Image of Maegen Morrison

Maegen Morrison

Partner

Maegen is a senior corporate finance partner and advises listed companies, large private companies, financial advisers and financial sponsors on public and private M&A, equity capital market transactions, shareholder activism and corporate governance.

Maegen provides strategic advice to listed and private companies on public and private M&A in the UK and cross-border, joint ventures, demergers and restructurings as well as both primary and secondary capital raisings. She has a particular focus on financial institutions, both on their advisory and own account transactions. In 2021, 2022 and 2023, Maegen was named among IFLR1000’s Women Leaders.

Experience

Representative matters

Paysafe on its £3 billion takeover by CVC and Blackstone. 

Electra Private Equity plc and Hostmore plc on the demerger of Hostmore and its admission to trading on the premium listing segment of the Main Market.

Liberty Global on its £1.2 billion investment into Vodafone.

Optimal Payments on its transformational €1.1 billion acquisition of Skrill and associated £450 million rights issue, which won 2015 AIM deal of the year.

Ingredion on its public takeover of PureCircle, a London premium-listed producer of stevia sweeteners. 

Agratas Limited (a subsidiary of Tata Sons) on their plans to establish a global battery cell gigafactory in the UK with a capacity to produce 40 GW of cells annually. The investment of over £4 billion, will deliver electric mobility and renewable energy storage solutions for customers in UK and Europe.

Liberty Global plc on the announcement of its intention to launch a voluntary and conditional public takeover bid for all of the shares of Telenet Group Holding NV.

Circet on its acquisition of Qube GB.

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company on a preferred equity investment.

Canaccord Genuity Group, Inc. on the acquisition of Results International Group LLP.

DBAY on its public takeover of Telit Communications plc.

Goldman Sachs International, Stifel, Cenkos and Berenberg on the £100 million placing by Marlowe plc.

SABMiller plc on its £79 billion takeover by AB InBev.

Liberum Capital Limited and Goldman Sachs International on the £105 million capital raising for Ted Baker.

Canaccord Genuity as nomad, broker and financial adviser on the AIM IPO of GBGI Limited (or The Global Benefits Group).

Liberum Capital Limited and RBC Europe Limited on the placing of approximately £60 million of new ordinary shares in the capital of Brewin to institutional investors.

A major financial institution on its disposal of its UK secured lending business.

J.P. Morgan Cazenove and Numis as sponsors on Mothercare’s rights issue which helped to reshape the Mothercare business.

J.P. Morgan Cazenove and Numis on the £80 million placing by Marston’s plc to fund its acquisition of Charles Wells Ltd.

The Icelandic Government on the restructure of the Icelandic banking system, a transaction which was high profile, complicated and innovative.

A major financial institution on a series of financial asset disposals in Italy.

SABMiller plc on its combination of its US operations in a joint venture with Molson Coors.

Merrill Lynch International and BNP Paribas on the cash confirmation relating to EDF’s £12.4 billion acquisition of British Energy plc. 

Paysafe on its £2 billion step-up from AIM to the main market.

UniCredit and InterCapital as joint global coordinators and book runners on Arena Hospitality Group’s €105 million capital raise. 

Pro bono

Supporting Maternity Action, the UK’s leading charity committed to promoting, protecting and enhancing the rights of all pregnant women, new mothers and their families to employment, social security and health care.

Supporting Working Families which provides free legal advice to parents and carers on their rights at work.

Advising Afya Inc on a partnership through a merger and joint venture, or through acquisition. 

Supporting Elimu which connects young people with role models, through entrepreneurship and employability initiatives. 

Provided transactional support to Magic Breakfast, a charity that works to ensure no child in the UK starts their day too hungry to learn. 

Provided transactional support to Bloomful on their fundraising round.

Provided transactional support to Algreen Ltd, a renewable chemical company focusing on the development of environmentally sustainable solutions for a green future. 

Published Work

  • Morrison. M, Withers. N (2024) “Public M&A: Trends and Highlights 2023”, Thomson Reuters Practical Law
  • Morrison. M, Burrows. S, Withers. N (2023) “Public M&A: Trends and Highlights 2022”, Thomson Reuters Practical Law
  • Morrison. M, Szaja. P, Scargill. M (2023) “Initial Public Offerings Law and Regulations 2023”, Global Legal Insights
  • Morrison. M, Szaja. P, Scargill. M (2022) “Initial Public Offerings Law and Regulations 2022”, Global Legal Insights
  • Morrison. M, Withers. N, Burrows. S, Scargill. M (2022) “Public Mergers and Acquisitions in the United Kingdom: Overview” Thomas Reuters Practical Law
  • Morrison. M, Strecker. P, Withers. N, Burrows. S, Porter. R, Scargill. M (2022) “Private Mergers and Acquisitions in the UK: Overview” Thomas Reuters Practical Law

Leadership Positions And Professional Affiliations

  • Member, Advisory Board, Women in Law Empowerment Forum

Awards

  • Ranked in ‘Women Leaders’ by IFLR1000 in 2021, 2022 and 2023
  • Ranked as ‘Highly Regarded’ by IFLR1000, 2023

Qualifications

Admissions

Victoria, Australia, 1999
New South Wales, Australia, 2001 
England & Wales, 2004

Academic

Bachelor of Commerce, University of Adelaide, 1994
Bachelor of Commerce with honors, University of Adelaide, 1995
L.L. B. with honors, Bachelor of Laws, University of Adelaide, 1997
Graduate Diploma of Applied Finance and Investment, Securities Institute of Australia, 2002

Languages

English
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.