Dirk Meeus
Partner and Global Co-Head, Corporate
Brussels

Dirk Meeus
Partner and Global Co-Head, Corporate
Brussels
Contact details
Dirk is a corporate partner in the Belgian practice as well as Co-Head of the Global corporate practice. He specialises in public and private mergers & acquisitions, private equity and equity capital markets. His work on significant, cross-border transactions for Belgian companies, as well as his defence of them in hostile takeover situations, has earned Dirk a stellar reputation. He also has a wealth of experience in advising international clients and large private equity players.
All the leading legal guides commend Dirk for his outstanding work in his field: “He is brilliant.” (Chambers & Partners, 2023); “Dirk Meeus remains a force to be reckoned with. He loves a good game of strategy – he is excellent in auctions on the sell side and will assist in developing the best strategy/approach.” (Legal 500, 2023).
Dirk is admitted to both the Brussels Bar and New York Bar.
Qualifications
Professional
Stagiair, Belgium, 1991
Admitted to the bar, State of New York, USA, 1994
Admitted as advocaat, Belgium, 1995
Registered Foreign Lawyer, England and Wales, 2021
Academic
LLM, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 1991
Law Degree, FNDP Namur and Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL), 1990
Heidelberg University – Erasmus - 1989
Related articles

News: 06 July 2023
2023 Global M&A transactions show innovation thrives amid challenging conditions
The outlook for global M&A in the second half of 2023 remains complex. Inflation continues to be uncomfortably high in many advanced economies with interest rates set to rise further in response.
Publications: 06 July 2023
Global M&A Insights – innovation thrives amid challenging conditions
Experience highlights
Advising Ahold on its EUR25bn cross-border merger with Delhaize that created Europe’s largest listed food retailer by market capitalisation and the fifth largest retailer in the U.S., with more than 6,500 stores globally. For this deal, our teams in Belgium, Netherlands and U.S. teams worked together to service the cross-border business needs of a multinational client, entailing a “merger of equals” between two listed food retailers in accordance with the European cross-border merger framework.
Advising EQT VI, part of EQT, a private equity house, on the acquisition of Bureau van Dijk Electronic Publishing, a global electronic publisher, from funds held by Charterhouse, the private equity house. Advising subsequently on the EUR3bn sale of Bureau van Dijk to Moody’s Analytics, a subsidiary of Moody’s.
Advising a global financial institution, acting as underwriter, on the IPO of Shurgard.
Advising the shareholders of Omega Pharma, the Belgium-based manufacturer and distributor of healthcare products, on its USD4.5bn sale to Perrigo, a U.S.-listed, Ireland-incorporated pharmaceutical company.

Qualifications
Professional
Stagiair, Belgium, 1991
Admitted to the bar, State of New York, USA, 1994
Admitted as advocaat, Belgium, 1995
Registered Foreign Lawyer, England and Wales, 2021
Academic
LLM, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 1991
Law Degree, FNDP Namur and Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL), 1990
Heidelberg University – Erasmus - 1989
Other noteworthy experience
Advising:
- AAC Capital Partners, the international private equity company, the initial founders and the management investors on the auction sale of the Desotec group, an international leading manufacturer and provider of activated carbon solutions, to the EQT VII fund.
- Balta as issuer, and a global private equity firm, as selling shareholder, on Balta’s EUR500 million initial public offering and listing of its shares on the Euronext Brussels. This was the largest IPO on Euronext since bpost in 2013.
- The largest shareholders in an insurance company on the company's EUR1.25bn capital increase.
- Delta Lloyd Groep on the EUR219 million sale of its Belgian banking business to Anbang Group Holdings a Chinese insurance group.
- Gilde Buy Out Partners, the Netherlands-based private equity firm, on the acquisition of Oystershell, a Belgian based OTC company with headquarters in Ghent.
- An insurance company on several transactions including the EUR1.05bn sale of its private banking operation to Precision Capital, a Luxembourg vehicle owned by Qatari investors and the EUR884m sale of its minority stake in a Polish commercial bank, through a private placement; the EUR770m sale of TUiR WARTA, its Polish insurance subsidiary, to Talanx International, the German insurance company.
- KPN, the Dutch Telecom incumbent, on the EUR1.325bn sale of Base, the Belgian mobile operator to Telenet.
- Recticel, a Belgian manufacturer of polyurethane foam products, on its capital increase with preferential rights of EUR75.9m.
- Roularta Media Group, the media company listed on the Brussels stock exchange, on sale of its 50% stake in the audio-visual enterprise Medialaan (TV channels vtm, Q2, Vitaya, CAZ, Radio stations Q music and Joe, Mobile Vikings … ) to the co-shareholder De Persgroep. Additionally, Roularta buys half of the Mediafin shares, currently owned by De Persgroep.
- Sipef, a Belgian agro-industrial company listed on Euronext Brussels, on the USD 100m acquisition of a 36,84% stake in Agro Muko from Evans group and the equity financing thereof through a rights issue.
- Trafigura, one of the world’s largest commodities trading firms, on the subscription for shares in Nyrstar for up to EUR125m of the EUR250 – 275m rights offering announced by Nyrstar, a leading metals business specialising in zinc.
- A multinational materials technology company on the carve-out and auction sale of its building materials operation to Fedrus International, a Belgian-based producer and distributor of building materials. The transaction was co-ordinated by our leading tier 1 Belgian M&A practice that was able to draw on the expertise of A&O's M&A experts and full-service teams in 14 out of the 17 jurisdictions in which the building materials operation is active.
- X-Fab on its initial public offering and listing of its shares on Euronext Brussels and Euronext Paris.
Published work
- Van Gervan. D, Meeus. D, (1992) "Environmental law - Introduction of criminal liability for companies requires amendment of Criminal Code", I.C.C.L.R.,C - 161.
- Van Gerven, Meeus. D, (1992) "Convertible Bonds and Warrants under Belgian Company Law", I.C.C.L.R., 282.
- Hinnekens. P, Meeus. D, (1993) "Herkwalificatie van het inkomen van een bestuurder natuurlijke persoon : attractiebeginsel", A.F.T., 137.
- Meeus. D, "Protecting Minority Shareholders, the Belgian Perspective", Center For International Legal Studies, Salzburg, Austria.
- Meeus. D, Corporate Governance in Nederland : het Rapport Peters, een aanzet tot verandering en een uitnodiging tot discussie, Vennootschapsrecht & Fiscaliteit, april 1997.
- Meeus. D, De Recente Belgische aanbevelingen inzake Corporate Governance, Vennootschap en Fiscaliteit, 1998, nummer 2.
- Meeus. D, Het instituut voor Bestuurders, Vennootschap en Fiscaliteit, 1997, nummer 1.
- Meeus. D, Corporate Governance, Het Belgisch Perspectief, Het Instituut voor Bestuurders, Intersentia Rechtswetenschappen, 1998.
Recognition
One of the most senior M&A lawyers in Belgium and an important partner at domestic and international level.
Chambers Europe, Corporate/M&A, 2018
Brings gravitas to a meeting.
Legal 500, Belgium Corporate/M&A, 2018
He is well regarded for his expertise in transactions and has strong international experience.
Chambers Europe, Corporate/M&A, 2017
He is at the top of his game.
Chambers Europe, Belgium, 2016