REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE
Francesco G. Sanna
Office and Retail
Assistance to an Italian industrial group, owner of a 44,000 square meter shopping center on the
outskirts of Milan, Italy, in its sale to a Dutch operator specializing in the management of
premium outlet destinations.
Assisted an Italian closed-end reserved real estate alternative investment fund and investors
belonging to an investment management company group owned by US and Hungarian shareholders in
connection with the acquisition of a portfolio including 13 supermarkets in Lombardy, Piedmont
and Lazio.
Assisted a US investment company in selling a prestigious property in Milan (Via Broletto, 16)
to a German real estate investment manager. The property, acquired and redeveloped by the
selling company, has been awarded LEED Platinum and BREEAM certification and is leased entirely
to leading companies.
Assisting a US global investment manager in the sale of an office building located in Milan,
Corso di Porta Vigentina No. 9, to an international insurance group. The transaction involved
the complete redevelopment and renovation of the property by the seller, taking into account the
specific needs of the buyer.
Acted on behalf of a real estate fund managed by a fund of funds in connection with the
acquisition of a real estate complex located in Milan, Via Ceresio.
Assistance to a Real Estate Fund Management Company in connection with the acquisition, by a
fund managed by it, of a real estate complex composed of 6 buildings for office use destination,
located in Rome, at Via Laurentina 449.
Assistance to a primary Italian asset manager in connection with the acquisition by one of the
real estate fund managed by it of an area located in the municipality of San Donato Milanese,
destined to be developed through the realisation of a real estate complex for office use that
will become the new headquarter of a global player in the oil and gas sector.
Acting on behalf of an Italian real estate investment fund, in connection with the sale to an
English real estate fund, managed by a fund of funds, of a real estate complex for office use
located in Milan, Via Gattamelata no. 34.
Assistance to an Australian multinational group operating in the infrastructure sector A in the
project for the redevelopment of the entire south-east Milanese area, named Santa Giulia. The
client will complete the construction of two buildings and the annexed parking lots will be
leased to an Italian multinational oilfield services company.
Assisted a US global real estate investment company, as investor of an Italian real estate fund
managed by a British management company operating in Italy in the negotiation for the lease of
an iconic skyscraper in Milan to primary international operators as tenant.
Acting on behalf of an international real estate investment fund, in the purchase of an entire
real estate complex located in Via Morimondo no.13/15/17, Milan, subject to the verification of
some conditions precedent.
Assistance to an Italian real estate investment company in the acquisition of a 17,000 sq. m.
building called "Palazzo Gran Torino”, located in the center of Turin, from an investment fund
managed by a leading real estate asset manager. K&L Gates assisted the client by handling
relations with the fund and co-investors, corporate and contractual aspects, real estate,
regulatory and tax issues.
Advised one of the largest US real estate asset managers in connection with the acquisition by a
SICAF of a portion of a building in Rome, Via del Corso, for retail use.
Advice to an Italian vehicle fully participated by an Italian wealth management advisor, acting
as principal, in connection with the negotiation with a local contractor of the contract for the
development of an area located in the municipality of Fiumicino, of a real estate complex for
retail use destined to be transferred to a real estate fund.
Acting on behalf of the real estate investment fund controlled by a Swiss multinational
investment bank and financial services company, in the purchase of high street retail complex in
Turin from a real estate investment fund controlled by a global investment bank.
Logistics
Assisted a global real estate investor and Australian fund manager in acquiring two
industrial/logistics assets in Lombardy for a total consideration of €51 million.
Assisting a US real estate investment management company in the acquisition of a distribution
hub for logistics use, located in Verona, Italy. The commercial distribution hub has an area of
128,000 sq. m and is strategically located connecting northern and southern Europe and has
obtained DGNB Platinum level sustainability certification.
Assisting a US global investment manager in the acquisition of two logistics complexes in
northeastern Italy (Verona and Mantua) through a closed-end real estate alternative investment
fund. This completes the two-year acquisition of a larger portfolio of logistics space
consisting of six buildings, totaling about 96,000 sq. m.
Advised a US alternative investment manager, in the definition and negotiation of an important
transaction aimed to the requalification of two real estate complex for logistic use near Milan.
Assisted a leading US real estate asset manager in the acquisition of two real estate complexes
for logistic use, respectively located in the municipality of Nogara (Verona) and the
municipality of Lazzate (MB).
Advised an investment management firm in connection with the acquisition, by a SICAF managed by
an adviser to the fund and entirely participated by the fund, of a real estate complex for
logistical use, located in the Municipality of Broni (PV).
Legal assistance to a primary US real estate investment manager in the purchase of two real
estate complexes for logistic use located in the Municipalities of Arluno (MI) and Caorso (PC).
K&L legal assistance regarding this matter is still ongoing.
Assistance to a leading German real estate investment management company, in the sale of a
logistics asset in Liscate (MI,) occupied by global market leader in the logistics industry, to
a French asset manager.
Acting on behalf of a real estate fund, in connection with the acquisition from a leading US
real estate investment manager, of a real estate complex for logistic use, located in the
municipality of Truccazzano (MI), by a company which operates in the real estate and
construction sector.
Assisting an Australian real estate investor and fund manager in the acquisition of an
industrial and logistics portfolio in Vittuone (MI). The transaction is part of a wider European
development plan that our client has completed by finalizing the acquisition of six industrial
and logistic assets for a value of €126.1 million and a total area of approximately 190 sq. m.
in four countries (Germany, Italy, Netherlands and UK).
Assisted a leading real estate asset manager in the negotiation and execution of a preliminary
framework agreement for the acquisition of a portfolio of 10 assets previously leased to a
leading express delivery company, in the context of same framework, assistance to the final
acquisition of two logistics assets by means of a notarial transfer deed.
Co-working, Social, and Student Housing
Assisted the leader of a consortium of entrepreneurs in the acquisition of a historical asset in
Turin from a fund managed by an asset management company and underwritten by an alternative
asset manager.
Assisted a US-based company that develops and invests in Purpose Built Student Accommodation
(PBSA) and other contemporary housing formats, in acquiring development areas in Padua and Milan
(Lambruschini area) earmarked for the construction of student residences.
Assistance to a leading independent alternative asset management platform in Italy in connection
with the financing of a complex development project involving the construction of, among other
things, a social-health facility intended for the care and welfare of the elderly and social
housing-both located in the Marche region, in Pesaro.
Assisted a German multinational financial services company in negotiating with a US commercial
real estate company that provides shared workspaces for technology startups for the lease of an
entire building in Milan, Via Turati.
Assisted a privately owned global real estate investment, development, and management firm, and
a global real estate investment manager, in negotiations with an American commercial real estate
company that provides shared workspaces for technology startups for the lease and procedure of
renovation of an entire building in Milan, Via Mazzini.
Assisted a pan-European developer active in the construction of student accommodations, in the
development of a student residence in the center of Bologna, in the ‘Bolognina’ district. The
property will be ready to host students in the summer of 2022.
Assisted a leading Italian asset management company in connection with the development of a wide
area located in Rome for the realization of a residential real estate complex, which includes
both residential units under the “social housing” and residential units to be sold or rented in
the free market.
Assistance to a pan-European developer active in the construction of student accommodations in
the sale of a student housing development to a global investment manager. The area is located
near the University of Turin and will be object of a refurbishment of a former industrial site.
Assisting a multinational oil and gas company in an arbitration against a well-known
multinational plastic manufacturer in connection with certain expansion and maintenance works of
a polyurethane production plant.
Assisting a multinational company operating in the oil and gas sector against a leading European
refinery operator in an arbitration concerning refinery refurbishment and maintenance works.
Hospitality
Assisted an independent real estate investment and asset manager in financing a €111.2 million
bond issue for the development and redevelopment of the former Hotel Majestic in Rome. The
87-room property will be managed by Starwood Hotels and repositioned as the five-star Baccarat
Hotel Rome.
Assisted a luxury resort located in Sardinia, Municipality of Golfo Aranci, in its development
process.
Assistance to a Belgian construction company in connection with the process of redevelopment of
a luxury hotel, located in Rome, near Piazza della Repubblica.
Assistance to a primary US real estate investment manager in the acquisition of a hotel located
in Milan, piazza Luigi di Savoia.
Assistance in favour of a company fully specialized and committed in design and construction of
fit out works, in relation to the redevelopment of a luxury hotel, located in Rome close to
Villa Borghese. Our assistance includes the advice and addressing, on the contractor side, of
all ordinary matters that can typically arise out during the construction of the works on site.
Energy and Infrastructure
Owner’s counsel in relation to a joint venture for the realisation of a 30 MWh gas fuelled
co-generation plant in Central Italy (San Salvo – near Chieti) ancillary to one of the biggest
glass-production factories in Europe.
Assisting a multinational company operating in the oil and gas sector in multiple disputes
against the subcontractors of a single order for the expansion of a refinery.
Project Finance
Assistance to the sponsors’ counsel in the pre-awarding phase in a PFI project for the
realization of the new Treviso Hospital.
Assistance to a leading international developer in a complex PFI transaction–in connection with
the revision of the project, tender and service contracts signed in the context of the
concession given to the public administration of Treviso–with the project financing system–for
the construction of the “Cittadella Sanitaria”, part of the Treviso Hospital, to a special
purpose vehicle formed by the above-mentioned operator, leading investors, and financial
companies.
Mixed Use
Advised one of the world's leading asset managers, acting on behalf of a real estate investment
fund managed by a German investment fund regulated under the German Investment Act, of a real
estate asset located in Milan, Via Vittor Pisani n.19.
Assisted a US privately owned global real estate investment, development, and management firm in
the acquisition and development of the mixed-used “Città del Sole” area in Rome, Italy.
Assistance to an Italian real estate investor in connection with the refurbishment and
commercialization of the building of new acquisition located in Milan, Via San Raffaele 1 on the
corner of Piazza Duomo, with mixed retail and office use.
