Corporate

Sam has a broad range of transactional experience having advised on multi billion pound cross border disposals, leverage buyouts of multi-jurisdictional businesses, acquisitions and disposals of UK based owner managed businesses, group re-organisations and fundraisings both from private investors and on the London equity capital markets.

Advising Al Tayyar Travel Group Holding Company, a Saudi listed global travel group, on its acquisitions of Elegant Resorts Limited and Co-operative Travel Management Limited from Thomas Cook Group plc.

Advising the management team of Gracewell Healthcare on its £153 million sale to Sunrise Senior Living and Health Care REIT.

Advising Cove Energy Plc on its formal sale process under the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers which led to offers from Royal Dutch Shell and PTTEP Africa Investment Limited, and Cove's subsequent £1.2 billion sale to PTTEP, Thailand's largest oil and gas company.

Advised Arthur J. Gallagher & Co, on its acquisitions over the past seven years, including Heath Lambert for £97 million, Giles Insurance Brokers for £233 million and the Oval Group for £199 million.

Public and private M&A

Sam's M&A experience is broad and encompasses:

Private M&A

Advising Al Tayyar Travel Group Holding Company, a Saudi listed global travel group, on its acquisitions of Elegant Resorts Limited and Co-operative Travel Management Limited from Thomas Cook Group plc.

Advised the shareholders of Blevins Franks an international financial advisory business on its sale to a FTSE 100 company.

Advised Cape Plc, the energy services company on its acquisition of industrial services provider YL Holdings Limited for circa £5 million.

Advised Longbow Real Estate Capital LLP, the mezzanine finance specialist, on its sale of a 51% interest to Intermediate Capital Group plc and subsequent funding joint venture.

Advised Arthur J. Gallagher on its acquisitions over the past seven years, including Heath Lambert for £97 million, Giles Insurance Brokers for £233 million and the Oval Group for £199 million.

Advised on the investment by Moorefield Group in Audley Retirement Villages through a Luxembourg based corporate structure.

Public M&A

Advised Cove Energy Plc on its formal sale process under the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers which led to offers from Royal Dutch Shell and PTTEP Africa Investment Limited, and Cove's subsequent £1.2 billion sale to PTTEP, Thailand's largest oil and gas company.

Advised The Parkmead Group Plc on its recommended all share offer for DEO Petroleum plc in a transaction valuing DEO Petroluem Plc at £12.7 million.

Advised Cenkos Securities Plc, financial adviser and broker to Ithaca Energy Inc, on its £203 million acquisition of Valiant Petroleum Plc.

More: Public and private M&A

Private equity

Sam has particular experience of advising on transactions involving private equity and venture capital funding. His recent experience includes:

Advising the management team of Gracewell Healthcare on its £153 million sale to Sunrise Senior Living and Health Care REIT.

Advising the management team of Discover Exploration on an equity investment of up to US$200 million by Carlye International Energy Partners, an oil and gas exploration fund managed by The Carlyle Group.

Advising the management of London Offshore Consultants, a leading marine engineering consultancy, on the sale of a minority stake to Bridgepoint Development Capital at a £50 million valuation.

Sam acts for UK and European venture capital funds and family offices focussed on investing in high growth technology assets. He has advised on numerous funding rounds and has equal experience of acting for investors and investee companies. He has particular expertise in the fintech sector but also experience in Media, Data and SaaS.

Equity capital markets

Sam has acted on numerous equity capital markets transactions. Key experience includes:

Advised Cove Energy plc on its £110 million secondary fundraising on the AIM market.

Advised Firestone Diamonds plc on the reverse takeover of Kopane Diamonds plc by way of scheme of arrangement. The transaction valued Kopane Diamonds plc at £51 million.

Advised Cenkos Securities plc as financial adviser and broker to Ithaca Energy Inc on its £203 million acquisition of Valiant Petroleum Plc.

Insurance brokers

Sam has particular experience of transactions involving insurance brokers and managing general agencies. He has advised clients on numerous joint ventures, financing transactions, acquisitions and disposals in this arena. His clients include London market brokers, international risk management businesses and management teams.

Sam's transactional experience includes the following:

The acquisition of Heath Lambert Group (HLG Holdings) for £97 million from its management team, banks and private equity owners.

The acquisition of Giles Insurance Brokers Limited the commercial retail, personal lines and wholesale underwriting specialist for £233 million from funds managed by Charterhouse Capital Partners.

The acquisition of The Oval Group, the commercial broking and financial services business headquartered in London with 24 office locations for £199 million from funds managed by Caledonian Investments and other strategic investors and employee shareholders.

The investment by Allied World Assurance Company in Gravity Underwriting Limited, the specialist Lloyds managing general agency.

The acquisition of SMEi Insurance Group, the independent broker specialising in commercial insurance to small and medium-sized enterprises across the UK.

The acquisition of Acumus Limited, an insurance broker specialising in the housing association sector. The acquisition included the acquisition of the core shares in Igloo Insurance PCC Limited, a Guernsey based protected cell company.

The acquisition of Evolution Underwriting the managing general agency which provides commercial insurance products to independent retail broker clients.

Advising Tasker Ventures Limited, an insurance broker backed by funds managed by Alcuin Capital LLP, on its acquisitions of Maestro Insurance Services Limited, Target IT Limited and the business and assets of Gresham Underwriting and LMI Insurance Brokers.

The acquisition of Blenheim Park Limited, a retail insurance broker specialising in second and holiday home insurance in the UK and abroad.

The acquisition of the reinsurance broking business of Execution Noble, a subsidiary of Espirito Santo investment bank which specialised in collateralised property cat reinsurance, speciality reinsurance and capital relief products.

The acquisition of the property and commercial businesses of Barbon Insurance Group, including the broking brands, Deacon, Farr, Cadogan Keelan Westall and Keelan Westall. As part of the same transaction OIM Underwriting acquired Zenor Limited, a specialist managing general agency.

The acquisition of Belmont International, a market leading insurance broker specialising in passenger transportation and employee benefits.

Technology

Sam has been focused on the technology space for a number of years and has a broad range of experience. He is particularly interested in the connection between financial services and technology and has advised on numerous deals in the fintech space. His experience includes:

Advising software One, the software licensing experts.

Advising a UK Challenger Bank on its early stage funding rounds.

Advising Orange Growth Capital on numerous investments in UK based fintech businesses.

Advising a high net worth individual on investments in numerous UK based technology businesses, covering Social Media, Big Data and Telematics.

More: Technology

Hotels and leisure

Sam has notable experience in the beverage sector where he has acted on numerous transactions. His key experience includes:

Advising Al Tayyar Travel Group Holding Company, a Saudi listed global travel group, on its acquisitions of Elegant Resorts Limited and Co-operative Travel Management Limited from Thomas Cook Group plc.

Advising C&C Group plc on its acquisition of The Gaymer Cider Company for £45 million from Constellation Brands Inc.

Advising C&C Group plc on its acquisition of Tennent's lager from Anheuser-Busch for £180 million. The transaction included the acquisition of the WellPark Brewery in Glasgow and distribution rights to Becks and Stella Artois in Ireland and Scotland.

Advised the shareholders of Service Dispense Equipment (Holdings) Limited on its acquisition by Innserve Limited, the leading drinks dispense service company.

Advised a high net worth investor on an investment in a coffee capsule business Crukafe Limited.

Life sciences

Sam has significant experience of advising on deals in the Healthcare area where his core experience involves acting for management teams, developers and funders of assisted living, retirement villages and care homes.

Advising the management team of Gracewell Healthcare on its £153 million sale to Sunrise Senior Living and Health Care REIT.

Advised on the investment by Moorefield Group in Audley Retirement Villages through a Luxembourg based corporate structure.

Advised on the £600 million refinancing of Caring Homes group and sale of a 17% stake.

Advised the equity arrangements in respect of Tender Life Care, a specialist care home development group.