The world of private equity is constantly evolving – new trends, structures, sectors and participants. Certain things, however, remain constant: the search for profitable investment opportunities, the relationships between owners, managers and investors and the need for funding as a catalyst for growth and development. The last few years have presented significant challenges for the business world at large and the private equity sector has been no exception. But the challenges have created opportunities and the resultant private equity landscape, in particular in the mid-market private equity and venture capital sectors, is vibrant and forward-looking for funders, business owners and advisers alike.
Why we are different
Our position as a firm with a strong focus on both private and institutional work has given us a unique vantage point from which to observe the merging of the worlds of private wealth and institutional activity. Our Private Equity Group represents a key component of the Firm's Corporate focus on Private Capital and Ventures. Acting not only for some of the UK's most established private equity houses we also advise many new entrant investors – family offices, sovereign funds and high net worth individuals – investee companies and management teams. We are alive to the commercial issues that underpin deals; the financial models and return rates on which funders focus; the cash requirements and business pressures of investee companies; the aspirations and fears of owner-managers. We are active across the full spectrum of venture capital and private equity activity. Fundamentally understanding our clients' needs means we are well placed to generate opportunities for potential deals and provide guidance through many successful deals.
In addition to our core UK practice, there is a distinctly international perspective to our work. We are culturally aware and have the logistical know-how to handle multi-jurisdictional deals.
Services
The Group advises on all aspects of private equity, acting for private equity funds, family offices, sovereign funds, HNWIs, sellers of owner-managed businesses into private equity, debt lenders, investee companies and management teams on both UK and international transactions.
We structure and negotiate all forms of private equity investments, such as:
- MBO/MBI
- growth/development capital investments
- corporate business acquisitions and disposals
- equity and debt restructurings
- public-to-private transactions
- start-up investments
- employee share and incentive schemes
We also have specialist groups in the areas of finance and banking, funds & financial services, tax, commercial, real estate, employment, competition and IP, offering comprehensive transactional and advisory support.
Experience
Lead Investor
Members of the private equity team have previously worked on:
- Scottish Equity Partners and Business Growth Fund
£20 million co-investment of growth capital in SkyDox Limited, provider of cloud-enabled document collaboration software and the associated joining of forces with Workshare Limited
- Vista Equity Partners
UK counsel in relation to the an acquisition of Kondor, the risk management division of Thomson Reuters Corporation for approximately £650 million
- Capman Plc
Auction sale of IT2 Treasury Solutions Group
- D2 Private
Sale of 23 Savile Row in Mayfair to Plaza Global Real Estate Partners, the joint venture between Quantum Global Real Estate and LaSalle Investment Management
- ACP Capital
Establishment of ACP Capital's NextEnergy Initiative, a platform for the acquisition of renewable energy assets in Italy and southern Europe, through its subsidiary ACP Capital Infrastructure
- Risk Capital Partners
MBO of Bread Limited
- Blue Gem Capital Partners
Acquisitions of Enotria and The Private Clinic
- Reed Elsevier Ventures
Investment in Struq
- Vesuvius Limited
Series of equity and secured debt investments in Rightster Limited, a provider of distribution and monetisation services for downloadable video content
- Palamon Capital
Equity investment in Quality Solicitors
- Kelso Place
Sale of I2S Group's building controls division to Carrier Corporation
- Martland Holdings
Acquisition of Aylesford Newsprint from SCA and Mondi Group
- Endless
MBO of Cinesite (Europe) Limited
- Arle Capital
Acquisition of RBG Limited from 3i
Management Team
Members of the private equity team have previously worked on:
- New & Lingwood
Acting for the shareholders of New & Lingwood on its sale to POP Capital
- Fox International
Acting for Europe's largest privately owned fishing tackle company, Fox International, on a secondary buyout backed by Mayfair Equity Partners, for £50 million.
- Kensington Group
Advising the management of Kensington Group on its acquisition by Blackstone Tactical Opportunities and TPG Special Situations Partners.
- Acturis Ltd
Acquisition of Nordic Insurance Software (NIS), a provider of insurance software in the travel and assistance, expatriate and health insurance markets
- Isotrak Limited
Disposal to Finn Bidco Limited (backed by Lyceum Capital)
- The selling founder shareholders of Beatthatquote.com
Disposal to Google Inc for $61.5 million
- Limited Brands Inc
Acquisition of La Senza UK from Lion Capital
- Marussia Motors
Acquisition from Lloyds TSB Development Capital Limited of a majority stake in in Manor Holdco Limited, the Marussia Formula 1 team
- Quotient Bioscience Group Limited
£35 million fundraising from US private equity house TA Associates Inc. and its subsequent acquisition of four businesses including Amersham Radiolabelling Services
- Therium Capital Management Limited
Multiple fundraisings for new litigation funding vehicles
- Waratek Limited
Multiple rounds of equity financing led by Mangrove Capital Partners and Enterprise Ireland for an Irish software company, pioneers of Array Computing and inventors of RAIS Technology
- Devitt Insurance Services Limited
MBO from RBS Insurance Services Limited
- The management team backed by Credit Suisse
MBI of Park Finance Holdings Limited and subsequent equity restructuring
- Catalyst Property Investment Limited
Acquisition by GI Partners of Aldwych Investment Limited, which owns the freehold of Aldwych House, London W1
- Stylus Media Group
Investment by Hearst Interactive Media
- Carbon Resource Management Limited
Reorganisation and investment by the Vitol Group
- The major shareholders of Acturis
Growth equity investment by Summit Partners
- Chemigraphic
MBO of Chemigraphic by RJD Partners
- Brandon Tool Hire
MBO of Brandon Hire by Rutland Private Equity
- AllSaints Retail
Secondary MBO
- Seafood Holdings
Investment by Risk Capital Partners and subsequent sale to Bidvest
- Sorex
Disposal of its Network Bird business
Related services