DORDA provided comprehensive legal advice to Oakley Capital on its acquisition of SFU Holding GmbH, the newly founded holding company of the Sigmund Freud Private University Vienna (SFU). DORDA advised Oakley Capital together with Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP (London) as lead counsel.
SFU is receiving a new ownership structure: The renowned British investment firm, Oakley Capital, through the newly established Austrian holding company OCG Skilled Education Holding GmbH, is acquiring the operating company of SFU. The transaction is still subject to regulatory approvals.
This step marks a significant milestone in the further development of SFU and is intended to create additional opportunities for internationalization, digitalization and the expansion of research and academic programs of the university. At the same time, SFU remains an independent Austrian private university with an unchanged academic focus and complete independence in teaching and research.
Founded in 2003 and accredited since 2005, the Sigmund Freud Private University is an internationally oriented institution with campuses in several European cities and more than 6,000 students. In addition to its faculties of psychotherapy, psychology, medicine, and law, SFU is distinguished in particular by innovative teaching formats, small class sizes, and a strongly student-centered approach.
Oakley Capital is a leading European private equity firm focused on mid-market companies in the technology, consumer goods, education and business services sectors. In addition to funds, Oakley Capital primarily provides strategic and operational support for sustainable growth.
At DORDA, the transaction was led by Managing Partner Christian Ritschka (M&A), Partner Martin Brodey (M&A), Principal Associate Ulrich Weinstich (M&A) and Principal Associate Vivien Lux (Real Estate & Construction).