John I. Sanders

John is an accomplished attorney with a wealth of international experience and leads the firm’s International Capital Markets practice. In that role, John sets the strategy for and coordinates the firm’s capital market practice as it relates to the representation of investment banks and issuers in EMEA and Asia. 

Prior to joining MVA, he spent five years at a leading international law firm in Milan, Italy, where he honed his knowledge advising Italian issuers and financial institutions on complex international equity and debt capital market transactions under Rule 144A and Regulation S. In the equity capital markets area, John has successfully led initial public offerings, rights offerings, and block trade/accelerating bookbuildings. His debt capital markets experience includes successfully leading offerings of high yield bonds, privately placed debt, yankee bonds, global medium-term notes, and commercial paper. He also advises international institutional investors with respect to their proprietary investments in private investment funds. John is a continuing member of EuroLegalNet and utilizes the network's offices when in Milan.

John is also a dedicated legal educator, serving as an Adjunct Professor at Wake Forest University School of Law, where he teaches courses on private investment funds, serving as corporate counsel, and drafting offering documents. His commitment to staying at the forefront of legal developments is evident in his articles that have been published in Wake Forest Law Review, Michigan Business & Entrepreneurial Law Review, Wake Forest Journal of Business and Intellectual Property Law, and American University Business Law Review.

Representative Experience

Team member experience prior to joining Moore & Van Allen

Equity Capital Markets

IPOs

• An Italian semiconductor and microelectronics company in connection with its Regulation S initial public offering of ordinary shares on Euronext Growth Milan, in which 20.8% of the total share capital of the company's shares were offered, for a total value of €713 million and a market capitalization of approximately €3.426 billion
• An Italian cosmetics company in connection with its Rule 144A and Regulation S initial public offering on Euronext Milan, successfully placing 26.5% of its total share capital for a total value of approximately €350 million and a market capitalization of approximately €1.2 billion
• Joint global coordinators and joint bookrunners connection with the initial public offering of an Italian designer and manufacturer of integrated systems and embedded solutions on the STAR segment of Euronext Milan, in which approximately 40.45% of the company’s ordinary shares were offered, for a total value of approximately €160 million
• Europe’s leading automotive sales and marketing company in connection with its Rule 144A and Regulation S initial public offering on Euronext Amsterdam, in which 28.7% of the total share capital of the company’s shares were offered, for a total value of approximately €75 million and a market capitalization of approximately €260 million
• An Italian manufacturer of filter solutions in connection with its initial public offering on the Milan Stock Exchange, in which 40% of the company’s ordinary shares were offered, for a total value of approximately €570 million
• A U.S. regional bank in connection with its $42 million initial public offering on the NASDAQ Global Select Market

Rights Offerings

• An Italian bank in connection with its €2.5 billion rights issue under Rule 144A and Regulation S
• The world’s leading provider of food & beverage services for travelers, in connection with its €600 million rights issue

Block Trades/ABBs

• An international bank in connection with the placement of 5.1% of the share capital of leading Italian company in the digital payment solutions market, corresponding to a total amount equal to approximately €584 million. The placement was carried out through an accelerated bookbuild offering to qualified investors
• Principal shareholders of an Italian home appliances manufacturer in connection with the placement of 6,000,000 ordinary shares of the company corresponding to a total amount equal to approximately €212 million. The placement was carried out through an accelerated bookbuild offering to qualified investors
• The principal shareholder in connection with the placement of 8,200,000 ordinary shares of an Italian luxury fashion brand specialized in ready-to-wear outerwear corresponding to a total amount equal to approximately €400 million. The placement was carried out through an accelerated bookbuild offering to institutional investors

Debt Capital Markets

High Yield Bonds

• A Ieader in the design and manufacture of automatic machines for the processing and packaging of pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, food, tobacco, tea and coffeeon the issuance of €450 million senior secured floating rate high yield notes due 2029, as well as on the €25 million upsizing of its revolving credit facility. The notes are listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange’s Euro MTF market
• A worldwide leader in the design, engineering and manufacturing of acoustic and thermal components and systems for the automotive sector based in Germany, in connection with the issuance of €400 million 9.500% senior secured notes due 2027. The notes have been offered and sold pursuant to Rule 144A and Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act and listed on Euronext Dublin's Global Exchange Market
• An Italian motor vehicle manufacturer in connection with the issuance of €250 million, 6.5% senior unsecured notes due 2030. The notes have been offered and sold pursuant to Rule 144A and Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act and listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange
• An Italian financial services company in connection with the issuance of €300 million 3.375% notes issuance due 2026. The notes have been offered and sold pursuant to Rule 144A and Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act and listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange.
• A developer and distributor of plasma-derived medicinal products in connection with the issuance of its €410 million senior secured 3.375% Notes. The notes have been offered and sold pursuant to Rule 144A and Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act and listed on the Irish Stock Exchange
• The parent company of a Ieader in the design and manufacture of automatic machines for the processing and packaging of pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, food, tobacco, tea and coffee, in connection with a €1,280 million high yield bonds issuance of senior secured Notes, issued in two tranches, in the context of the mandatory tender offer on all the outstanding shares of the subsidiary. The notes have been offered and sold pursuant to Rule 144A and Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act and listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange
• A multinational gambling company in connection with the issuance of its US$750 million 5.25% senior secured notes due in 2029. The notes have been offered and sold pursuant to Rule 144A and Regulation S under the Securities Act and listed on Euronext Dublin

Yankee Bonds

• An Italian multinational manufacturer and distributor of electricity and natural gas in connection with a $4 billion issuance of yankee bonds. The issuance consists of (i) US$1.25 billion 5.125% notes due 2029 and (ii) $0.75 billion 5.125% notes due 2034, all issued by its finance subsidiary, offered and sold pursuant to Rule 144A and Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act
• An Italian multinational energy company in connection with a $2.25 billion issuance of yankee bonds. The issuance consists of (i) $1.0 billion 5.50% notes due 2034 and (ii) $1.25 billion 5.95% notes due 2054 offered and sold pursuant to Rule 144A and Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act
• An Italian international banking group in connection with a $3.0 billion Yankee bonds issuance under its $50 billion MTN Programme. The issuance consists of (i) $1.5 billion 7.200% unsubordinated preferred notes due 2033 and (ii) $1. 5 billion 7.800% unsubordinated preferred notes due 2053, offered and sold pursuant to Rule 144A and Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act
• An Italian international banking group in connection with a $2.75 billion Yankee bonds issuance under its $50 billion MTN Programme. The issuance consists of (i) $1.5 billion 7.778% fixed rate resettable unsubordinated non-preferred notes due 2054 and (ii) $1.25 billion 6.625% unsubordinated preferred notes due 2033, offered and sold pursuant to Rule 144A and Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act
• An Italian international banking group in connection with a US$2 billion yankee bonds issuance under its recently updated US$50 billion MTN Programme. The issuance consists of (i) US$750 million 7.000% unsubordinated preferred notes due 2025 and (ii) US$1.25 billion 8.248% fixed rate resettable unsubordinated non-preferred notes due 2033, offered and sold pursuant to Rule 144A and Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act
• An Italian multinational manufacturer and distributor of electricity and natural gas in connection with a US$4 billion issuance of yankee bonds. The issuance consists of (i) US$1 billion 7.100% notes due 2027, issued by an American financing subsidiary and (ii) US$750 million 6.800% notes due 2025, (iii) US$1.250 billion 7.500% notes due 2032 and (iv) US$1 billion 7.750% notes due 2052, all issued by a Dutch financing subsidiary, offered and sold pursuant to Rule 144A and Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act
• An Italian international banking group in connection with a US$1.5 billion yankee bonds issuance under its recently updated US$50 billion MTN Programme. The issuance consists of (i) US$750 million 4.198% subordinated notes due 2032 and (ii) US$750 million 4.950% subordinated notes due 2042, offered and sold pursuant to Rule 144A and Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act

Private Placements

• A Spanish multinational conglomerate dedicated to the development and management of infrastructure and renewable energy as guarantor and its subsidiary as issuer, in connection with the issuance of up to $340 million guarantees senior notes to be sold through a private placement to U.S. institutional investors
• An Italian multinational food company in connection with its $150 million private placement of Guaranteed Senior Notes due 2025 and its $185 million private placement of Guaranteed Senior Notes due 2027. These are the first Notes issued by Barilla listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange MTF
• An Italian designer and manufacturer of vehicle therman system solutions in connection with its establishment of a US$125 million private shelf facility and the issuance of €70 million senior notes due 2029 guaranteed by certain of its subsidiaries, which were sold through a private placement to U.S. institutional investors
• A leading Italian logistics company as issuer, in connection with the issuance of up to €10 million senior unsecured notes due 2030 to be sold through a private placement to U.S. institutional investors
• A global leader in the development and manufacturing of active pharmaceutical ingredients as issuer, in connection with the issuance of up to €25 million senior secured notes due 2032 to be sold through a private placement to U.S. institutional investors
• An Italian Serie A football club in connection with the issuance of its €175 million guaranteed senior Notes due October 2027, which were sold through a private placement to U.S. institutional investors
• A global pharmaceutical company as issuer, in connection with the issuance of up to €75 million senior unsecured notes due September 2034 to be sold through a private placement to U.S. institutional investors

Mergers and Acquisitions

• An Italian multinational energy company, as purchaser, in connection with the acquisition of of an European energy company for $4.9 billion
• a Ieader in the design and manufacture of automatic machines for the processing and packaging of pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, food, tobacco, tea and coffee, as purchaser, in connection with its acquisition of substantially all of the assets of a private U.S. company
• A private equity firm, as purchaser, in connection with its acquisition of a minority interest in the parent company of a Ieader in the design and manufacture of automatic machines for the processing and packaging of pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, food, tobacco, tea and coffee.
• A U.S. regional bank, as purchaser, in connection with its merger with another U.S. regional bank, both of which were public companies at the time of the merger
• A U.S. regional bank, as purchaser, in connection with its acquisition of substantially all the assets of a registered investment adviser
• A U.S. regional bank, as seller, in connection with its acquisition by another U.S. regional bank
• A U.S. regional bank, as seller, in connection with its acquisition by a financial services company, both of which were public companies at the time of the merger

Notable

• Senior Associate, Italian DCM Law Firm of the Year 2020 and 2021 according to TopLegal
• Senior Associate, Italian DCM Law Firm of the Year 2022, 2023, and 2024 according to Legal Community
• Senior Associate, Italian ECM Law Firm of the Year for 2021 according to TopLegal.
• Wake Forest University School of Law, McGruder Faris Award for Character, Leadership, and Scholarship
• Winston-Salem Chamber of Commerce Winston Under 40 Leadership Award

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