An in-depth look at Florian Klimscha of Freshfields covering his career path, education, and top projects as a lawyer as well as a few insights about him as a manager at work and as a person outside the office.
Career:
- Freshfields LLP; Partner; 2013-present
- Freshfields LLP; Principal Associate; 2010-2013
- Freshfields LLP; Associate; 2004-2010
Education:
- The London School of Economics and Political Science; Banking and Finance Law; 2004
- University of Vienna; Doctoral in Law; 2004
- University of Vienna; Diploma in Law; 2001
Favorites:
- Out-of-office activity: Spending time with my family and friends, playing tennis, skiing, traveling
- Book: Woodcutters by Thomas Bernhard, Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
- Movie: As Good as It Gets (1997)
Top 5 Projects:
- Advising Pepco Group Services Limited – a pan-European retailer – on its withdrawal from the Austrian market via in-court insolvency proceedings over its Austrian subsidiary
- Advising global AVL group on a EUR 250 million revolving financing with a consortium of Austrian and German credit institutions
- Advising Julius Meinl – a leading international supplier of coffee and tea – on the structuring and implementation of two major financing projects with a total volume of up to EUR 120 million
- Advising Western Union on the financial regulatory aspects of the sale of the global Western Union Business Solutions (WUBS) business for USD 910 million to a private equity consortium consisting of Goldfinch Partners and Baupost Group (new brand: Convera)
- Advising Porsche Bank on the securitization of EUR 540.8 million
CEELM: What would you say was the most challenging project you ever worked on and why?
Klimscha: The restructuring of one of the largest construction groups in Austria – Alpine Bau – presented a challenge due to its sheer scale. Coordinating numerous lenders within a compressed timeframe demanded swift coordination within an extremely tight timeframe. The group’s volatile cash flow complicated financial projections and stability. The substantial size of Alpine Bau amplified the complexity of the restructuring process. Furthermore, the challenging situation of the shareholders created an additional layer of significant difficulty for the restructuring.
CEELM: What was your main takeaway from it?
Klimscha: To be prepared to support quick decisions but not at the expense of thinking it through adequately to make it robust or think about alternatives.
CEELM: What is one thing clients likely don’t know about you?
Klimscha: Clients might be surprised to learn that I enjoy reading glossy magazines like Hello!, Gala, and the like. It’s a way to unwind, a small personal pleasure to be enjoyed on a plane or elsewhere.
CEELM: Name one mentor who played a big role in your career and how they impacted you.
Klimscha: Maria Th. Pfluegl – the Partner I started to work with at Freshfields more than 20 years ago and who had a great feel for what clients need.
CEELM: Name one mentee (with your current firm or not), you are particularly proud of.
Klimscha: There are many, due to the fact that I had the privilege to work with a lot of incredibly talented and kind people over the last few years.
CEELM: What is the one piece of advice you’d give yourself fresh out of law school?
Klimscha: Take some time and plan a trip you will not be able to do for a while – you will remember it for a long time!
This article was originally published in Issue 12.2 of the CEE Legal Matters Magazine. If you would like to receive a hard copy of the magazine, you can subscribe here.
