A multidisciplinary team from Walker Morris has advised private label manufacturer Mibelle Group on its acquisition of a majority shareholding in Quantum Beauty Company. QBC is the owner and creator of brands including Lee Stafford Haircare, Arganoil from Morocco and Salon Science Haircare. While QBC continues consolidating the global success of its own brands, the two companies […]
KPMG’s general counsel Vanessa Sharp is set to quit her role in May to seek new opportunities. Sharp has headed up the accountancy giant’s legal team since 1996, having a hand in its European merger in 2007 and subsequently becoming KPMG’s first Europe general counsel. Her role has seen her manage the governance bodies of […]
Baker & McKenzie, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Herbert Smith Freehills and Linklaters are among the firms to win roles on Hong Kong giant Hutchison Whampoa’s proposed acquisition of O2. Herbert Smith Freehills is understood to have scooped the key role acting for O2. Meanwhile, it is thought that Linklaters is playing a key role for Hutchison […]
Eaglewood Europe has hired former Sidley Austin associate Dipali Sahni as its first general counsel. The investment management firm was established following UK hedge fund manager Marshall Wace’s acquisition of a majority stake in US-based Eaglewood Capital Management in April 2014. It is hoped that Eaglewood Europe will help Marshall Wace enhance its footstep in […]
Allen & Overy (A&O), Ashurst, Dillon Eustace and William Fry have won key mandates advising on the £680m acquisition of the Jurys Inn hotel chain by US private equity group Lone Star. The hotel chain is being sold by the consortium of investors that currently owns it, including Oman Investment Fund, Mount Kellett Capital Management, […]
Elizabeth Shepherd, partner and renewable energy expert at law firm Eversheds comments on calls from UK MPs for a moratorium on fracking. She says: “The Committee’s findings are very disappointing, given the wealth of scientific evidence which confirms that hydraulic fracturing and shale gas exploration/production can be undertaken safely and in an environmentally responsible way […]
It has been announced that Barry Leon of Conyers Dill & Pearman will replace Justice Edward Bannister QC as the Commercial Court judge. The appointment will last for three years and will start on 16 March 2015. Leon is a leading international arbitration practitioner, and his appointment coincides with the recent coming into force of the BVI […]
Law firm Eversheds has advised leading UK middle-market private equity firm Phoenix Equity Partners on the acquisition of Bridge Leisure, the holiday park operator, alongside the current management team led by CEO Andrew Howe. As part of the transaction, Bridge Leisure is simultaneously acquiring Silver Sands Holiday Park which is located near Lossiemouth in Scotland. […]
Shoosmiths has advised Swedish conglomerate Indutrade on its acquisition of the entire share capital of Adaero Precision Components Ltd, from the Cosworth Group. Shoosmiths corporate partner Ben Turner, associate Al Hammerton and tax partner Kate Featherstone advised on the deal after impressing Indutrade with their approach on the sale of Birmingham Specialities Ltd to Indutrade […]
The market saw its fair share of mergers in 2014. But according to a new survey, expect plenty more action where those came from. Almost half of all firms that haven’t locked down a merger in the past five years would consider marriage before 2017. And a whopping 95 per cent of managing partners expect […]
Excelerate Technology Ltd paid its former technology director Lindsay Cumberbatch £62,500 as consideration for agreeing to the extension of post-termination restrictions at the time of his redundancy. In contravention of those restrictions Cumberbatch set up Red Foot Technologies as a competitive business with his friend David Osmond, fostering the pretence that Osmond was the real […]
Lexa Hilliard QC is a well-respected commercial chancery silk with a strong expertise in domestic and international insolvency, general commercial and company litigation, professional negligence and civil fraud. Between 1990 and 2011, she practised from South Square, another leading London set. Prior to that, she lectured in law at Durham University and worked for nine months as part […]