22. January 2025

ARQIS advised St. Franziskus-Stiftung Münster on all legal aspects of the acquisition of a majority stake in Verbund Katholischer Kliniken Düsseldorf gGmbH – (VKKD) from the Archdiocese of Cologne. The hospital group comprises four hospitals and a health center in the Düsseldorf area. Main objective of the new partnership is the sustainable promotion of further development of the hospital group and to pursue the goal of the North Rhine-Westphalia hospital plan of offering patients a wide range of medical services on an economically solid basis. At the same time, Franziskus Stiftung is expanding its medical offer in the Düsseldorf region. A minority stake will remain with Katholische Stiftung Marien Hospital zu Düsseldorf. St. Franziskus-Stiftung Münster is linked to the Katholische Stiftung Marien Hospital zu Düsseldorf by their shared Franciscan origins. For example, Franciscan nuns have been active at the Marien Hospital in Düsseldorf for many years. The transaction is still subject to the approval of the necessary authorities.

St. Franziskus-Stiftung Münster is one of the largest confessional hospital groups in Germany, currently operating 14 hospitals and ten facilities for disabled and senior citizens in North Rhine-Westphalia and Bremen. Franziskus Stiftung is among other things also invested in outpatient rehabilitation centers, nursing services and hospices.

Dr. Nils Brüggemann, Chairman to the Board of Franziskus Stiftung, commented on the new partnership: ‘The deep regional roots with a broad, specialized range of medical services are an excellent match for the strategy of Franziskus Stiftung. VKKD is a central player in Düsseldorf's healthcare system with a solid competitive position that has just been confirmed by the NRW hospital plan. In this important region, we are significantly expanding our medical services in the interest of patient well-being. With their combined sales volume of 1.6 billion euros and an additional 300 million euros, Franziskus Stiftung and VKKD will continue to jointly expand their strengths in both patient care and economic terms.’

This transaction demonstrates the strength of ARQIS teams around Jörn-Christian Schulze in the healthcare sector. The contact to Franziskus Stiftung was also initiated through a hospital deal. In 2017, the team advised the operator of the Herz-Jesu-Krankenhaus Hiltrup, Orden der Missionsschwestern vom Heiligsten Herzen Jesu e.V., on the sale to the current client.

Advisor to St. Franziskus-Stiftung Münster

ARQIS (Dusseldorf): Core Deal Team: Dr. Jörn-Christian Schulze (lead), Dr. Maximilian Backhaus (internal project management), Malte Griepenburg (all Transactions), Partners: Dr. Ulrich Lienhard (Real Estate), Johannes Landry (Transactions), Counsel: Sina Janke (Compliance, Munich), Jens Knipping (Tax), Anja Mehrtens (HR Law), Managing Associates: Laura Ally Rizzi , Katrin Ludwig, Jasmin Grünen (all Transactions), Diana Puchowezki (Real Estate), Daniel Schlemann (Data Law), Rolf Tichy (IP), Associates: Amir Katanbafteh (Transactions), Rebecca Gester (IP), Marius Mesenbrink (Japan Desk), Sabine Müller (HR Law, Munich), Lia Papismedova (Real Estate), Dr. Dennis Ratschkowski, Luzia Schulze Froning (both HR Law)