Filip & Company law firm has provided legal assistance to the shareholders of Flanco Retail S.A., Iulian Stanciu (98 per cent) and Dragoș Sîrbu (2 per cent), in relation to the sale of their entire shareholdings in the company to Kotsovolos (Next Gen Retail Services S.A.), part of the Greek PPC Group.

The acquisition represents an important step in the PPC Group’s regional expansion strategy and in Kotsovolos’s development within the South-East European market.

The transaction is expected to be closed by the end of 2026 and is subject to obtaining the necessary clearances from the relevant authorities, as well as to the fulfilment of the customary contractual terms.

“Flanco is a Romanian business that has managed to grow and remain relevant in a market that has changed enormously over the last 30 years. And I think that says quite a lot about the people who built it and the way they have managed to make decisions, adapt and move forward, even at times when things were far from being straightforward. It’s easy to talk about the size of a business, about figures or market share, but it’s much harder to build, over time, a market leader that’s attractive to a strategic investor of the calibre of PPC/Kotsovolos. I believe this is an interesting transaction, not least because of what may follow. Flanco brings a very good understanding of the local market, a national network and a relationship with its customers built up over time, whilst PPC and Kotsovolos bring a fresh perspective and new ways of connecting with consumers and driving further growth. We are delighted to have had the opportunity to work alongside the owners and the Flanco team during this important phase, and we thank them for their trust, professionalism and excellent collaboration”, said Alexandru Bîrsan, managing partner at Filip & Company.

The Filip & Company team that assisted Flanco in this transaction was coordinated by Alexandru Bîrsan (managing partner) and Simona Ungureanu (counsel) and included Bianca Gheorghe (associate), Roxana Roșca (counsel) and Sergiu Păun (associate).

The lawyers at Filip & Company have had important roles in many of the key M&A transactions in Romania. Whether they were privatisations, private equity, venture capital or growth capital transactions or other complex M&A, in most of the cases, at least one of the parties was legally assisted by Filip & Company.

The team is Tier 1 ranked for its Corporate/M&A practice in both prestigious international legal directories, Chambers and Partners and Legal 500. Filip & Company was recently recognised as “Commercial, Corporate and M&A Firm of the Year in CEE” at the Legal 500 CEE Awards 2026, held in Warsaw, an accolade that recognises the firm’s performance in commercial, corporate and mergers and acquisitions law across Central and Eastern Europe.

Filip & Company

Filip & Company is one of the leading law firms in Romania, providing top-quality assistance in all relevant areas of business law for companies operating in—or considering—Romania. Specialised in complex projects that require an innovative approach, Filip & Company's lawyers have significant experience in diverse areas, such as infrastructure and concessions, mergers and acquisitions, energy, corporate, real estate, competition law, finance, and capital markets, as well as labour law, data protection, and consumer or environmental protection. The firm also provides legal assistance and representation in disputes and arbitrations with significant implications for their clients’ businesses. Please visit www.filipandcompany.com to find out more about Filip & Company’s expertise areas and team.