Press Releases
Holman Fenwick Willan continues to grow corporate capability with significant Partner hires
International law firm Holman Fenwick Willan (HFW) continues to grow its international corporate practice with the recruitment of Partners Giles Beale and James Wilson who have joined the firm's London office from Reed Smith.
Giles and James specialise in corporate finance and international mergers and acquisitions, in particular involving the equity capital markets. They advise a wide variety of issuers, investors and intermediaries on IPOs, secondary offerings and takeovers in London (both on the Main Market and AIM) and internationally. They have particular expertise in assisting overseas businesses and investors in their dealings with the London Stock Exchange, the UK Listing Authority and the UK's Panel on Takeovers and Mergers.
Giles led the first primary listing of a US corporation on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange and the first dual listing of a company on AIM and the Toronto Stock Exchange.
Brian Gordon, head of the firm's corporate practice commented: "I am delighted to welcome Giles and James to our growing international corporate team. Despite the market downturn, and by working closely with our wider legal service and industry sector groups, we are seeing significant opportunities to help domestic and international clients take advantage of transactional opportunities when and where required. We have been working on some significant transactions over the last year, including the recent high profile Asia Coal Energy takeover of Asia Resource Minerals, and I am excited by the future opportunities that the experience and market recognition of Giles and James will bring to the firm."
The firm has been making significant investments in building its international corporate capability and the hire of Giles and James comes on the back of a number of other recent important hires into the team, including Simon Adams (Perth), Franck Bernauer (Paris), Haydn Dare (Jakarta), Jayson Marks (London), Jonathan Martin (London), Alexander Reid (London).
Recent matters members of our corporate team have worked on include:
- Advising Asia Coal Energy Ventures on its US$200 million contested takeover of Asia Resource Minerals.
- Advising Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund on the M&A aspects of the privatisation of the Greek gas industry, including the €400 million sale of DESFA to SOCAR.
- Advising NMC Healthcare on its acquisition of Americare Group and Dr. Sunny Healthcare Group valued at US$100 million.
- Advising Pacific Road Capital on the sale of Mantle Diamonds to Kimberley Diamonds Limited.
- Advising African Bank Investments Limited on its US$525 million JSE rights issue underwritten by Goldman Sachs.
- Advising the government of Kazakhstan on the £3 billion takeover of Eurasian Natural Resources Corporation and the related disposal of a 26% shareholding in Kazakhmys plc.
