Chris Horton

Latham & Watkins

IPOs were back in 2021, and Latham & Watkins’ Chris Horton was ready and waiting to make the most of the new mandates.

After an unexpected barrage of cashbox placings at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, Horton and his team swiftly transitioned last year to some of the City’s most high-profile listings. Acting for the banks in both instances, Horton was in the mix as Made.com made its London Stock Exchange debut, as did takeaway giant Deliveroo.

While the latter’s rather rocky start demonstrates the challenges faced by some of the country’s most promising corporates, there are plenty more opportunities. Horton is in prime position to enjoy the upcoming year of the SPAC: a special-purpose acquisition company that raises capital through an IPO to buy an existing business. Last year he led on Hedosophia Group’s launch of a blank cheque company that raised €400m ahead of trading on Euronext Amsterdam. An innovative and precedent-setting deal, it is now the template for European businesses wanting an IPO under a US SPAC model. Should present market conditions continue, get ready to see more of them in 2022.