Transaction|October 13, 2011
Microsoft Officially Welcomes Skype
Torys acted as counsel to Canada Pension Plan Investment Board with a team that included Darren Baccus and Jamie Beal.
On October 13, 2011, Microsoft Corp. (Microsoft) announced that it closed its previously announced acquisition of Skype Global S.à r.l. (Skype) for US$8.5 billion. Negotiations of the definitive agreement, under which Microsoft acquired Skype, were led by investor group Silver Lake. The boards of directors of both Microsoft and Skype previously approved the acquisition.
Microsoft and Skype will remain focused on their shared goal of connecting all people across all devices and accelerating both companies' efforts to transform real-time communications for consumers and enterprise customers. The completion of the acquisition marks the official introduction of Skype as a new business division within Microsoft.
Skype will support various Microsoft devices, including Xbox and Kinect, Windows Phone and an array of Windows devices, and Microsoft will connect Skype users with Lync, Outlook, Xbox Live and other communities. Microsoft will continue to invest in and support Skype clients on non-Microsoft platforms.
Skype CEO Tony Bates will assume the title of president of the Skype Division of Microsoft immediately, and will continue to offer its current products to millions of users globally. Longer term, Skype will also be integrated across an array of Microsoft products, including Xbox and Kinect, Windows Phone and an array of Windows devices, and Microsoft will connect Skype users with Lync, Outlook, Xbox Live and other communities. Skype employees will continue to be located around the world in offices including Estonia, the Czech Republic, Russia, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Luxembourg, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, and the United States.
Founded in 2003, Skype was acquired by eBay in September 2005, and then acquired by an investment group led by Silver Lake in November 2009. Other members of the selling investor group led by Silver Lake include eBay International AG, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, Joltid Limited in partnership with Europlay Capital Advisors, and Andreessen Horowitz.
Other members of the selling investor group led by Silver Lake include eBay International AG, CPP Investment Board, Joltid Ltd. in partnership with Europlay Capital Advisors; and Andreessen Horowitz.
Canada Pension Plan Investment Board is a professional investment management organization based in Toronto.
Skype, headquartered in Luxembourg, is a web-based software company that allows users to make voice and video calls using the Internet. Skype can be downloaded onto computers, mobile phones and other connected devices for free.
Microsoft, headquartered in Redmond, Washington, develops, manufactures, licenses and supports a range of software products and services for computing devices.
Further information can be found on Microsoft's website.
Microsoft and Skype will remain focused on their shared goal of connecting all people across all devices and accelerating both companies' efforts to transform real-time communications for consumers and enterprise customers. The completion of the acquisition marks the official introduction of Skype as a new business division within Microsoft.
Skype will support various Microsoft devices, including Xbox and Kinect, Windows Phone and an array of Windows devices, and Microsoft will connect Skype users with Lync, Outlook, Xbox Live and other communities. Microsoft will continue to invest in and support Skype clients on non-Microsoft platforms.
Skype CEO Tony Bates will assume the title of president of the Skype Division of Microsoft immediately, and will continue to offer its current products to millions of users globally. Longer term, Skype will also be integrated across an array of Microsoft products, including Xbox and Kinect, Windows Phone and an array of Windows devices, and Microsoft will connect Skype users with Lync, Outlook, Xbox Live and other communities. Skype employees will continue to be located around the world in offices including Estonia, the Czech Republic, Russia, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Luxembourg, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, and the United States.
Founded in 2003, Skype was acquired by eBay in September 2005, and then acquired by an investment group led by Silver Lake in November 2009. Other members of the selling investor group led by Silver Lake include eBay International AG, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, Joltid Limited in partnership with Europlay Capital Advisors, and Andreessen Horowitz.
Other members of the selling investor group led by Silver Lake include eBay International AG, CPP Investment Board, Joltid Ltd. in partnership with Europlay Capital Advisors; and Andreessen Horowitz.
Canada Pension Plan Investment Board is a professional investment management organization based in Toronto.
Skype, headquartered in Luxembourg, is a web-based software company that allows users to make voice and video calls using the Internet. Skype can be downloaded onto computers, mobile phones and other connected devices for free.
Microsoft, headquartered in Redmond, Washington, develops, manufactures, licenses and supports a range of software products and services for computing devices.
Further information can be found on Microsoft's website.