Matthias advises financial investors, start-ups and other corporate clients on debt financings and venture capital transactions with a focus on venture debt as well as general matters of banking and finance.
Additionally, he is experienced in advising investors and corporate clients in all situations of financial distress including insolvencies and distressed M&A transactions.
Education and Career
Matthias studied law in Mannheim and at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). Before joining YPOG, Matthias was one year with SMP and for several years a Principal Associate at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP in Hamburg with a focus on Restructuring & Insolvency.
Experience
Matthias’ recent work highlights include advising:
- Seller X on the conclusion of a venture debt financing in the context of its USD 500 million financing round (co-lead)
- IDnow on the conclusion of a EUR 60 million ARR debt facility (co-lead)
- Everphone in connection with corporate law aspects of the debt financing in the context of its USD 200 million financing round
- Magazino, Quantum Systems, Next Gen Foods, Comtravo on the conclusion of venture debt financings (co-lead)
- a shareholder of Razor and Expertlead in connection with its venture debt financing
- the shareholders of sofatutor on the finance law aspects in the context of the sale to Emeram Partners
- various Venture Capital Funds on the conclusion of capital call facilties and credit lines for the financing of GP commitments
- Sarbacane on its acquisition of Rapidmail and the related acquisition financing
- BPE Private Equity on the conclusion of various acquisition financings
- IDnow on its acquisition of Wirecard Communication Services out of insolvency (co-lead) and on its acquisition of Ariadnext
- publity AG on the tokenization of up to 50 million shares of its listed subsidiary PREOS Global Office Real Estate & Technology AG
- Quadrille, Ventech, 468 Capital, Mosaic, Lakestar, ForceOverMass and other German and international venture capital investors on or in connection with their investments in portfolio companies (in Germany)
As part of his previous work with Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Matthias’ work highlights include advising:
- OSRAM Licht AG on the sale of its lighting business Siteco to an investment branch of advisory firm Stern Stewart & Co.
- Hamburg Commercial Bank AG on a liability management exercise in connection with its hybrid capital instruments
- Air Berlin group prior to its insolvency and on the insolvency filing
- BARTEC group on its financial restructuring including a change of ownership, investment of new equity and a significant reduction of financial debt
- a German bank on the financial restructuring of its largest credit engagement (EUR 1.7 bn) in the shipping sector
Qualifications
- German qualified attorney (Rechtsanwalt)
- LL.M. (London School of Economics and Political Science)
Languages
- German
- English
- Subordination agreements in practice,
DB 2016, pp. 33 ff. (together with Dr. Lars Westpfahl)– (in German) - Positive continuation prognosis despite a lack of profitability? – Reflections on the over-indebtedness test pursuant to sec. 19 of the German Insolvency Code with a focus on distressed asset financings,
ZIP 2012, pp. 1733 ff. (together with Prof. Dr. Georg Bitter) – (in German) - Facilitation of debt-equity-swaps in German law insolvency plan proceedings,
ZInsO 2010, pp. 1409 ff. – (in German)
Direct message to Matthias Kresser