Drinks giant reviews advisers as Unilever considers new pitches

Carlsberg has kicked off a competitive tender process with a view to creating its first-ever European corporate panel.

The review is being led out of Denmark by the drinks company's general counsel and vice president Ulrik Andersen.

Carlsberg's current global panel features UK firms Norton Rose, Bond Pearce and Tollers, as well as Swedish law firm Vinge and Denmark's Kromann Reumert, which have all been invited to pitch.

The company has been holding talks with approximately a dozen other firms not currently on the panel.

The review is being conducted as part of an effort by Carlsberg to cut back its legal spend, as well as obtain more value-added services from its regular advisers.

Previously, Copenhagen-based GC Andersen had shunned a formal panel approach for European corporate advice in favour of a looser band of relationships.

One corporate partner commented: "Since [the joint takeover by Heineken and Carlsberg] of Scottish & Newcastle (S&N) in 2008, there have been speculations that Carlsberg would create a corporate panel as a part of its efforts to absorb S&N's diverse assets. It will be interesting now to see its next move."

Carlsberg, which boasted revenues of DKK75.6bn (£8.8bn) in 2009, plans to announce the results of the tender process early next year.

Separately, consumer giant Unilever is considering expanding the number of firms it turns to for its UK legal work. Although the group is not looking to review its panel, it is understood to be considering proposals from a number of firms to carry out work on an ad hoc basis.

The process is not expected to impact on Slaughter and May's traditional position as lead corporate adviser.

Unilever instructs several additional UK law firms for other types of work, including Mayer Brown, Olswang and Beachcroft. The FTSE 100 company also has ties with Baker & McKenzie for advice on intellectual property matters.

Recent deals on which Slaughters has taken lead roles for Unilever include the €805m (£677m) sale of its Italian food business to Birds Eye Iglo in July and the $3.7bn (£2.3bn) takeover of US haircare rival Alberto Culver in September.