Gottfried Graf von Bassewitz
German
Counsel | London | Munich
Gottfried Graf von Bassewitz

Gottfried Graf von Bassewitz is an experienced corporate lawyer specializing in complex corporate transactions, corporate governance, compliance advice, risk management, and discrete multi-jurisdictional government investigations. He has counselled leading financial investors, corporate and management teams on a broad range of M&A, private equity, financing and distressed investments—in both domestic and cross-border deals, regulatory matters, investigations, and reorganizations.

Graf Bassewitz’s practice spans a wide variety of industries, including aerospace & defense, consumer goods, energy, financial services, healthcare and pharma, hospitality, real estate, tech and telecommunications.

His expertise includes anti-bribery and anti-money laundering as well as financial misconduct investigations with a particular focus on their corporate, transactional and compliance remediation. These matters involve strategic and regular engagement with enforcement agencies in multiple jurisdictions. Graf Bassewitz was a key member of the Airbus legal team that secured a landmark deferred prosecution agreement—the first coordinated settlement between the UK, U.S. and French prosecuting authorities and for the representation of Airbus the Dechert team was awarded "White Collar Practice Group of the Year" by Law360, "International Litigation and Disputes Team of the Year" at the British Legal Awards, "Conduct, Enforcement or Business Crime Team of the Year" by The Lawyer, and "Most Important Development of the Year" at the Global Investigations Review (GIR) Awards.

Graf Bassewitz also counsels on compliance and harm minimization strategies for high-risk corporate and commercial transactions. In addition, he advises on recovery strategies for distressed equity and debt investments. 

Graf Bassewitz is a recipient of the Samuel E. Klein pro bono award for his contributions to the working group remediating the Windrush compensation scheme due to the wrongful treatment and deportation of British citizens of Caribbean heritage by the UK Home Office.

Prior to joining Dechert, Graf Bassewitz worked in the corporate practice groups of international law firms in Frankfurt, Germany and Atlanta, Georgia.

Investigations

  • Airbus SE in a global investigation into allegations of fraud, bribery and corruption, and subsequent coordinated settlements with the UK Serious Fraud Office, French Parquet National Financier, U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Department of State.
  • Airbus SE – oversaw the compliance and corporate remediation of a large high-value portfolio of 50 JVs and in-country investments in over 30 jurisdictions in consultation with enforcement agencies in UK, France and the U.S. This work was cited by Dame Victoria Sharp in the Airbus DPA judgment and is now a legal benchmark for "exemplary cooperation" in the UK.
  • An Aviation Service Provider in an investigation by German authorities concerning allegations of tax fraud.
  • The Head of Trading at an UK-EU energy trading house – successfully settled regulatory and criminal investigations in Germany with no charges brought.
  • A U.S. Fortune 500 company in an investigation by the European Commission (metal packaging cartel).

Transactions / M&A

  • Airbus SE – transactional review and compliance risk advice in relation to contracts with major airline customers and suppliers.
  • Hellenic Telecommunications Organization S.A. (OTE) in connection with the sale of its stake in fixed telecommunications operator Telekom Romania for €268 million to Orange Romania.
  • IPG Photonics on the sale of IRE-Polus, its wholly owned subsidiary in Russia, to a company owned by Softline Projects LLC and former management, for US$51 million which involved numerous regulatory clearances.
  • DER Touristik Hotels & Investments GmbH, REWE Group’s hotel management division, on international franchise and hotel management transactions.
  • DER Touristik Köln GmbH, a major German tour operator and member of REWE Group, on the sale of three hotel companies operating in Spain to Lindner Investment Group.
  • Gianni Versace S.p.A. in connection with new store leases and matters of competition law and trademark law.
  • A Major Swiss Pension Fund on the sale of a portfolio of more than 40 private equity investments.
  • PhotoBox Holdco Ltd., Europe’s leading digital consumer service for personalized products and gifts, on its acquisition of Munich-based posterXXL Aktiengesellschaft, a leading service in Germany’s online photo print market.
  • China-based Shanghai Shenda on its joint venture with International Automotive Components (IAC) to supply soft trim and acoustics products to automotive original equipment manufacturers globally.
  • A Swiss Family Office on the sale of Smaato Holding AG, a leading global real-time advertising platform for mobile publishers and app developers.
  • The Tönsmeier Family on the auctioned sale of Tönsmeier Group, Germany’s fifth-largest waste disposal company, to GreenCycle, part of Schwarz Group (best known for its Lidl supermarket chain).
  • VIA optronics AG, a leading supplier of enhanced display solutions, in its US$93.75 million cross-border initial public offering and listing on the NYSE.
Services
    • Universität Passau, First German Law Degree/Erstes Staatsexamen, 2009
    • Germany
    • Registered Foreign Lawyer, England and Wales
    • English
    • German