George Knighton
Image of George Knighton

George Knighton

Partner

Email

george.knighton@aoshearman.com

Phone

+44 20 3088 3064

Offices

London

V-CARD
George specializes in public and private mergers and acquisitions, private equity transactions and restructurings and also routinely advises clients on corporate governance.
George has been ranked as a leading lawyer in Chambers Global, Chambers Europe and Chambers UK for Corporate/M&A: High-End Capability, in which clients describe him as “an effective and hard-working operator who is very focused on client service.” He also has been recognized as a leading individual for high-end M&A and for corporate governance in The Legal 500 UK and for M&A and private equity law by The Best Lawyers in the UK and IFLR1000.

Expertise

Experience

Representative matters

  • The majority owners of easyHotel, ICAMAP and CDPQ, on the sale of their majority stake in the business to Tristan Capital Partners and the board of easyHotel on the subsequent Rule 9 takeover offer (previous firm experience).
  • EG Group on its USD2.8 billion sale of the majority of its Ireland and U.K. businesses to ASDA Group Limited in 2023 and the subsequent sale of its remaining U.K. petrol filling stations to Zuber Issa in 2024 (previous firm experience).
  • Iceland Foods on bond issues in 2021 and 2023 and the sale of its No Meat vegan food business to LIVEKINDLY (previous firm experience).
  • DuPont on its USD2.3 billion acquisition of Laird Performance Materials (previous firm experience).
  • ASDA Group Limited on its GBP600 million acquisition of 132 petrol filling station sites from The Co-Op (previous firm experience).
  • Sampo plc on the USD907 million acquisition, from Rand Merchant Investment Holdings Limited, of the remaining 30% stake in Hastings Insurance Services Limited that it did not already own (previous firm experience).
  • Companies owned by investment funds managed by TDR Capital LLP on their investments in Jaja Finance, Wagestream and Bud Financial (previous firm experience).
  • EG Group on its acquisition of LEON Restaurants Limited (previous firm experience).
  • Zelon Holdings Inc. on its participation in Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings plc’s capital raise (previous firm experience).
  • Zuber and Mohsin Issa, owners of EG Group, and TDR Capital LLP on their GBP6.8 billion acquisition of a majority stake in ASDA Group Limited from Walmart Inc. (previous firm experience).
  • Sampo plc on the debt financing and shareholder arrangements with joint offeror Rand Merchant Investment Holdings Limited to support their GBP1.66 billion takeover bid for Hastings Group Holdings plc (previous firm experience).
  • Iceland Foods on the acquisition in 2020 by founder and executive chair Sir Malcolm Walker CBE and CEO Tarsem Dhaliwal of a 63% stake in Iceland Foods from Brait, a South African private equity fund (previous firm experience).
  • MJ Gleeson plc on equity capital raise and on corporate governance (previous firm experience).
  • Phoenix Group Holdings plc on its USD4.1 billion acquisition of ReAssure Group plc from Swiss Re. (previous firm experience).
  • HBOS on its GBP11 billion capital raise underwritten by HMG and its merger with Lloyds in 2008/9 following the GFC.
  • Misys plc—led advice to the board and senior management on several disposals and acquisitions and its response to multiple takeover approaches leading to its acquisition by Vista.
  • DTZ plc—led advice to the independent committee of the board and senior management on its nine month takeover offer period culminating in the administration of the listed company and the sale of its entire business.
  • Iceland Foods advising the founders of the business on its buy-out from a consortium of Icelandic banks in 2012 and on subsequent bond issues.
  • A global private equity firm on the takeover of Quintain in 2015.
  • Och-Ziff—advising the hedge fund manager on the acquisitions and subsequent restructuring and sales of its investments in Peacocks, Towergate, HSS, Whitehead Mann, and Eden Springs.
  • Keepmoat Homes—led the advice to the board on its restructuring and subsequent sale to TDR Capital. 
  • Phones4U—advising the administrators on sales of the business to Vodafone and EE.
  • B&M Stores—led advice to the founders on the sale of a majority stake to a private equity investor and the subsequent IPO of the business.
  • EG Group—led advice to the Issa brothers on their joint venture with TDR Capital and acquisition of businesses in Italy, Germany, Australia, and the USA.
  • Virgin Money on its acquisition of Northern Rock in 2012 (FIG M&A deal of the year 2013, Legal Business Awards); its IPO in 2014; and its takeover by CYBG in 2018.
  • Sage plc—advising the board and senior management on acquisitions and corporate governance. 

Pro bono

  • Member of the Company Law Committee of the City of London Law Society 

Awards

  • Chambers—Band 3 for Corporate/M&A - GBP800m +
  • Legal 500—leading partner for M&A GBP750m+ and for Corporate Governance 
  • IFLR—Highly regarded for M&A and Private Equity 

Qualifications

Admissions

Admitted as solicitor, England and Wales, September 1, 1999

SRA Number 197336

Disclaimer
A&O Shearman was formed on May 1, 2024 by the combination of Shearman & Sterling LLP and Allen & Overy LLP and their respective affiliates (the legacy firms). Any matters referred to above may include matters undertaken by one or more of the legacy firms rather than A&O Shearman.