He frequently advises on cross-border as well as UK-based transactions and has also spent 18 months on secondment to the firm's Tokyo office.
Stephen has particular expertise in relation to: mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures; transactions involving financial institutions, including asset managers, insurance companies and banks; transactions involving partnerships and LLPs; and the corporate/equity aspects of restructurings.
Stephen has experience in a wide range of commercial and corporate finance transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, transactions involving financial institutions, joint ventures, restructurings and transactions involving partnerships and LLPs.
Expertise
Industries
Experience
Representative matters
Quilter plc (formerly Old Mutual Wealth Management Limited) on (i) its demerger from the Old Mutual Group and its listing and IPO on the London Stock Exchange and Johannesburg Stock Exchange, (ii) the GBP483m disposal of Quilter International to Utmost; (iii) the GBP445m disposal of Old Mutual Wealth Life Assurance Limited to ReAssure, (iv) the GBP580m disposal of its single strategy asset management business Old Mutual Global Investors to TA Associates and management, (v) the GBP585m acquisition of Quilter Cheviot from Bridgepoint and other shareholders including management and (vi) its B Share scheme and two Odd-lot Offers.
NEC Corporation, a Japanese and global leading IT service provider listed on Tokyo Stock Exchange, on (i) the multi-jurisdictional sale of its global Wireless Transport Business to Aviat and (ii) the acquisition of UK-based IT services company, Northgate Public Services Limited, for GBP475m from Cinven and other shareholders including management.
River and Mercantile Group plc on (i) the GBP230m sale of its Solutions business to Schroders; (ii) its return of capital via a B Share Scheme and (iii) its all-share public takeover by AssetCo plc.
Funds managed by HPS Investment Partners on their acquisition of a GBP450m stake in Pension Insurance Corporation.
On the corporate aspects of a number of major restructurings, including a leading leisure, travel and tourism company (for the company), Debenhams (for the senior lenders), Interserve (for the senior lenders), Premier Oil (for the senior lenders), Stemcor (for the senior lenders), PHS Group (for the company) and Autobar Group (for the company).
Published Work
- Contributor to "A Practitioner's Guide to the Financial Services Authority"
- Listing Regime 2007/8, 2008/9 and 2009/10 editions
Leadership Positions And Professional Affiliations
- Member of the Company Law Committee of the City of London Law Society
Qualifications
Admissions
Admitted as solicitor, England and Wales, 1998
Academic
MA, Modern History, Worcester College, Oxford University, 1994
CPE, The College Of Law, London, 1995
LPC, The College Of Law, London, 1996
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.