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Julian Thatcher
Partner
Julian Thatcher is a commercially minded corporate lawyer who has spent time within management teams and private equity and/or entrepreneur-backed businesses in non-legal roles (including as a director and in sales, business development and M&A), and is a long-term trusted adviser to clients who seek his strategic thinking on all aspects of their commercial affairs.
Julian advises on corporate transactions across multiple sectors (in particular, UK M&A/private equity transactions – where he acts for funds/sponsors, as well as management teams and portfolio companies – and family office/family business matters). Julian has a special focus on Africa, as he has lived and worked on the continent and has advised entrepreneurs, state-backed and ESG-focused investors and private funds on transactions in Africa (including renewable energy transactions where he has advised on PPAs and EPC arrangements, as well as M&A and equity and debt investments).
- Julian has held sales and business development positions (including head of business development at Scipion Capital, a London-based, Africa focused hedge fund and at L’Oreal) and has a unique insight into fundraising, deal origination and commercial processes.
- Julian has advised in respect of transactions in a variety of sectors, including financial services, fintech, micro-lending, renewables, logistics, telecoms, real estate, sports and hospitality, and has advised in respect of transactions in the UK and continental Europe, as well as in Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Senegal, Zambia, Malawi, Benin, Mozambique, Uganda, Botswana, the Kingdom of Eswatini, South Africa, Equatorial Guinea and the DRC.
- His highlights include acting for:
- XLN Telecoms on its sale to Daisy Telecoms.
- The management team of CLEAR Insurance on their sale to Goldman Sachs as part of a rollover on exit.
- Hurst Point Group (portfolio company of the Carlyle Group) on its acquisition of Metis Asset Management and Metis Wealth.
- Hurst Point Group (portfolio company of the Carlyle Group) on its acquisition of Helm Godfrey.
- Blixt Group on its management equity arrangements in respect of its acquisition of Nelsons LLP.
- The management of Solevo Suisse on their rollover/incentive plan as part of the sale of Solevo from Helios and Temasek to DPI LLP (one of the largest recent African PE deals).
- Nuova Capital Limited on its majority investment into VFX Financial PLC.
- Kantar Group on various M&A/commercial transactions.
- InfraCo Africa Limited on a variety of ESG focused, African transactions, including its equity investment into the Waterbus passenger ferry business in Kenya.
- The founder of Griffon Solutions Limited on its sale to Hawksford (portfolio company of Star Capital).
- Blixt Group on its acquisition of Fisher Jones Greenwood LLP.
- Greenergy Energy Holdings in its £500 million merger with Brookfield.
- AlpInvest on multiple secondary investments and disposals.
- Faccenda Foods on its joint venture with Cargill.
- TPA Capital Limited on its acquisition of IBA Group Limited.
- Brainworks Capital Limited on its IPO on the JSE.
- MyBucks S.A. on its sale of its stake in MyBucks Mozambique to Xtenda Financial Holdings Limited.
- MyBucks S.A. on its sale of its stake in Opportunity Bank Uganda Limited to TLG Capital.
- The owner in the world’s most valuable racehorse sale to the leading Middle Eastern racehorse owner.
- A UK real estate developer in its joint venture with Teyliom Group in respect of a significant real estate development in Senegal.
- Restitution Impact Limited (a unique ESG-focused quasi-litigation fund) on its first fundraising.
Education
- BPP Law School, G.D.L., 2010
- BPP Law School, L.P.C., 2010
- University of Bristol, History of Art, BA Hons, 2007
Admissions
- England and Wales, 2012
Languages
- English
- French
- “Julian was highly responsive and commercial and focussed on getting us the best deal, right to the very end. He was very user friendly and understood the deal and team dynamics and we look forward to working with him again.” Timothy Money, chief financial officer (CFO) of Clear Insurance (Goldman Sachs portfolio company)