Kirkland & Ellis International LLP represented global private equity firms Bain Capital and Hellman & Friedman LLC, which today signed definitive documentation to acquire Securitas Direct, the market leading provider of monitored alarms to consumers and small businesses in Europe, from Swedish private equity firm EQT.

Securitas Direct is the largest provider of high quality alarm and security services to residential homes and small businesses in Europe and South America. Founded in 1988 as part of the Securitas group of companies in Sweden, Securitas Direct has expanded its business into Finland, Norway, Denmark, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Portugal and South America. The company has more than 1.3 million customers and annual revenues over

Simpson Thacher represented the underwriters, led by J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, in the issuance of $400 million in aggregate principal amount of 5.00% Senior Notes due 2021 by Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated (

Cahill represented NBCUniversal in its winning bid to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to acquire the U.S. broadcasting rights to the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, the 2016 Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and the 2018 Winter Games and 2020 Summer Games, whose sites have yet to be chosen. As announced in Lausanne, Switzerland today, NBC and the IOC have agreed upon a deal valued at $4.38 billion, which will give NBC the exclusive broadcasting rights across television, Internet and Mobile platforms for the Olympic Games through 2020. The four Games package NBC has secured will allow the network to continue its streak of having broadcast every Summer Games since 1988 and every Winter Games since 2002.

The bid was part of the first U.S. broadcasting rights auction since 2003, at which time NBC secured the U.S. broadcasting rights to the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver, Canada and the upcoming 2012 Summer Games in London, England. The submission of the bid and the announcement that NBC had prevailed was the culmination of a process in which executives from NBC, ESPN and Fox made presentations to the IOC on the merits of each network’s respective bids. Among NBC’s delegation for the presentation to the IOC was Comcast CEO Brian Roberts, NBC CEO Steve Burke, NBC Sports Chairman Mark Lazarus, NBC Olympics President Gary Zenkel and Bob Costas, who has served as host of NBC’s coverage of eight Olympics.

The Firm represented BofA Merrill Lynch, Deutsche Bank Securities and Goldman, Sachs & Co., as initial purchasers, in connection with an offering of U.S.$1 billion of 4.875% Notes due 2021 issued by Comisi

Simmons & Simmons is advising energy supplier Argos Oil on its merger talks with energy supplier North Sea Group (NSG). If the talks are successful, this autumn will see the creation of the largest independent player on the North-West European market, with more than 850 employees, a combined tank storage capacity of over 1.5 million m3 and annual turnover of approximately

Global law firm White & Case LLP advised E.I. du Pont de Nemours (DuPont) on the European Union and worldwide merger control filings in its successful US$ 6.6 billion public tender offer on the Copenhagen Stock Exchange for the entire issued share capital in Danisco A.S. The transaction will combine DuPont

Shearman & Sterling represented Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated as representative of J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Scotia Capital (USA) Inc., Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A. and Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated, the placement agents, in connection with a private placement of 6.125% Senior Notes due 2021 by Kansas City Southern de M

The firm recently represented HRT Participa

Davis Polk advised J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., RBS Securities Inc., Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated, RBC Capital Markets, LLC and SG Americas Securities, LLC as joint bookrunners and representatives of the underwriters on an SEC-registered offering by Rio Tinto Finance (USA) Limited of $2 billion aggregate principal amount of notes guaranteed by Rio Tinto plc and Rio Tinto Limited. The offering consisted of $700 million principal amount of 2.5% notes due 2016, $1 billion principal amount of 4.125% notes due 2021 and a reopening in an aggregate principal amount of $300 million of its 5.2% notes due 2040, issued on November 2, 2010.

International law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has advised on the sale of global pharmaceutical company Nycomed to Takeda, the largest pharmaceutical company in Japan.

The deal which sees Freshfields advise a PE consortium led by Nordic Capital and Credit Suisse as well as Nycomed, represents the largest European private equity deal since before the global financial crisis.

Davis Polk advised PepsiCo, Inc. on its registered offering of $750 million aggregate principal amount of floating-rate notes due 2013 and $1 billion aggregate principal amount of 2.5% senior notes due 2016. Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and RBS Securities Inc. acted as joint book-running managers for the offering.

PepsiCo is a leading global food, snack and beverage company, with 2010 annual revenues of more than $57 billion. Either independently or through contract manufacturers, PepsiCo makes, markets and sells oat, rice and grain-based foods, as well as carbonated and non-carbonated beverages, in over 200 countries. Its largest operations are in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Russia and the United Kingdom.

The Davis Polk team included partner Joseph A. Hall and associates Sarah Ashfaq and Kristen L. Haase. Partners Avishai Shachar and Mario J. Verdolini and associates Craig A. Phillips and William A. Curran provided tax advice. Jack S. Keating was the legal assistant on the transaction. All members of the Davis Polk team are based in the New York office.