De Brauw has assisted SNS REAAL on the EUR 150 million divestment of VIVAT Verzekeringen, formerly known as REAAL, to leading Chinese insurance company Anbang Group Holdings. Anbang has agreed to strengthen VIVAT's solvency through a capital injection.

REAAL's divestment was the result of an EC decision following the nationalisation of SNS REAAL in 2013, which the EC considered state aid. In compliance with the EC decision, SNS REAAL initiated an open and transparent auction process. This transaction was interesting because of the close involvement of the European Commission, the Monitoring Trustee, NL Financial Investments (NLFI) as SNS REAAL's direct shareholder, and the Dutch Minister of Finance.