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Johan D. Joos

Partner

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Languages: Dutch (Fluent), French (Fluent)

Johan Joos advises developers, investors and corporate occupiers or end users on projects and transactions related to real estate, infrastructure, industrial plants and energy.

Johan leads the Belgian Real Estate and Regulatory practice, which covers the areas of real estate and construction, real estate investment management, real estate planning and environment, and renewable energy and public procurement.

His holistic and directory-recognized practice cuts across the transactional, litigation, regulatory and strategic management aspects of projects and (direct and indirect) investments/divestments related to the main real asset classes, including real estate, infrastructure, industrial plants and energy.

Johan has been involved in many of the largest Belgian, Benelux and EU-wide real assets projects and transactions over the past 20 years, acting for both local and multinational companies and public bodies. He mainly represents clients active in sectors to which real assets are key, such as capital markets, chemicals, consumer (hospitality, serviced residences, and retail logistics and stores), and clean energy, cloud (data centers) and common infrastructure. Johan has also advised various public bodies on issues that matter to such sectors and represented clients in sector-related proceedings before both administrative and civil courts.

   

Johan has recently acted on a variety of real assets related projects and transactions, including:

  • advising a global (US based) TMT client on multiple data center build-to-rent/operate transactions in Belgium. Value of transactions exceeds EUR 400m.
  • advising a global (US based) real estate investment manager on various logistics real estate investments across Belgium, doing all negotiation and due diligence work, and drafting of contracts. Value of transactions exceeds EUR 40m.
  • helping a global (US based) advanced sustainable chemical manufacturer with securing a land concession in the Port of Antwerp for the development of a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility. Value of the project exceeds EUR 30m.
  • assisting a Belgian family office with the sale of the entire issued share capital of a hotel property company holding title to a hotel located at the heart of Brussels European Leopold quarter and leaseback, doing all negotiation work, facilitating due diligence, and drafting of contracts. Value of transaction is approximately EUR 17m.
  • advising a major Asian real estate investment company on the Belgium law aspects of its acquisition of the entire issued share capital of a hotel investment and management company (indirectly) holding title to and managing two hotels in Leuven en Brussels. Value of transaction is approximately EUR 14m.
  • assisting a global (UK based) asset management company with the sale of its client’s shares (100%) in a single asset property company holding title to the assets of and managing a shopping gallery located in Brussels. Value of transaction is approximately EUR 5m.
  • helping a global (US based) drug development, delivery and supply company with the procurement of a contractor for the design, engineering, construction, installation and commissioning of a dedicated drug production line, as well as in project support.
  • assisting a global (US based) TMT client with the negotiation and drafting of all contractual documentation regarding the relocation of their Belgian HQ.
  • advising a global (US based) hospitality company on the takeover of the management of a hotel located near the Brussels Grand’ Place.
  • assisting numerous retailers on lease acquisitions or renewals for their Belgian stores.
  • helping a global (Switzerland based) chemical company with its involvement in the creation of one of the largest industrial steam clusters in Belgium.
  • assisting various companies in (re)negotiating and (re)drafting of energy supply contracts.
  • advising a major international energy supplier on the acquisition of a land lease to set up an energy plant.
  • assisting a major international energy development company with the acquisition of land to set up a battery energy storage system (BESS) and advising on related waste regulations.
  • advising an international construction materials company on the property and regulatory aspects of the acquisition of a mining business in Wallonia, Belgium.
  • assisting numerous developers and industrial companies in obtaining building and environmental permits, appeals against the refusal of such permits or against the permit or environmental conditions (BATNEEC, etc.).
  • advising various manufacturers/producers and exporters on CLP, Dual Use, PIC, REACH, RoHS and/or WEEE compliance.
  • assisting numerous companies with the applicable procedures in public procurement and applications to tender.

Johan is a regular speaker and writer on various legal and strategic management topics related to real assets. 

 

Ranked in Chambers Europe 2020, 2021, 2022 (Real Estate, Belgium)

Ranked in Legal 500 EMEA 2021 (Real Estate and Construction, Belgium)

The Legal 500 EMEA Recommended Lawyer 2020, 2021

Johan is a member of both the Brussels Bar (since 2001) and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (MRICS - Management Consultancy Professional Group) (since 2012). He is also active in ULI Belgium and other local professional and sector associations and serves as Global Ambassador of Northwestern Alumni Association to Belgium (since 2015).

  • Master of Real Estate Management (MRE) (with High Honors), Antwerp Management School, Antwerp, Belgium, 2008
  • Master of Laws (LL.M.) (with Honors), Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, Chicago, IL, 2006 (Concentration: Business and Real Estate Law)
  • Certificate in Laws (CLL), International Law Institute / Georgetown University, Washington, DC, 2005 (Concentration: U.S. / Common Law)
  • Master of Laws (LL.M.) (with Honors), Ghent University Faculty of Law, Ghent, Belgium, 2001 (Concentration: Environmental Law)
  • Lic.Jur., University of Leuven Faculty of Law, Leuven, Belgium, 2000
Johan Joos

Partner

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