Ƶ

Transactions UK

  • May 29, 2025

    Shell To Boost Stake In Nigerian Oilfield With $510M Deal

    Energy giant Shell PLC said Thursday that a subsidiary has agreed to pay $510 million to acquire an extra 12.5% stake in an oilfield off Nigeria's coast from a subsidiary of French rival TotalEnergies SE.

  • May 28, 2025

    In Volatile World, PE Attys Guide Complex Take-Private Deals

    As rising geopolitical tensions and tariff uncertainty continue to rattle dealmaking markets, attorneys are guiding private equity firms and potential take-private targets through increasingly complex negotiations.

  • May 28, 2025

    Investor Raises Ricardo Stake, Calls Again For Chair's Ouster

    Science Group said Wednesday it has increased its stake in technology consultancy Ricardo to 21.8% and reiterated its call for the removal of the firm's chair at the company's upcoming meeting, to be held at the offices of Ashurst LLP.

  • May 28, 2025

    UniCredit To Double Stake In Greek Bank Alpha To 20%

    UniCredit said on Wednesday that it has arranged to more than double its holding in the owner of major Greek lender Alpha to approximately 20%.

  • May 28, 2025

    SPAC Seed Capital Eyes AI Meditech Biz With £33M Deal

    U.K. SPAC Seed Capital said Wednesday that it has agreed to acquire Cuarta Dimensión Médica SL, a Spanish healthcare technology company, in an all-share transaction worth £33.3 million ($45 million), as it looks to expand in the growing sector.

  • May 28, 2025

    Baker McKenzie-Led Rentokil To Sell Workwear Biz For €410M

    Rentokil Initial PLC said Wednesday that it has agreed to sell its workwear business in France to global alternative investment firm HIG Capital for approximately €410 million ($463 million) to strengthen its position as the leading pest control and hygiene business.

  • May 28, 2025

    DLA Piper Steers Aviva's £270M Morrisons Pension Deal

    Aviva said on Wednesday that it has taken on £270 million ($364 million) worth of pension plan liabilities from a retirement fund sponsored by supermarket giant Morrisons.

  • May 28, 2025

    Thames Water Fined Record £123M Over Sewage, Dividends

    Thames Water was fined £122.7 million ($165.8 million) on Wednesday by the water regulator for breaching rules governing its failed wastewater management and unjustified payment of dividends — the latest upset for the beleaguered utility company.

  • May 28, 2025

    Tycoon Křetínský To Sweep Up Remaining Royal Mail Shares

    The remaining shareholders in Royal Mail's parent company must now sell their stakes to a conglomerate controlled by Czech billionaire Daniel Křetínský after more than 90% agreed to the offer, the participants in the transaction said in a joint statement Wednesday.

  • May 27, 2025

    Railpen Sells Pension Administration Arm To Broadstone

    British pensions adviser and administrator Railpen said it has sold its third-party pension administration business to financial services consultancy Broadstone.

  • May 27, 2025

    Cobalt Prices Shares In $230M IPO To Kick-Start UK Market

    Metals investor Cobalt Holdings PLC said Tuesday that it plans to sell 90 million new shares for $2.56 each as part of its proposed float, kick-starting the London initial public offering market after the turmoil caused by U.S. tariffs.

  • May 27, 2025

    M&C Saatchi Announces Acquisition Of UAE Sports Agency

    M&C Saatchi said Tuesday it has inked a deal to acquire Dune 23, a sports agency in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, in a move expected to further enhance its business in the Middle East.

  • May 27, 2025

    A&O Shearman-Led Elementis Sells Talc Biz For $121M

    Chemicals maker Elementis said Tuesday that it has sold its Talc business to global talc manufacturer IMI Fabi for $121 million and unveiled plans to launch a $50 million buyback program to reflect its "strong confidence in the streamlined group's prospects."

  • May 27, 2025

    Slaughter And May-Led Bain Invests £120M In UK Finance Biz

    U.S. investment business Bain Capital has taken a stake worth nearly 30% in The Openwork Partnership for £120 million ($163 million) after winning backing from the City watchdog, the British financial adviser said Tuesday.

  • May 27, 2025

    Energy Biz DCC To Cut Share Capital With £100M Buyback

    DCC PLC said Tuesday that it has launched a share repurchase program worth up to £100 million ($135 million), part of a broader £800 million capital returns plan that the energy sales, marketing and distribution company expects will lower its share capital.

  • May 27, 2025

    Energy Consultancy Backs PE Firm's 'Superior' £129M Bid

    Energy and sustainability consultancy Inspired PLC said Tuesday that it intends to back a "superior" takeover bid of £129 million ($175 million) tabled by private equity firm HGGC after rejecting a "wholly inadequate" £109 million offer from Regent International, a gas and metering services business.

  • May 27, 2025

    Serco Completes $327M Northrop Defense Biz Deal

    British conglomerate Serco Group PLC said Tuesday that its U.S. subsidiary has finalized the acquisition of Northrop Grumman Corp.'s mission training and satellite communications business, known as MT&S, for $327 million after winning regulatory approval.

  • May 23, 2025

    UK Litigation Roundup: Here's What You Missed In London

    This past week in London has seen Nestlé hit with an intellectual property claim by a pet insurance company, VTB Capital bring a breach of contract lawsuit against J.P. Morgan Securities, and Société Générale's former chief executive face litigation from an Italian entrepreneur.

  • May 23, 2025

    FTC Finally Drops Challenge To Microsoft-Activision Deal

    The Federal Trade Commission has dropped its in-house case seeking to block Microsoft's $68.7 billion purchase of video game developer Activision Blizzard, after its Ninth Circuit loss earlier this month, ending a lingering challenge to a deal that closed in late 2023.

  • May 23, 2025

    BMS Group Strengthens Presence In Turkey With Oria Deal

    Independent insurance and reinsurance broker BMS Group has acquired insurance broker Oria of Turkey to cement its position in the Turkish market and expand its network in the region.

  • May 23, 2025

    Pension Admin Staff Threaten Strike Over Capita Takeover

    A union for public sector workers said Friday that it is balloting members for strike action after it claimed it was locked out of negotiations ahead of a takeover of the administration of civil service pensions by professional services company Capita.

  • May 23, 2025

    Biotech Company Benchmark Eyes AIM Exit, £57M Buyback

    Benchmark Holdings PLC on Friday announced plans to quit trading platforms in Britain and Norway, citing issues such as regulation, and also reward investors with a stock repurchase plan worth up to approximately £56.7 million ($76.5 million).

  • May 23, 2025

    Blackstone Backs Davies With £275M For Global Expansion

    U.K. insurance professional services group Davies said Blackstone's credit and coverage business has injected £275 million ($371.5 million) into the company to fund its ongoing global acquisition spree.

  • May 23, 2025

    Nationwide To Merge Virgin Money, Clydesdale Bank Boards

    Nationwide Building Society said Friday it has changed course and will now combine the boards of Virgin Money and Clydesdale Bank to simplify the business, nearly nine months after its £2.9 billion ($3.9 billion) acquisition of Virgin completed.

  • May 23, 2025

    Troubled NHS Contractor Prepares To Sell Assets

    NHS contractor Totally PLC said Friday that it has decided to sell its subsidiaries to meet its upcoming liabilities and that its shareholders might not be able to realize any value from their stocks, weeks after the beleaguered company launched a review.

Expert Analysis

  • Banker Remuneration Proposals Could Affect More Than Pay

    Author Photo

    The Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority’s pending proposals to reduce banker remuneration restrictions bring obvious personal financial advantages for bankers, but may have repercussions that result in increased scrutiny of bonus payments and wider changes to workplace culture and overall accountability, say lawyers at Fox Williams.

  • Rethinking 'No Comment' For Clients Facing Public Crises

    Author Photo

    “No comment” is no longer a cost-free or even a viable public communications strategy for companies in crisis, and counsel must tailor their guidance based on a variety of competing factors to help clients emerge successfully, says Robert Bowers at Moore & Van Allen.

  • EU Paper Urges Data Protection And Competition Law Unity

    Author Photo

    A recent European Data Protection Board position paper calls for closer cooperation among data protection and competition authorities, and provides valuable insight for businesses seeking to ensure compliance across an increasingly complex regulatory landscape, say lawyers at Paul Weiss.

  • Decoding Arbitral Disputes: Equal Rights Limit State Immunity

    Author Photo

    The Court of Appeal of England and Wales' recent determination that Spain’s London embassy could not dodge a former U.K.-based employee’s discrimination claims by invoking sovereign immunity reaffirms its position that employment and human rights should come before the privileges of foreign powers, says Josep Galvez at 4-5 Gray’s Inn.

  • How Proposed Private Share Trading System May Benefit Cos.

    Author Photo

    The government's proposal for a private securities and capital exchange system intends to enhance market practices and risk tolerances, offering a significant way for firms to free up liquidity by allowing investors to trade existing private company shares, say lawyers at Mishcon de Reya.

  • Managing Transatlantic Antitrust Investigations And Litigation

    Author Photo

    As transatlantic competition regulators cooperate more closely and European antitrust investigations increasingly spark follow-up civil suits in the U.S., companies must understand how to simultaneously juggle high-stakes multigovernment investigations and manage the risks of expensive new claims across jurisdictions, say lawyers at Paul Weiss.

  • What To Know As EU Urges Outbound Investment Reviews

    Author Photo

    A recent European Commission recommendation urges European Union member states to review outbound investments in certain critical technologies sectors, but does not clarify the next steps for states once information on relevant transactions in third countries is received, say lawyers at Cleary.

  • Competition Act Brings Important UK Merger Control Changes

    Author Photo

    Although recently effective sections of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act provide clarity on the transactions that may attract Competition and Markets Authority attention, some reforms potentially expanding the regulator's scope may be concerning to transacting parties, say lawyers at Fried Frank.

  • How GCs Can Protect Cos. From Geopolitical Headwinds

    Author Photo

    Geopolitical uncertainty is perceived by corporate leaders as the biggest short-term threat to global business, but many of the potential crises are navigable if general counsel focus on what is being said about a company and what the company is doing, says Juliet Young at Schillings.

  • Key Points From FCA Financial Crime Guide Updates

    Author Photo

    The Financial Conduct Authority’s recent updates to its financial crime guide reflect the regulator’s learnings on sanctions following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, highlighting and clarifying consumer duty, anti-money laundering and other compliance expectations, say lawyers at Womble Bond.

  • Tax Directive Marks Milestone In Harmonizing EU System

    Author Photo

    The Council of the European Union’s recently adopted tax directive is a significant step toward streamlining and modernizing procedures for member states, and will greatly reduce administrative burden and compliance costs for cross-border investors, says Martin Phelan at Simmons & Simmons.

  • Decoding Arbitral Disputes: UK Awards Versus EU Judgments

    Author Photo

    The Court of Appeal of England and Wales' recent refusal to enforce a €855 million Spanish judgment inconsistent with earlier binding arbitral awards in England provides crucial guidance for practitioners navigating the complexities of cross-border disputes involving arbitration agreements and sovereign states, says Josep Galvez at 4-5 Gray's Inn.

  • Insider Info Compliance Highlights From New FCA Guidance

    Author Photo

    The Financial Conduct Authority's recent guidance to companies on identifying inside information clarifies the regulator's expectation of case-by-case assessment, helpfully highlighting that abuse of U.K.-regulated markets can arise earlier than some might think, say lawyers at Sullivan & Cromwell.

  • Key Points From EU's Latest FDI Screening Regulation Review

    Author Photo

    The European Commission’s recent assessment of the Foreign Direct Investment Screening Regulation indicates that with strong control here to stay, precautionary filings are likely to remain necessary, and member states should prepare for greater rule alignment to reduce inefficiencies caused by a current lack of synchronization, say lawyers at Linklaters.

  • How Lawyers Can Work On Unmasking Beneficial Ownership

    Author Photo

    The Solicitors Regulation Authority's recent anti-money laundering report suggests that identifying ultimate beneficial owners in a transaction is one of the key day-to-day challenges that law firms face, and the solution lies in combining know-your-business processes with know-your-client verification, says Sam Ruback at Thirdfort.

Want to publish in Law360?


Submit an idea

Have a news tip?


Contact us here
Can't find the article you're looking for? Click here to search the Transactions UK archive.
Hello! I'm Law360's automated support bot.

How can I help you today?

For example, you can type:
  • I forgot my password
  • I took a free trial but didn't get a verification email
  • How do I sign up for a newsletter?
Ask a question!