Lovells has advised long-standing client SABMiller on a €1bn (£859m) bond issue as the drinks giant bids to raise cash and repay debt.

The issue, which is part of the brewer's €5bn (£3bn)  medium-term note programme, saw capital markets partner Andrew Carey and corporate partner Richard Brown heading the Lovells team acting for SABMiller, assisted by senior associates Adam Hastings and John Holtrichter.

SABMiller is one of Lovells' major bluechip clients, with the top 10 City firm advising the company since 1998, with past deals including its £3.4bn listing on the London Stock Exchange in 1999.

Corporate partner Andrew Pearson has looked after the firm's relationship with SABMiller since corporate partner John Davidson left the firm in 2006 to become general counsel at SABMiller. In May the firm advised on the brewer's acquisition of the outstanding minority interest in Polish subsidiary Kompania Piwowarska.

Linklaters acted for the joint book-runners Barclays Capital, BNP Paribas, JPMorgan Cazenove, Merrill Lynch and RBS. Capital markets partner Jane Brown led the team.

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