Contact details

Duncan Stiles

T: +44 20 7809 2163 M: +44 7768 122 740 Email Duncan | vCard Office: London

Awards

M&A - Lower mid-market

M&A - Lower mid-market

Duncan Stiles Partner

Contact details

Duncan Stiles

Duncan Stiles
Partner

T: +44 20 7809 2163 M: +44 7768 122 740 Email Duncan | vCard Office: London

Duncan is a senior corporate partner at Stephenson Harwood LLP. He advises a sophisticated, internationally diverse client base in Europe and the US across a range of sectors (including manufacturing, technology and real estate) on complex transactions which often have a cross-border element.  
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Over the last 30 years, Duncan has advised a wide range of listed and unlisted UK and international companies, private equity sponsors and financial institutions on transactional matters including public and private M&A, joint ventures, fundraisings and corporate reorganisations.

The United States is a particular focus for Duncan's practice and over the last 15 years he has advised in relation to strategic European investments by numerous US corporates and financial sponsors; most recently Intercontinental Exchange, Inc; Kroll Inc, Elemica Inc and Corporation Service Company. He advised Covanta Holding Corporation on its strategic partnership with Green Investment Group (part of the Macquarie Group) to develop, fund and own energy-from-waste projects in the UK and Ireland and now advises the UK business directly following the acquisition of GIG's interests.

He has recently advised on a number of deals in the technology sector, including Kroll's acquisition of cyber-security services provider Redscan; Elemica's purchase of OmPrompt, a company focussed on the automation and optimisation of supply chain processes and document management; and Intercontinental Exchange's acquisition of Urgentem, a provider of emissions data and climate risk analytics to the finance industry.
 

 "Frequently sought out for assistance in transatlantic investment deals."
The Legal 500 UK 2022
  • Private equity
  • Real estate
  • Joint ventures
  • Public and private M&A

Duncan has advised UK and international venture capital and mid-market private equity houses, as well as corporates transacting with VC/PE houses and their investee companies.  Key transactions include:

Acquisition of testing equipment manufacturer system

Advised Boston based private equity firm Union Park Capital and its portfolio company Industrial Physics LLC on the acquisition of testing equipment manufacturer Systech Illinois (with businesses in the UK and the US).

Acquisition of UK telecommunications business

Advised Marlin Equity Partners on the UK aspects of its acquisition of Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN) to form Coriant. NSN is a global provider of telecommunications infrastructure hardware, software and services.

UK Specialist Hospitals sale to Care UK

Advised the investors in UK Specialist Hospitals, a provider of elective surgery centres for NHS funded patients, on its sale to Care UK.

Acquisition of high end flooring company

Advised Mannington Mills Inc on it strategic £100 million acquisition of high end flooring company Amtico from AAC Capital UK.

More: Private equity

Duncan advises on the corporate aspects of real estate transactions often on deals where the asset is held in a corporate wrapper. Key transactions include:

Divestment of London office building to South African investment company

Representing the selling investors on the multi-million pound divestment of a Mayfair London office building to a South African investment company.

Acquisition of tenanted pub portfolio

Advised Red Oak Taverns Group on the acquisition of the 146-strong GRS tenanted pub portfolio and the associated equity investment into the Red Oak Group as part of the funding for the transaction.

Acquisition and investment in UK property market

Advised Hong Kong real estate group Peterson on its joint £71 million acquisition with Resolution Property of the Great Northern Warehouse in Manchester and on its investment into Hadley Property Group through a strategic joint venture with LJ Group, the global multi-family office.

More: Real estate

Duncan has worked on a huge range of joint ventures involving a variety of jurisdictions and asset classes.  Key transactions include:

Covanta and GIG/Macquarie strategic partnership

Advised Covanta on its strategic partnership with Green Investment Group(GIG)/Macquarie to develop, fund and own energy-from-waste projects in the UK and Ireland. The initial investment took place into Covanta's Dublin EfW project, with the purchase price implying a total enterprise value for the project of about €700 million.

Acquisition of a European automotive supplier

Provided English law advice on the acquisition by Henniges Automotive, a Michigan-based automotive supplier of a competitor based and operating throughout Europe.

Investment in online gaming sector

Advised SportsMEDIA Technology Inc's investment into sports betting platform provider FSB Technology.

Acquisition and investment in UK property market

Advised Hong Kong real estate group Peterson on its joint £71 million acquisition with Resolution Property of the Great Northern Warehouse in Manchester. Also advised on its investment into Hadley Property Group through a strategic joint venture with LJ Group, the global multi-family office.

Joint venture to create India-based steel fabricator

Advised Severfield plc's joint venture with India's Jindal Group to create India based steel fabricator JSW Severfield Structures Limited.

More: Joint ventures

Duncan advises clients on a wide range of M&A transactions, including public takeover offers and private company asset or share deals. These often have international elements and particularly involve United States based acquirers of businesses situated in Europe.  Key transactions include:

Covanta and GIG/Macquarie strategic partnership

Advised Covanta on its strategic partnership with Green Investment Group(GIG)/Macquarie to develop, fund and own energy-from-waste projects in the UK and Ireland. The initial investment took place into Covanta's Dublin EfW project, with the purchase price implying a total enterprise value for the project of about €700 million.

Meggitt PLC on sale of Meggitt Target Systems to QinetiQ Group plc

Advised Meggitt PLC on the sale of the shares in three target companies, collectively known as Meggitt Target Systems to QinetiQ Group plc for £57.5 million in cash. The sale was run as an auction process and Stephenson Harwood worked closely with Meggitt and its financial advisers Stephens Europe to achieve a successful outcome.

Acquisition of testing equipment manufacturer system

Advised Boston based private equity firm Union Park Capital and its portfolio company Industrial Physics LLC on the acquisition of testing equipment manufacturer Systech Illinois (with businesses in the UK and the US).

Acquisition of ComNet

Advised Access Control Enterprises LLC (ACRE) on the acquisition of a manufacturer of video and data transmission equipment Communication Networks LLC (dba ComNet).

Mercer acquisition of Sirota Consulting

Advised global consultant group Mercer on its acquisition of Sirota Consulting, a provider of employee engagement solutions.

Sale of JB Riney to Tarmac

Advised various trust and individual sellers in relation to the sale of civil engineering company JB Riney to Tarmac, the building materials business part of the CRH Group.

Coral AE acquisition of Lukoil Cyprus

Advised Coral AE (a subsidiary of Motor Oil Hellas Corinth Refineries S.A.) on its €10 million acquisition of 31 Lukoil petrol stations in the Republic of Cyprus.

DealerTrack takeover of incadea

Advised on DealerTrack Holdings Inc's £122 million public takeover of London listed provider of enterprise software solutions to the automotive industry, incadea plc.

Acquisition of a UK-based professional services business

Advised financial services group Duff & Phelps on its acquisition of the business and assets of MCR, a UK-based corporate restructuring and turnaround firm.

UK Specialist Hospitals sale to Care UK

Advised the investors in UK Specialist Hospitals, a provider of elective surgery centres for NHS funded patients, on its sale to Care UK.

Motor Oil Hellas acquisition of Shell's downstream business in Greece 

Advised Motor Oil Hellas on its $245 million acquisition of Shell's downstream business in Greece, involving the acquisition of Shell Hellas A.E., the Greek arm of Shell International and operator of some 700 petrol stations in Greece; Shell A.E.B.E.Y., a liquid petroleum company and the entry into a new aviation fuel marketing joint venture with Shell.

Acquisition of a European automotive supplier

Provided English law advice on the acquisition by Henniges Automotive, a Michigan-based automotive supplier of a competitor based and operating throughout Europe.

More: Public and private M&A

  • Real estate
  • Technology
  • Energy and natural resources
  • Professional services

Divestment of London office building to South African investment company

Representing the selling investors on the multi-million pound divestment of a Mayfair London office building to a South African investment company.

Acquisition of tenanted pub portfolio

Advised Red Oak Taverns Group on the acquisition of the 146-strong GRS tenanted pub portfolio and the associated equity investment into the Red Oak Group as part of the funding for the transaction.

Acquisition of shares

Advised Hong Kong’s Peterson Group on the acquisition from Resolution Property of the shares it did not already own in the holding company of Great Northern Warehouse.

New London Bridge House Limited 

Advising New London Bridge House Limited in relation to the Shard London Bridge development. New London Bridge House has now been demolished and replaced by the London Bridge Place.

More: Real estate

Acquisition of testing equipment manufacturer system

Advised Boston based private equity firm Union Park Capital and its portfolio company Industrial Physics LLC on the acquisition of testing equipment manufacturer Systech Illinois (with businesses in the UK and the US).

DealerTrack takeover of incadea

Advised on DealerTrack Holdings Inc's £122 million public takeover of London listed provider of enterprise software solutions to the automotive industry, incadea plc.

Acquisition of a European automotive supplier

Provided English law advice on the acquisition by Henniges Automotive, a Michigan-based automotive supplier of a competitor based and operating throughout Europe.

incadea acquisition of RC Real Business Solutions

Advised incadea plc, the leading provider of enterprise software solutions to the automotive industry, on its acquisition of dealer management software company RC Real Business Solutions GmbH.

UK aspects of assets acquisition

Advised Infor Inc on the UK aspects of its assets acquisition of Saleslogix, a leading provider of SaaS customer relationship management software.

More: Technology

Covanta and GIG/Macquarie strategic partnership

Advised Covanta on its strategic partnership with Green Investment Group(GIG)/Macquarie to develop, fund and own energy-from-waste projects in the UK and Ireland. The initial investment took place into Covanta's Dublin EfW project, with the purchase price implying a total enterprise value for the project of about €700 million.

Coral AE acquisition of Lukoil Cyprus

Advised Coral AE (a subsidiary of Motor Oil Hellas Corinth Refineries S.A.) on its €10 million acquisition of 31 Lukoil petrol stations in the Republic of Cyprus.

Motor Oil Hellas acquisition of Shell's downstream business in Greece

Advised Motor Oil Hellas on its $245 million acquisition of Shell's downstream business in Greece, involving the acquisition of Shell Hellas A.E., the Greek arm of Shell International and operator of some 700 petrol stations in Greece; Shell A.E.B.E.Y., a liquid petroleum company and the entry into a new aviation fuel marketing joint venture with Shell.

More: Energy and natural resources

Sale of JB Riney to Tarmac

Advised various trust and individual sellers in relation to the sale of civil engineering company JB Riney to Tarmac, the building materials business part of the CRH Group.

Acquisition of a UK-based professional services business

Advised financial services group Duff & Phelps' on its acquisition of the business and assets of MCR, a UK-based corporate restructuring and turnaround firm.

Recruitment services company conversion to LLP status

Negotiated and redrafted agreements as part of the conversion of Odgers holding company to LLP status.

Sale of headhunting firm to management

Advised OPD Group on the sale of headhunting firm Odgers Berndtson to its management.

More: Professional services

  • North America

Covanta and GIG/Macquarie strategic partnership

Advised Covanta on its strategic partnership with Green Investment Group(GIG)/Macquarie to develop, fund and own energy-from-waste projects in the UK and Ireland. The initial investment took place into Covanta's Dublin EfW project, with the purchase price implying a total enterprise value for the project of about €700 million.

Meggitt PLC on sale of Meggitt Target Systems to QinetiQ Group plc

Advised Meggitt PLC on the sale of the shares in three target companies, collectively known as Meggitt Target Systems to QinetiQ Group plc for £57.5 million in cash. The sale was run as an auction process and Stephenson Harwood worked closely with Meggitt and its financial advisers Stephens Europe to achieve a successful outcome.

Acquisition of ComNet

Advised Access Control Enterprises LLC (ACRE) on the acquisition of a manufacturer of video and data transmission equipment Communication Networks LLC (dba ComNet).

Mercer acquisition of Sirota Consulting

Advised global consultant group Mercer on its acquisition of Sirota Consulting, a provider of employee engagement solutions.

Acquisition of a European automotive supplier

Provided English law advice on the acquisition by Henniges Automotive, a Michigan-based automotive supplier of a competitor based and operating throughout Europe.

Acquisition of a European automotive supplier

Provided English law advice on the acquisition by Henniges Automotive, a Michigan-based automotive supplier, of a competitor based and operating throughout Europe.

DealerTrack takeover of incadea

Advised on DealerTrack Holdings Inc's £122 million public takeover of London listed provider of enterprise software solutions to the automotive industry, incadea plc.

UK aspects of assets acquisition

Advised Infor Inc on the UK aspects of its assets acquisition of Saleslogix, a leading provider of SaaS customer relationship management software.

Acquisition of a UK-based professional services business

Advised financial services group Duff & Phelps' on its acquisition of the business and assets of MCR, a UK-based corporate restructuring and turnaround firm.

More: North America

Awards

M&A - Lower mid-market

M&A - Lower mid-market

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