading individual as regards Mergers & Acquisitions. (2016)
  • Thomas Holst Laursen is listed as a Leading Lawyer as regards Capital Markets (Equity) as well as M&A. (2016)

  • Thomas Holst Laursen is listed as an expert with respect to Capital Markets. (2016)

     

  • Thomas Holst Laursen is ranked as a leading individual (Band 1) as regards Capital Markets by Chambers Global. Thomas Holst Laursen is described as "very efficient, strong and commercially minded." He focuses primarily on securities and M&A-related transactions, and is noted for his regulatory knowledge. 

    Thomas Holst Laursen is ranked as a leading individual as regards Corporate/M&A by Chambers Global. Commentators identify the"absolutely brilliant" Thomas Holst Laursen's main strength is "making complicated things simple and driving things through". (2015)

  • Thomas Holst Laursen is recommended as regards Capital Markets.
    Thomas Holst Laursen is listed as a leading individual with respect to Mergers & Acquisitions. (2015)
  • Thomas Holst Laursen is listed as a leading individual as regards Capital Markets and Mergers and Acquisitions in the Banking, Finance and Transactional Law. (2015)
  • Thomas Holst Laursen is ranked as a leading individual (Band 1) as regards Capital Markets by both Chambers Global and Chambers Europe. A "brilliant" practitioner, Thomas Holst Laursen is described by one market commentator as "the practice's number-one lawyer." He receives praise for "his excellent technical skills" and his equity capital markets expertise.

    Thomas Holst Laursen is ranked as a leading individual as regards Corporate/M&A by both Chambers Global and Chambers Europe. He is praised for his ability to deliver as well as for his commercial thinking. (2014)
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