Germaine Gurr

Energy, Power, and Mission Critical Infrastructure

• Schneider Electric in multiple transactions, including:
  • Take-private acquisition of Invensys plc, expanding Schneider’s process automation and industrial software capabilities.
  • Acquisition of ASCO Power, a leading manufacturer of automatic transfer switches and power reliability equipment for mission-critical facilities.
  • Acquisition of InStep Software, a provider of real-time performance management and predictive asset analytics for industrial and energy customers.
  • Acquisition of Renewable Choice Energy, enhancing Schneider’s sustainability and energy services offerings.
  • Acquisition of the Electrical & Automation division of Larsen & Toubro in India and subsequent combination with Schneider’s existing India business and Temasek to create a leading LV/MV and automation platform.
• Schneider Electric Ventures, in its strategic investments in Qmerit (energy transition), AutoGrid (AI-driven distributed energy), eIQ (fleet electrification), and SmartD (next-gen motor control).
• AlphaStruxure (joint venture of Schneider Electric and The Carlyle Group), in multiple transactions, including:
  • Long-term energy-as-a-service concession to design, build, own, and operate microgrid infrastructure, including for the New Terminal One at JFK International Airport.
• GreenStruxure (joint venture of Schneider Electric and Huck Capital), in its strategic partnership with ClearGen, including a USD500 million capital commitment to finance on-site renewable microgrids.
• ABM Industries in multiple transactions, including:
  • Acquisition of WGNSTAR, a leading provider of managed workforce and critical equipment services for semiconductor fabrication and high-tech manufacturing.
  • Acquisition of Quality Uptime Services, a provider of mission-critical UPS maintenance for data centers.
  • Acquisition of RavenVolt, Inc., a microgrid and distributed energy platform serving commercial, industrial, utility, and municipal customers.
  • Strategic investment in Noodoe, a global EV-charging software provider, to support ABM’s branded EV charging platform and expand its eMobility offering.

AI, Automation, Industrials, Supply Chain Technology, and Tech-Enabled Services

• Sole Source in its acquisition of Brite, a U.S. cybersecurity and managed IT services platform.
• Schneider Electric in multiple transactions, including:
  • Global automation and industrial software strategy centered on the Invensys acquisition, carve-out and combination with AVEVA, and subsequent full take-private of AVEVA.
  • Global carve-out and divestiture of industrial sensors business to Yageo Corporation and earlier divestiture of custom sensors businesses to financial sponsors.
  • Divestiture of nuclear related automation assets to Framatome and other portfolio reshaping moves in industrial automation.
• Schneider Electric Foundries, in its incubation and establishment of NaviX Solutions, an energy management and data optimization business created with EDB New Ventures in Singapore.
• Schneider Electric Ventures, in its strategic investment in Augury Inc., a predictive maintenance and machine health AI company.
• Sole Source Capital in multiple transactions, including:
  • Acquisition of Peak-Ryzex and Optical Phusion and formation of Peak Technologies, a leading AIDC and supply chain automation platform.
  • Acquisition and build-out of Supply Chain Services, followed by multiple add-on acquisitions (including Dasco Label, Miles Data, Coridian, ISG Technologies, and Access POS) to create a North American AIDC and warehouse automation platform.
  • Acquisition of Dallas Plastics, a manufacturer of blown polyethylene film for medical, food, and industrial markets, and subsequent add-on acquisitions of de Elliotte, Emballage MPP, and Hi-De Liners.
  • Acquisition of ID Images, a premier provider of product identification solutions, and subsequent acquisitions of Summit Labels, Precision Label, Hickman Label, Digital Printing Concepts, Multi-Action, and Valley Forge Tape & Label.
• Peak Technologies / Supply Chain Services, in its follow-on acquisitions of Inovity, Bar Code Direct, DBK Concepts, Siena Analytics, VisionID, Dalosy, Graphic Label, Avalon Integration, and others, expanding the platform across the U.S. and Europe.
• Nemetschek Group (via Bluebeam), in its cross-border acquisition of Firmus, an AI-driven construction design and risk analysis platform.

Food, Beverage, and Distribution

• Tata Consumer Products, in its acquisition of Organic India, expanding Tata's global wellness and packaged goods portfolio.
• Azelis in multiple transactions, including:
  • Acquisition of Vigon International, a U.S. specialty distributor and manufacturer of ingredients for flavors, fragrances, and cosmetics.
  • Acquisition of Megafarma (Mexico) and Gillco Ingredients (North America), expanding Azelis’ food and nutrition ingredients footprint in the Americas.
• Sole Source Capital, in multiple transactions, including:
  • Acquisition of Lee Fish USA and add-on of Raw Finds, creating a scaled seafood distribution platform.
  • Sale of Individual FoodService Holdings LLC to Kelso & Company.
• Church Brothers Farms, in its acquisition of Mann Packing from Fresh Del Monte, enhancing value-added vegetable and salad capabilities.

Water, Waste, and Environmental Services

• Gradiant in multiple transactions, including:
  • Acquisition of Advanced WaterTek Oman LLC, a leading water treatment company in the Middle East.
  • Acquisitions of Aquachem and Aquarion AG (including H+E Group), adding advanced industrial wastewater and ultrapure water technologies across Europe and other regions.
• Sole Source Capital, in its acquisition of GrayMar Environmental Services and subsequent add on acquisitions, creating an industrial environmental and wastewater services platform.

Carve Outs and Divestitures

• Schneider Electric in multiple transactions, including:
  • Global carve-out and sale of industrial sensors business to Yageo Corporation.
  • Global carve-out and combination of industrial software business with AVEVA, including separation across numerous jurisdictions and subsequent integration into a listed platform.
  • Global carve-out and divestiture of Telvent DTN, an agriculture, energy, and environmental information services platform, to TBG AG.
  • Global carve-out and divestiture of its transportation business to Kapsch TrafficCom AG, involving traffic control and tolling systems and multi-country operations.
  • Divestiture of Invensys Appliance division (renamed Robertshaw Controls Company) to an affiliate of Sun European Partners for GBP150 million.
  • Global carve-out and divestiture of custom sensors and related businesses to financial sponsors in a transaction valued at approximately USD900 million, including Schneider’s reinvestment alongside the buyers.
  • Global carve out and sale of nuclear-related automation assets to Framatome, aligning nuclear activities with the EDF/Framatome group.
  • Carve-out and sale of Xantrex’s Mobile Power Assets to Mission Critical Electronics.
  • Carve out and divestiture of Juno Lighting Group to Acuity Brands for approximately USD385 million.
• Sole Source Capital, in its divestiture of Individual FoodService to Kelso & Company.

Commercial and Governance

• Harmonized and simplified the commercial licensing architecture for a global software business, creating a modular structure usable across multiple jurisdictions, supported by a comprehensive playbook and deal-guideline package.
• Developed scalable multi-entity, multi-tier decision-authority frameworks for multiple companies (public and private), improving approval efficiencies and internal controls.
• Streamlined global corporate governance for a Fortune 500 organization by standardizing governance documentation across more than 1,000 entities worldwide, onboarding an outsourced governance provider, and implementing a digital framework to ensure complete and readily accessible records.

*Some of the above matters were handled prior to joining A&O Shearman.