Summary

Bernard is a partner in De Brauw’s Corporate/M&A practice. He specialises in corporate/M&A transactions, corporate advisory and investment management. He also advises on financial markets regulation. From 2014-2019, he was a member of De Brauw’s managing committee and head of the firm’s Corporate practice. Bernard also has substantial international experience. He was resident partner of De Brauw New York from 2003-2007, and was an associate at De Brauw London from 1992 to 1996.

Bernard has advised:

  • Royal BAM Group on its joint venture with PGGM regarding BAM’s PPP business
  • COFRA Holding on the acquisition of Sunrock Investments
  • QIAGEN N.V. on the acquisition by American headquartered Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.
  • FrieslandCampina on its member financing structure
  • Rabobank on the divestment of Robeco to ORIX Corporation
  • A consortium on the EUR 3.7 billion acquisition of LeasePlan from Global Mobility Holding
  • Apollo on the acquisition of specialty pharmaceutical company Covis Pharma
  • Waterland Private Equity on the divestment of Intertrust to the Blackstone Group
  • Stichting Pensioenfonds Unilever Nederland “Progress“ on the outsourcing of its asset management to Univest company
  • Viking Global Investors and General Atlantic on the round C financing and subsequent IPO of Pharvaris Pharma
  • Port of Rotterdam on governance aspects
  • Groupe Salins on the acquisition of the high quality salt specialties business of Nouryon Holding B.V.
  • Canada Life on its EUR 5.5 billion longevity reinsurance agreement with Vivat
  • PME on the sale of the EUR 0.9 billion mortgage loan portfolio of PVF Zakelijke Hypothekenfonds

Clients say he has 'the rare ability to think fully from the client’s perspective and deliver hands-on solutions to complex legal questions'

Chambers Europe, 2016

Qualifications

  • Profession

    Advocaat, admitted to the Bar in the Netherlands in 1991

  • Languages

    Dutch, English

  • Education

    University of Leiden

  • Additional positions

    Member of the Dutch Bar Association, the International Bar Association and the American Bar Association

    Frequent guest speaker at conferences

    Contributed to a number of publications on Dutch corporate and securities laws and Euronext rules