Allen & Overy (A&O) client Macquarie has won the auction process to acquire Thames Water for £8bn, agreed yesterday (16 October).

A&O relationship partner Alan Paul led a team advising the Australian bank, which led a consortium to acquire the company from German utility group RWE. Macquarie's European Infrastructure Funds arm paid £4.8bn and took on its net debt of £3.2bn.

Slaughter and May advised RWE on the disposal, which is expected to close by early December. The magic circle firm advised Thames Water in 2000 when it was initially taken over by RWE.

The deal sees the takeover of Thames Water's UK operations, as well as a number of a number of operations internationally. RWE initially announced in November 2005 that it was considering a sale or an IPO of the UK company.

Linklaters advised Goldman Sachs, which is overseeing the disposal.

Other bidders for the asset included Qatar Investment Authority and UK private equity house Terra Firma.

Thames Water is the largest water and sewer service provider in the UK, supplying drinking water to eight million people and sewage services to 13 million people. It has revenues of E1.9bn (£1.28bn).