"He is an unbelievable leading lawyer for transactions who has a wonderful combination of skill and attitude"
By Chambers Global

Overview

Aharon Bloch (formerly Anthony Bloch) heads the commercial department at S. Horowitz & CO, specialising in cross-border and domestic banking and financing and corporate law. Described by Chambers Global as being a “brilliant lawyer and skillful negotiator with outstanding commercial acumen”, Aharon’s practice spans the financing of national infrastructure and corporate projects, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and trading activities for major multinationals and Israeli conglomerates.

He advises Israeli and international borrowers, lenders and investors on all aspects of financing, including syndicated and non-syndicated loans, refinancing, acquisitions, mergers, corporate, asset and project finance.

Aharon’s corporate/M&A, acquisition and project finance transactions cover an extensive array of business sectors such as satellite communication, telecom and mobile telephony, hi-tech, chemicals, energy, food and beverage, automotive parts, electrical goods, packaging, and insurance.

Aharon also has more than twenty-five years of experience in representing Israeli academic institutions in their technology transfer agreements and the commercialisation of their intellectual property.

Prior to joining S. Horowitz & Co., Aharon was a founding partner of the London office of Mallinicks (a leading South African law firm, now part of Webber Wentzel).

Languages: EnglishHebrewAfrikaans
Admissions: Israel Bar, 1992South African Bar, 1988
Education: University of Cape Town, South Africa, LL.M. with distinction, (1991) University of Cape Town, South Africa, LL.B. cum laude, (1985)University of Cape Town, South Africa, B. Business Science with honours, (1983)

Experience

Aharon’s extensive experience in financing and M&A transactions includes representing:

  • A syndicate of lenders led by Mizrahi Tefahot Bank in the complex refinancing of the Ramat Negev Energy and Ashdod Energy private power plants.
  • Lenders in a senior facility financing transaction on the management buyout of Delek Motors as well as advising Bank Hapoalim and the Manof Fund on mezzanine financing for the same buyout. Overall, the transaction had a value of around $400 million
  • Bank Hapoalim in the sale of shares in Automated Banking Systems to Mastercard.
  • The Association of Israeli Banks in their representations to the Goldschmidt Commission relating to participation of financial institutions in syndicated lending
  • A syndicate of banks, led by Bank Hapoalim, in a $230 million cross border financing of Ness Inc. and various of its subsidiaries in a mixture of secured acquisition and working capital financing, in a solution that enabled compliance with New York, Luxembourg, Dutch and Israeli law
  • The lenders in connection with the financing of the acquisition of Psagot, one of Israel’s leading provident and pension fund managers
  • Bank Leumi and Bank Hapoalim on the financing of the Jerusalem Light Railway
  • A syndicate of banks on the €400 million financing of the acquisition of control of Atrium European Real Estate Ltd., a Jersey based publicly listed operator and developer of shopping centres in Central and Eastern Europe. The financing involved five different jurisdictions
  • A syndicate of lenders led by Bank Mizrahi in the financing of Lumenis in connection with the acquisition of Lumenis by the XIO Group. The financing involved over 10 jurisdictions.
  • Clients on the acquisition of banks in, inter alia, Turkey, Kazakhstan and Russia
  • Bank Hapoalim and Union Bank of Israel on the refinancing of working capital, long term facilities and revolving facilities arising from the merger of Hadas Arazim and Helmen Aldoubi (two of Israel’s provident and pension fund managers) and acting on a separate facility for Hadas Arazim
  • several syndicates of foreign and domestic banks that have provided financing for Netafim, the global leader in smart drip and micro irrigation solutions, in three separate financings, following the acquisition of control of Netafim by Permira, such financings involving more than 10 distinct jurisdictions.
  • Daimler in connection with the sale of its entire shareholding in Daimler Financial Services
  • Bank Hapoalim and Mizrachi Tefachot Bank on the financing of Solcon’s LBO by Fortissimo Capital
  • RuggedCom in the multi-million dollar acquisition of WiNetworks, which engages in the development and integration of WiMAX network technologies
  • Mizrahi Tefachot Bank in connection with a financing of the construction of Dorad Energy private 800MW capacity power station
  • A multinational industrial company in the sale process by way of auction of one of Israel’s leading raw material producers.
  • Israel Infrastructure Fund, the first Israeli private equity fund specialising in infrastructure related projects, in the preferred stock financing (the first of its kind in Israel) of Dalia Power Energies Ltd., the owner and operator of a 834MW private gas powered station in Tel Tzafit
  • First International Bank of Israel Ltd. in connection with its portion of the financing of the acquisition of control of Bezeq
  • Pricewaterhouse Coopers on its entry into Israel and acting for Somekh Chaikin, Israel’s largest firm of accountants, in connection with it joining KPMG
  • Bank Hapoalim in its financing of the AMOS-2 satellite of Space-Communication Ltd., Israel’s only private satellite operator,
  • Bank Hapoalim and Bank Leumi in their financing of Tower Semiconductor’s FAB 2 project.
  • Space-Communication Ltd., Israel’s only private satellite operator, on its $293 million financing for the AMOS-6 satellite, consisting of $106 million from Export-Import Bank of the United States, $140 million from Export Development Canada and $47 million from Israel Aerospace Industries Limited (IAI)

Recognition

Aharon is regularly highly ranked and recommended in the leading legal directories, a selection of which include:

  • Chambers Global 2024: “Aharon Bloch is excellent. He is extremely thorough, careful, knowledgeable, meticulous and an absolutely dependable practitioner.”
  • IFLR1000 2023: Ranked Aharon as a Market leader in the Asset Finance, Banking, M&A and Project finance fields.
  • IAM Patent 1000 2023 ranked Aharon as Recommended for Transactions:
    • a favourite among Israeli academic institutions for his specialism in technology transfer”.
  • The Legal 500 2023 lists Aharon Bloch as a Hall of Fame member for Banking and Finance: “Anthony Bloch has an exceptionally good depth of skills, with a willingness and ease to bring the most complex project or structured financing to the finish line. He also has an uncanny ability to identify all aspects of the transaction which need considering – not just the obvious ones.”
  • The Legal 500 2023: Ranked Aharon as a Leading individual in the field of Intellectual property: commercial/transactions.
  • IFLR1000 2022: Recognized, Anthony Bloch, as a Market leader in the Asset Finance, Banking, M&A and Project finance fields.
  • The Legal 500 2022:  Ranked Aharon among an elite club of “Hall of Fame” members in Israel, in the field of Banking and Finance and ranked as a Leading individual in the field of Intellectual Property: Commercial/Transactions- ” Anthony Bloch is, domestically, one of the best lawyers i have come across in Israel. He is the number one external counsel for Bank Hapoalim (largest bank in Israel) and having worked with him, I can understand why he is so trusted.”
  • Chambers Global 2022: “He is known for very complex finance agreements.” “He is a great lawyer.” (Banking & Finance)
  • Chambers Global 2022: “…noted for his wide experience across Israeli project financing. His practice includes advising on mandates arising from the power and transportation sectors.” (Projects & Energy)
  • Chambers Global 2020: “The ‘very good, very esteemed’ lawyer Aharon Bloch has a highly respected practice which includes regulatory work and representing lending syndicates in significant financing mandates. One interviewee said: “He is one of the best lawyers I know who, in addition to his high level of professionalism, is an extraordinary person with unique interpersonal abilities”
  • Legal 500 lists Aharon Bloch as a Hall of Fame member for Banking and Finance.
  • IFLR1000 2019: Recognized, Anthony Bloch, as a Market leader in the Asset Finance, Banking, M&A and Project finance fields.
  • IAM Patent 1000 2019: “One of the top-tier guys, especially for elite universities looking to commercialize cutting-edge technology. He’s always professional and pleasant, with a huge amount of experience.”
  • Who’s Who Legal 2019: Recognized Anthony Bloch, as a leading expert in the fields of Mergers & Acquisitions and Corporate Governance.
  • Chambers Global 2019: “He’s someone to go to for large, complicated deals. He can identify the problems, but more importantly, think outside the box and come up with a creative solution.”
  • Chambers Global 2018: Anthony Bloch is immensely well regarded in the market, with sources describing him as “extremely knowledgeable,” “very solution-driven” and “one of the most business-minded and business-oriented lawyers.”
  • Chambers Global 2018: “Noted for his excellent understanding and client relationships working with domestic and international banks”
  • Who’s Who Legal 2018: Recognized Anthony Bloch, as a leading expert in the fields of Mergers & Acquisitions and Corporate Governance.
  • IFLR1000 2017: Recognized, Anthony Bloch, as Market leader in the Asset finance, Banking, M&A and Project finance fields.
  • Chambers Global 2016: “He is an unbelievable leading lawyer for transactions who has a wonderful combination of skill and attitude.” He is especially experienced in international banking mandates and is a frequent first-port-of-call for large financial institutions in Israel.
  • European Legal Experts recommends Anthony for his expertise in banking, M&A and project finance;
  • The Legal 500 EMEA 2015 ranks Anthony as a leading lawyer in Israel in Banking and Finance as well as in Corporate and M&A, describing him as ‘one of the best negotiators and a true dealmaker’, ‘superb’ and as being “clever, experienced and a sophisticated deal counsel”. It has also described Anthony as being “well respected” and singled him out in the field of Projects and Energy.
  • IFLR1000 lists Anthony as being a leading lawyer in Banking, Capital Markets and Mergers and Acquisitions.
  • Which Lawyer? singles Anthony out for his expertise in banking, M&A and project finance.

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