Jean-Philippe Smeets

Jean-Philippe is a Partner and Head of M&A of PwC Legal. He specializes in mergers and acquisitions, private equity and mainstream corporate law (including under Belgian law).

For more than 15 years, Jean-Philippe advises national and international clients from LOI to Closing in domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions transactions. He also developed a considerable expertise in mainstream corporate law, private equity and commercial law, including litigation aspects, with particular emphasis on post-acquisition and shareholders’ disputes.

Jean-Philippe has been involved (sell side or buy side) in various domestic or cross-border transactions involving the drafting and negotiation of letters of intent, process letters, term sheets and binding offers, the performance and coordination of legal due diligences, the drafting and negotiation of share purchase agreements, asset purchase agreements and customary ancillary documents, the drafting of shareholders’ and joint venture agreements, the drafting and negotiation of management and services agreements… His activities focuses on all types of business (industry, commerce, bank, insurance and financial sector, transport…).

Jean-Philippe also wrote a number of articles in corporate law, including on earn-out provisions (R.D.C., 2016/5, p.450-462), contemplated simplification and modernisation of the Belgian Companies Code (R.G.F.C.P., 2016/3, p. 24-34) and Belgian pricaf privées (R.D.C., 2009/5, p.463-473).

Education

• Executive Master in Finance, Solvay Brussels School (Belgium), 2015
• Postgraduate degree in business law, Free University of Brussels (Belgium), 2000
• Law degree, Free University of Brussels (Belgium), 1999

Competencies

• Mergers & Acquisitions
• Private equity
• Corporate

Languages

• French
• English
• Dutch