News: RIO Deals of the day-Mergers and acquisitions

March 14 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported by 0930 GMT on Monday:

**South Korean battery maker SK On said on Monday it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Ford Motor Co F.N and Koc Holding As KCHOL.IS to form a joint venture to produce electric vehicle (EV) battery cells in Turkey.

**Wind and solar company Mainstream Renewable Power and Aker Offshore Wind AOW.L have closed a deal which will give them a 50% stake in a 800 megawatt (MW) floating offshore wind project in Japan, the companies said .

**HSBC HSBA.L announced it has agreed to sell its branch operations in Greece to local bank Pancreta Bank, with completion of the deal expected in the first half of 2023

**Rio Tinto (RIO) proposed to buy the 49% of Canada's Turquoise Hill TRQ.TO it does not already own for about $2.7 billion, as the Anglo-Australian miner looks to ramp up the Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold mining project in Mongolia.

**French luxury group Kering PRTP.PA said its Kering Eyewear division had signed an agreement to acquire U.S. high-end sunglass maker Maui Jim, Inc. for an undisclosed amount.

**Australian nickel and lithium miner IGO Ltd (IGO) said its A$1.10 billion ($799.7 million) takeover of Western Areas (WSA) would be delayed due to the recent volatility in nickel prices after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

**Australia's Virtus Health Ltd (VRT) said it had accepted a sweetened A$704.8 million ($514 million) takeover offer from CapVest Partners LLP, which topped an improved offer from rival bidder BGH Capital.

**Australia's top fuel supplier Ampol Ltd (ALD) said it will sell its New Zealand-based petroleum distribution business Gull in a bid to ease competition concerns as it awaits completion of its NZ$1.97 billion ($1.34 billion) purchase of Z Energy (ZEL) .

** Telecom Italia TLIT.MI said on Sunday it would start formal talks with KKR KKR.N to assess the U.S. fund's potential 10.8 billion euro ($11.8 billion) offer for Italy's biggest phone group, almost four months after the approach.

**British property developer Nick Candy will give Chelsea fans a seat on the board if he buys the club from Roman Abramovich and also provide short-term funding after Britain sanctioned the Russian billionaire, Sky News reported.

**Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com Inc 9618.HK on Sunday said that its subsidiary JD Logistics Inc 2618.HK has agreed to buy domestic courier Deppon Logistics Co Ltd 603056.SS .