DLA Piper has advised GE HealthCare on the integration of BK Medical into the GE HealthCare organisation in 11 countries. BK Medical develops active imaging systems to improve the standard of care in urological and surgical procedures in real time and to support users during the procedure. In 2021, GE HealthCare acquired the BK Medical group to expand its ultrasound portfolio to include surgical visualisation. The acquisition supported GE HealthCare’s expansion from primarily diagnostic to surgical and therapeutic fields of application and strengthened its position in the field of precision medicine.
Following the successful spin-off of GE HealthCare in January 2023, GE’s former healthcare business is operating independently as a leading global innovator in medical technology, pharmaceutical diagnostics and digital solutions, employing approximately 47,000 people worldwide.
Stefan Daugs, Head of Global Entity Governance / Senior Legal Counsel at GE HealthCare, says: “DLA Piper provided comprehensive advice across multiple phases of our international integration project, and coordinated efficiently and effectively with our in-house team. The team’s deep understanding of global corporate structures, the central coordination of local integration steps and their proactive approach have contributed significantly to the success of our project.”
The international DLA Piper team provided comprehensive advice on corporate law and the area of FDI, as well as on employment and commercial law issues. Counsel Hanna Lütkens (Munich) and partner Dr Mathias Schulze Steinen (Frankfurt) co-led the team with associate Yolanda Ristau (Munich; all Corporate/M&A) in the core team. In Germany, partner Dr Justus Herrlinger and senior associate Louisa Arlette Maier-Witt (both Antitrust, Hamburg) advised on the area of FDI. The team was further supported by Legal Project Manager Aleksandar Todoroski (Munich) and also included teams from DLA Piper offices and partner law firms in Australia, Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, France, Italy, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK and the US.
