Global excellence in Private M&A

Our lawyers have expertise in the full range of challenges that private M&A can present, be it carve-outs, pre-sale restructuring and reorganisations, financing, risk management, certainty, disclosure, navigating pre-emption processes, managing auctions or specific liabilities. Not only are our M&A lawyers experts in their field, they also combine commercial pragmatism with an understanding of the specialist issues that can arise as part of the negotiation process.

Clients value our ability to execute deals seamlessly and efficiently while managing the risk profile which is appropriate to their circumstances: a vital requirement in today’s deal environment.

One global team

Our corporate practice is supported by global teams of market-leading tax, real estate, employment and incentives, pensions, anti-trust/competition, regulatory and litigation experts. Our equal strength in corporate and finance means we are also able to offer acquisition financing support in key business centres around the world.

Our recent private M&A deals

Our clients turn to us for advice on their most strategic and transformational deals.

• Rio Tinto: on the acquisition of Arcadium Lithium for US$6.7bn
• Carrier Global Corporation: advising in connection with the €12bn acquisition of the Climate Solutions Business of Viessmann Group, as well as on the sale of its security business for US$4.95bn to Honeywell International Inc.
• HSBC: on the sale of its Argentinian banking, asset management and insurance business to Grupo Financiero Galicia, and on the CA$13.5bn sale of its Canadian banking business to the Royal Bank of Canada
• Unilever PLC: advising on the €4.5bn sale of the world's leading tea business to CVC Capital Partners
• CK Hutchison Holdings Limited & CK Hutchison Group Telecom Holdings Limited: advising on the merger of Three UK and Vodafone UK, combining their respective telecommunications operations in the UK to create the largest mobile operator in the UK
• The National Grid Company plc: advising on the sale of a 60% sale in its gas transmission and metering business to a consortium comprised of Macquarie and British Columbia Investment Management Corporation for £4.2 bn
• Crédit Agricole Consumer Finance and Stellantis: on the €1.7 bn acquisition of 6 European subsidiaries of ALD and LeasePlan
• Virya Energy NV: on the €1.55bn sale of all shares in Parkwind NV, Belgium's largest offshore wind operator
• Cobepa: on the c.€1bn sale of the Scalian Group, a leading European consulting firm in digital transformation, project management and operational performance
• Hassana Investment Company: on its US$2.4bn strategic investment in DP World's flagship UAE assets (Jebel Ali Free Port, Jebel Ali Free Zone and the National Industries Park) valued at approximately US$23bn
• Citi: on the approx. US$4.9bn sale of its five consumer banking franchises in Southeast Asia
• Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.: advising on its £2.25bn acquisition of The Binding Site Group
• Cerberus Capital Management: on the sale of its affiliates’ interest in Worldwide Flight Services (“WFS”) to SATS (Asia’s leading provider of food solutions and gateway services) for an enterprise value of approximately €2.25bn
• WSP Global: on its $1.81bn acquisition of Wood Group’s environmental infrastructure consulting division following a competitive auction process
• Perfetti Van Melle: advising Perfetti Van Melle on its $1.35bn acquisition of Mondelez's developed-market gum business in the United States, Canada and Europe
• RTX Corporation: advising a large multinational defence and aerospace conglomerate on the sale of its actuation business to Safran, a French multinational in the aerospace sector for US$1.8bn
• PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited: advising on the US$2,225bn disposal of its network's Global Mobility Tax and Immigration Services business to CD&R for US
• Tate & Lyle: advising on its US$1.3bn sale of a 50% controlling stake in its Primary Products business to KPS Capital Partners
• Glencore plc: advising on its c.$6.9bn acquisition of a 77% interest in Teck Resources Limited's coal businessRe