# C_2017002EN.01000501.xml

| 5.1.2017 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 2/5 |
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5.1.2017

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 2/5

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Prior notification of a concentration

(Case M.8321 — Centerbridge/Alpha Bank/Kaican)

Candidate case for simplified procedure

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2017/C 2/06)

| 1. | On 19 December 2016, the Commission received notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which the undertakings Hellas Acquisition Luxco SÀRL (‘Centerbridge’, Luxembourg) controlled by Centerbridge Partners, L.P. (‘Centerbridge Partners’, USA) and Alpha Bank A.E. (‘Alpha Bank’, Greece) acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation joint control of Kaican Services Limited (‘Kaican’, UK) by way of purchase of shares. |
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1.

On 19 December 2016, the Commission received notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which the undertakings Hellas Acquisition Luxco SÀRL (‘Centerbridge’, Luxembourg) controlled by Centerbridge Partners, L.P. (‘Centerbridge Partners’, USA) and Alpha Bank A.E. (‘Alpha Bank’, Greece) acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation joint control of Kaican Services Limited (‘Kaican’, UK) by way of purchase of shares.

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| 2. | The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:
  —   Centerbridge: is managed by affiliates of Centerbridge Partners which is an investment management firm with offices in New York and London focused on private equity and distressed investment opportunities.
  —   Alpha Bank: provision of financial products and services, retail, corporate, investment and private banking services, asset management, the distribution of insurance products, brokerage and real estate management in Greece Cyprus, Romania, Serbia, Albania and the UK.
  —   Kaican: a coordinator of debt management services, including collection services for both mortgage debt and consumer non-performing loans, management information system services, and recoveries. Kaican’s primary activities relate to the coordination of Greek management service providers on behalf of two Irish securitisation vehicles that hold Greek-based non-performing loan portfolios. |
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2.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

—   Centerbridge: is managed by affiliates of Centerbridge Partners which is an investment management firm with offices in New York and London focused on private equity and distressed investment opportunities.

Centerbridge

—   Alpha Bank: provision of financial products and services, retail, corporate, investment and private banking services, asset management, the distribution of insurance products, brokerage and real estate management in Greece Cyprus, Romania, Serbia, Albania and the UK.

Alpha Bank

—   Kaican: a coordinator of debt management services, including collection services for both mortgage debt and consumer non-performing loans, management information system services, and recoveries. Kaican’s primary activities relate to the coordination of Greek management service providers on behalf of two Irish securitisation vehicles that hold Greek-based non-performing loan portfolios.

Kaican

| 3. | On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope of the Merger Regulation. However, the final decision on this point is reserved. Pursuant to the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (2) it should be noted that this case is a candidate for treatment under the procedure set out in this Notice. |
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3.

On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope of the Merger Regulation. However, the final decision on this point is reserved. Pursuant to the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (2) it should be noted that this case is a candidate for treatment under the procedure set out in this Notice.

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| 4. | The Commission invites interested third parties to submit their possible observations on the proposed operation to the Commission.
  Observations must reach the Commission not later than 10 days following the date of this publication. Observations can be sent to the Commission by fax (+32 22964301), by email to COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu or by post, under reference M.8321 — Centerbridge/Alpha Bank/Kaican) to the following address:





  European Commission |
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| Directorate-General for Competition |
| Merger Registry |
| 1049 Bruxelles/Brussel |
| BELGIQUE/BELGIË |

4.

The Commission invites interested third parties to submit their possible observations on the proposed operation to the Commission.

Observations must reach the Commission not later than 10 days following the date of this publication. Observations can be sent to the Commission by fax (+32 22964301), by email to COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu or by post, under reference M.8321 — Centerbridge/Alpha Bank/Kaican) to the following address:

European Commission

Directorate-General for Competition

Merger Registry

1049 Bruxelles/Brussel

BELGIQUE/BELGIË

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(1)  OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1 (the ‘Merger Regulation’).

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(2)  OJ C 366, 14.12.2013, p. 5.

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