Wragge & Co advises ADP on cross-border disposal deal

Wragge & Co LLP's corporate and commercial experts have completed a cross-border disposal deal for ADP Dealer Services International, part of US-based Automatic Data Processing, Inc.

ADP Dealer Services International has sold its commercial systems division, which services commercial customers outside the automotive sector, to its existing management team for an undisclosed sum. Funded by Northern Venture Managers (NVM) and HSBC, the deal involved the disposal of the division which has operations in the UK and Ireland, South Africa and the Netherlands.

The deal is Wragge & Co's second for ADP in less than two months. In February, the Public Companies team advised on its £16.2 million public takeover of AIM-listed OneClickHR plc.

The Wragge & Co team comprised corporate partner Stuart Young, associate Gareth Baker and solicitor Sophie O'Connor, and IT experts Mark Henley, Sally Mewies and Richard Smith. Specialists from the firm's Employment, Pensions, Real Estate and IP teams supported. The cross-firm team worked closely with in-house counsel John Warrick and business development director Luis Rodrigues.

Stuart Young said: "We provided sector-focused, commercial advice throughout this strategic transaction, which will enable ADP Dealer Services International to consolidate its operations and focus on its core automotive market. We successfully co-ordinated the overseas advisers to ensure a smooth deal completion".

ADP Dealer Services International provides IT business solutions to automotive retailers worldwide. With nearly $9 billion in revenues and around 570,000 clients worldwide, Automatic Data Processing, Inc. is one of the world's largest providers of business outsourcing solutions.

Osborne Clarke advised the management team. Eversheds acted for NVM and Shoosmiths advised HSBC.

Wragge & Co has a strong track record advising major UK and international corporates, with clients including BP and United Biscuits. In Chambers latest annual FTSE survey, the firm was ranked equal ninth in a list of legal advisers acting for FTSE 100 companies.

Corporate M&A highlights include advising De Rigo, Italian parent company of Dollond & Aitchison, on creating the UK's second largest optical chain. Also, advising QinetiQ Group plc on an agreement to sell its underwater systems business to Atlas Elektronik UK for a cash consideration of £23.5 million.