Pitch Best Young M&A Lawyer 2022: Dirk Panis, NautaDutilh

Company: NautaDutilh 
Job Description: He specialises in corporate law and advises Dutch and international clients on both national and cross-border mergers, joint-ventures and acquisitions. 
Age: 29 
 
What are the specialties of this talent? 
Dirk works in Corporate M&A with a focus on public M&A transactions. Please find below a selection of the transactions he has worked on or is working on:  

• Accell Group on KKR's supported EUR 1.56 billion cash tender offer  
• Pegasus Entrepreneurs on its EUR 7.2 billion business combination with FL Entertainment 
• Allego on its USD 3.14 billion business combination with Apollo-Affiliated Spartan Acquisition Corp. III 
• Next.e.GO on its USD 913 million business combination with Athena Consumer Acquisition Corp. 
• HAL on its EUR 243.6 million acquisition of an 11.79% stake in Technip Energies 
• A consortium led by Tencent on the EUR 33.5 billion listing of Universal Music Group 
• BNP Paribas as shareholder with the EUR 2.2 billion IPO of Allfunds 
• Magical Honor Limited on the sale of its 8.92% stake in BeterBed to Navitas 
• Founders and shareholders of Yanga Sportswater with the investment of 3i Group 
• Immatics on its USD 110 million underwritten offering of ordinary shares 

How does the talent distinguish itself from its peers? 
"It is a pleasure to work with Dirk. He is enthusiastic and shows great commitment. He is easy to talk to and communicates clearly and in the right tone of voice, both to colleagues and to outsiders. Dirk is organised in his work, is always on top of things and clearly feels responsible for the product we as a firm deliver to clients. In high profile cases like Tencent / Universal Music Group, Dirk is the first point of contact for clients. Finally, Dirk is already seriously – and successfully – engaged in business develop-ment”, says Stefan Wissing, partner at Corporate / M&A.  

Dirk combines a great deal of knowledge with an approachable and open attitude. Over the past year, he has developed into the partner’s right-hand man, and is now involved in high profile transactions from start to finish. He feels comfortable talking and thinking at board level, and is the first point of contact for legal counsel, investment banks and other firms. Not only does he know a lot about mergers and acquisitions, his background in Capital Markets also gives him a lot of relevant knowledge about the regulatory aspects of transactions.  
 
He understands the interests at stake and the impact a takeover has on all involved. In a public takeo-ver, he oversees the playing field with the various stakeholders and their interests. Always one step ahead of developments, he has earned the trust of colleagues and clients alike. Besides working on major acquisitions, Dirk is also gaining experience in the field of corporate govern-ance and is thus evolving into a trusted advisor at boardroom level. 

What impact does the talent have within the organization? 
"Dirk is one of the most talented and motivated young lawyers I know. He is always available, quickly understands difficult topics and takes time to explain things to the team. Most importantly, he stays in control and is always willing to help you out when your own workload gets too much." Arthur Boitelle, associate at Dispute Resolution.  

Juniors and interns know how to find Dirk. He is always happy to share his input or lend a helping hand, even when he already has a lot of work on his plate. He is greatly appreciated for his expertise and he knows how to pass on his knowledge to colleagues. 

What impact does the talent have outside the organization? 
Dirk organised a Young Professionals Seminar, which was attended by almost one hundred young pro-fessionals. This interactive session was designed for young professionals with up to six years of work experience and focused on networking and innovative entrepreneurship. In addition, Dirk regularly speaks at events for students aspiring to pursue careers in law. 
 
To what extent does the talent make the difference to clients? 
"Dirk Panis was part of the NautaDutilh team that assisted Accell in the M&A transaction with KKR; he worked together with our internal legal team on a daily basis and provided advice on a broad range of issues related to the transaction, while also providing hands-on support and resolving many issues for us during this period. Exceptional are his quick grasp of how the internal legal team works and his al-most seamless integration into our operations, as well as his outstanding availability at all hours of the day (and night). We can for sure recommend him in any M&A transaction", according to Anja van Bergen, Group General Counsel & Corporate Secretary at Accell Group.  

Dirk not only understands the technical details and complexity of a public M&A transaction, but also knows the personal impact this process has on clients. Often such a transaction is the first and only time a board goes through an event like that, turning their lives upside down. Needing guidance, the board finds in Dirk a trusted advisor they can rely on. He knows how to explain complex legal matters in an accessible and relevant way. He is always available for questions and knows how to convey information that is relevant and to the point. Dirk oversees the whole playing field and anticipates potential problems. As a result, clients trust his advice and appreciate his proactivity. 

Why does the talent deserve this nomination? 
"Dirk is an extraordinary talent and an up-and-coming M&A expert. Balancing in-depth knowledge with pragmatism, Dirk exhibits a rare degree of professionalism that far exceeds his seniority. Dirk is a lawyer who not only identifies relevant issues for his clients, but also knows how to resolve them. This greatly contributes to the value Dirk brings to the table", says Paul van der Bijl, partner at Corporate / M&A.  

"Dirk has grown into an all-round lawyer in a very short period of time. He thrives in complex cases where many stakeholders disagree. Dirk manages this excellently, is pragmatic and comes up with crea-tive solutions. I can trust him with many responsibilities, and he quickly manages to win clients’ trust. This makes him an asset to any team", according to Geert Raaijmakers, partner at Corporate Governance.  

In Public M&A, where deals are made under great time pressure, where many different stakeholders need to be included and where the stakes are high, Dirk is a beacon of calm and knowledge. He includes all parties involved into the process, and proactively comes up with solutions. Colleagues and clients appreciate his input and commitment. In all the deals he is involved in, his input is highly valued and given the speed at which he has developed into a trusted advisor, expectations for what is to come are high. 

Any references or recommendations from clients or (colleagues)? 
"Dirk Panis was part of the NautaDutilh team that assisted Accell in the M&A transaction with KKR; he worked together with our internal legal team on a daily basis and provided advice on a broad range of issues related to the transaction, while also providing hands-on support and resolving many issues for us during this period. Exceptional are his quick grasp of how the internal legal team works and his almost seamless integration into our operations, as well as his outstanding availability at all hours of the day (and night). We can for sure recommend him in any M&A transaction", according to Anja van Bergen, Group General Counsel & Corporate Secretary at Accell Group.