Louise Barber

Equity Capital Markets

• Advised Aptamer Group plc, the developer of novel Optimer® binders to enable innovation in the life sciences industry, on its £80.7 million AIM IPO.
• Advised GB Group plc, the expert in digital location, identity and identity fraud software, in connection with its cash box placing and separate PrimaryBid retail offer to raise gross proceeds of £305 million to part fund its US$736 million (circa £547 million) acquisition of Acuant Intermediate Holding Corp.
• Advised ECI Partners LLP as selling shareholder on the £600 million main market IPO of Auction Technology Group plc (premium listing).
• Advised Kooth plc, the digital mental health and wellbeing provider, on its £66 million AIM IPO.
• Advised Polypipe Group plc in connection with its cash box placing to raise gross proceedings of £120 million.
• Advised UK-based clothing retailer Bonmarché Holdings Limited in connection with its step up from AIM to the main market (premium listing).
• Advised ScS Group plc, one of the UK’s largest retailers of sofas and carpets, on its £70 million main market IPO (premium listing).
• Advised Market Tech Holdings Limited, owner and operator of London’s Camden Market, in connection with its institutional placing on AIM to raise circa £200.7 million and subsequent step up from AIM to the main market (standard listing).
• Advised PureTech Health plc, the US-based cross-disciplinary biotech company, on its circa £364 million main market IPO (premium listing).
• Advised Allied Minds plc, the US-based intellectual property commercialisation company, on its circa £398 million main market IPO (premium listing).
• Advised Etihad Airways, the Abu Dhabi-based airline, in connection with its subscription to a €300 million 8% perpetual subordinated cumulative convertible guaranteed bond as part of a restructuring of airberlin plc.
• Advised Conviviality Retail plc on its circa £232 million AIM IPO.
• Advised boohoo.com plc on its circa £560 million AIM IPO.
• Advised Entertainment One Ltd., the Canada-based multinational media distribution company, in connection with its step up from AIM to the main market (standard listing).
• Advised Lookers plc, the UK-based car dealership chain, in connection with its firm placing and placing and open offer to raise circa £80.1 million.
• Advised St. Modwen Properties plc, the brownfield regeneration specialist, in connection with its firm placing and placing and open offer to raise circa £107.4 million.

Public Takeovers

• Advised Instem plc in connection with its circa £203 million takeover by Ichor Management Limited, a company incorporated by funds controlled by global investment firm Archimed SAS, implemented by means of a scheme of arrangement.
• Advised Heineken UK in connection with its acquisition of Punch Securitisation A, a portfolio of approximately 1,900 UK pubs owned by Punch Taverns (enterprise value £1.15 billion), conditional on completion of the recommended takeover of Punch Taverns by Patron Capital.
• Advised Synergy Health plc in connection with its US$1.9 billion takeover by STERIS Corporation implemented by means of a scheme of arrangement.
• Advised the independent board of Zetar plc, a UK-based chocolate producer, in connection with its £46 million takeover by Zertus GmbH in conjunction with the existing management team.
• Advised Networkers International plc in connection with its £57.9 million recommended acquisition of Matchtech Group plc. implemented by means of a scheme of arrangement.
• Advised iJet International Inc. in connection with its recommended cash acquisition of red24 plc for £13.2 million implemented by means of a scheme of arrangement.
• Advised Scott Wilson Group plc in connection with its £223 million competitive takeover by URS Corporation implemented by means of a scheme of arrangement.
• Advised interests of the Cosmen family in relation to its proposed (and subsequently aborted) £765 million takeover offer for National Express Group plc.
• Advised The Corporate Services Group plc on its merger with Carlisle Group Limited and the re-admission of a newly incorporated holding company to trading on AIM.

M&A

• Advised workplace savings and pensions fintech Cushon Group in connection with NatWest Group plc’s acquisition of an 85% majority shareholding in Cushon for £144 million
• Advised ECI Partners LLP and management shareholders in connection with the sale of chartered insurance broker Clear Group to Goldman Sachs Asset Management.
• Advised Friend MTS, a leading global provider of video content security services, on an investment in the business by private equity firm NorthEdge.
• Advised Malta Stock Exchange listed 1923 Investments plc in connection with its acquisition of NYSE listed Teekay Tankers’ global oil and gas ship-to-ship transfer and terminal management support services business.
• Advised Studio Retail Group plc in connection with its proposed class 1 disposal of Findel Education Limited to the Yorkshire Purchasing Organisation for £50 million.
• Advised Pets at Home Group plc in connection with its buy out of 60 joint venture veterinary practices from third-party joint venture partners as part of a restructuring of its vet business.
• Advised Johannesburg Stock Exchange listed Ascendis Health in connection with its £335 million acquisition of Remedica Holdings, Cyprus’ leading pharmaceutical manufacturing company.
• Advised Molson Coors in connection with the sale of its UK malt manufacturing business to Etablissements J Soufflet., the leading private-owned cereal buyer in Europe.
• Advised UPS International Inc. in connection with its acquisition of Freightex Limited, a UK-based freight brokerage business.
• Advised Andrew Industries in connection with the sale of its international filtration division to Lydall Inc. for US$ 83 million.
• Advising UPS International Inc. in connection with the acquisition of Polar Speed Distribution.
• Advised Montague Private Equity in connection with its sale of GHD Group to Lion Capital.
• Advised Aurelius Investments in connection with its acquisition of Allied Healthcare, the UK's largest domiciliary care business and a leading provider of outsourced healthcare services to the English primary care sector, from Saga plc.
• Advised Progress Rail Services Corporation (a member of the Caterpillar Inc. group of companies) in connection with the acquisition of the UK switches, crossings and related railway product manufacturing business of Balfour Beatty plc.
• Advised Klesch & Company Ltd in connection with the purchase of the Heide oil refinery in Germany from Royal Dutch Shell plc.