London

Belluzzo International Partners announces the appointment of Gary Ashford as Head of Tax, as part of the Firm’s international growth and expansion strategy centred on its London office. Gary Ashford’s appointment represents a key milestone in the Firm’s growth trajectory, further consolidating its positioning among the leading advisory practices serving private and corporate clients, with an increasingly strong focus on global capital flows and non-European markets. Having developed significant experience within leading international professional environments, Gary Ashford brings extensive expertise in cross-border taxation, international tax planning and the structuring of complex transactions, contributing to the Firm’s ability to provide integrated services and strategic solutions within an increasingly dynamic international landscape. His appointment also contributes to reinforcing the Firm’s multidisciplinary and multi-jurisdictional model, based on the integration of legal, tax and wealth planning expertise, with the objective of delivering tailor-made assistance to international clients, multinational groups, institutional investors and entrepreneurial families. “In this period of significant change for London,” comments Alessandro Belluzzo, Founding Global Partner, “we are witnessing a clear shift in our client base: a growing number of clients from the United States and Asia, alongside a reduction in European clients. At the same time, we are seeing an increase in domestic investments and large-scale transactions. In this context, Gary Ashford’s expertise as our Head of Tax is both highly relevant and strategically aligned with the Firm’s current and future needs.” “I am delighted to join Belluzzo International Partners,” says Gary Ashford. “I am truly excited about the opportunity to build something special together, further strengthening the Firm’s international presence and delivering value to our clients in a rapidly evolving and competitive market.” “With Gary, we continue to strengthen our international tax offering, which is becoming increasingly central to our clients’ growth and internationalisation strategies,” adds Luigi Belluzzo, Founding Global Partner. “His expertise and international approach represent a significant added value in supporting corporate clients and entrepreneurial families in addressing the challenges arising from globalisation, capital mobility and the ongoing evolution of tax systems.” With this appointment, Belluzzo International Partners reaffirms its commitment to continuing to invest in top-tier talent and to strengthening its presence across key international hubs, with London continuing to play a pivotal role in the development of new global opportunities. _______________________________ Belluzzo International Partners is a professional firm providing advisory services through its Wealth, Law, Tax, and Finance practices to businesses, entrepreneurial families, institutions, and corporate clients. International, independent, and multidisciplinary, with qualified professionals across multiple jurisdictions and offices in Milan, Verona, London, Singapore, Lugano, Rome, and Abu Dhabi, the firm operates under a “one-firm” model. With over 100 in-house qualified professionals and international correspondents in major financial and commercial centers worldwide, the firm is particularly active in Wealth Planning & Governance, Extraordinary Transactions & M&A, Legal Advisory, Tax Advisory & Litigation, Internationalization, and also delivers professional services in Business & Compliance, Accounting, and Assurance. Contacts: Belluzzo International Partners Eleonora Asnicar– Marketing – [email protected] Milan – Via Andegari 4 – Tel. +39 02 365 69657 www.belluzzo.net

June 25, 2026 – International law firm Sullivan & Worcester (Sullivan) today announced the arrival of one of the UK’s leading Emerging Companies and Venture Capital teams, significantly enhancing the firm's transatlantic capabilities and accelerating its strategic growth in London. The team, which was recently recognized as Growth Capital Team of the Year at the 2026 The Lawyer Awards in London, is led by partners James Shaw, Iain Cockburn and Ben Williams, who are joined by counsels Mary Harley, Tina Baker and Andrew Gay, and associates Yeji Lee, Francesca Salisbury, Fai Tai, and Alexandra Woodcock-West, and two dedicated business support professionals. Their arrival establishes a premier Emerging Companies and Venture Capital practice in London, further advancing Sullivan’s strategy of building a fully integrated international platform serving innovative, high-growth businesses and the investors that back them. The team advises venture-backed companies, founders, and investors across the full business lifecycle, including venture financings, mergers and acquisitions, intellectual property strategy, and complex strategic advisory matters. “This is a transformational addition to our already strong London office and a major milestone in the continued expansion of our international platform,” said David Nagle, Sullivan’s Managing Partner. “James, Iain, Ben, and their team are widely recognized as leaders in the emerging companies and venture capital market, with deep relationships across the innovation economy and a proven track record advising businesses from formation through to successful exits and access to U.S. capital markets. Their arrival significantly enhances our ability to serve founders, investors, and growth companies on both sides of the Atlantic. We are delighted to welcome them to the firm.” The group has developed a market-leading reputation across some of the world’s most dynamic sectors, including life sciences, climate technology, fintech, deeptech, and artificial intelligence. Shaw, who leads the team joining Sullivan, said, “We are excited to join a firm with such a powerful U.S. platform and deep international finance capabilities. As innovation-driven companies increasingly operate across borders and look to access U.S. markets and capital, the opportunity to combine our practice with Sullivan’s global reach creates a compelling proposition for founders, investors, and emerging businesses. We look forward to collaborating with our new colleagues and continuing to support clients through every stage of growth.” The team joins Sullivan’s highly regarded London office, which has experienced significant momentum in recent years. The firm's market-leading trade and export finance practice, led by Geoffrey Wynne, was further strengthened in 2025 with the additions of partners Robert Parson and Matthew Cox, enhancing Sullivan’s position as a leading advisor on complex cross-border transactions and financing matters. PARTNER BIOS James Shaw – James advises entrepreneurs, emerging growth companies and investors across all stages of the corporate lifecycle. With more than 20 years of experience, he is trusted counsel to founders and investors, and frequently serves as outside general counsel to science-based and innovative companies. Highly regarded for his work in the European life science and fintech sectors, he has extensive experience representing companies on complex corporate transactions, venture capital financings, strategic investments, acquisitions, and divestitures. Iain Cockburn – Iain advises founder and management-led high-growth companies, as well as venture capital funds and institutional investors, on significant venture and growth transactions. His work includes later-stage financings, pre-exit rounds, lead investor mandates, consortium investments, secondary transactions and cross-border matters. Iain also advises on the broader corporate issues that arise as companies scale and institutionalize, including governance arrangements, investor rights, founder and management equity structures, shareholder arrangements, strategic corporate matters, as well as issues relating to the UK’s National Security and Investment Act 2021. Ben Williams – Ben is a leading commercial technology lawyer advising innovative growth companies (including unicorns and decacorns) and their investors. He supports high-growth businesses and investors in developing, deploying and scaling technology products globally, leading complex cross-border commercial negotiations. With strong transatlantic expertise, he aligns technology, regulatory and tax frameworks across jurisdictions. Ben also advises on AI, data, national security and emerging regulation, delivering pragmatic, commercially focused solutions that enable innovation while managing risk. About Sullivan Sullivan & Worcester (Sullivan) is a premier, AmLaw 200 international law firm with lawyers in Boston, London, New York, Tel Aviv and Washington, D.C. Sullivan’s clients, including Fortune 500 companies, leading financial services firms and asset managers, boards of directors, real estate companies, and emerging businesses, rely on Sullivan’s ability to navigate complex legal and operational landscapes, the impeccable judgment of its lawyers, and its commitment to best-in-class client service. For further information please visit the firm’s website and LinkedIn. Contacts: Lucinda Ellison newPRos [email protected] +1 610-574-9035 Will Hulbert Hulbert & Co. [email protected] +44 (0)7774 108 699

UK law firm Ashfords has again reported strong financial results for 2025/26 with revenue increasing by 6% to £65m. The performance has triggered a 7% firm-wide bonus for the fifth consecutive year. Following significant investment in technology and people, profit rose by 3%. Over the past year, the firm has implemented Thomson Reuters’ Elite 3E platform and enhanced its employee benefits package, including increased pension contributions, expanded income protection, paid volunteering leave and the introduction of an electric vehicle salary sacrifice scheme. Ashfords CEO, Louise Workman, who last year launched a new five-year strategy for the firm targeting sustainable growth, said: “Following a year of significant investment across the firm, it is particularly pleasing to report such a strong set of results. Just as importantly, these results allow us to reward our people, whose expertise, commitment and dedication are central to our success and the service we deliver to clients. Growth at Ashfords is not about scale alone. It is about growing in a way that strengthens our culture, enhances the quality of our work and creates long-term value for both our clients and our colleagues. This year’s results demonstrate that we are successfully delivering on that ambition.” The firm has also continued to attract a strong cohort of lateral hires at partner level. Recent joiners include Thomas Middlehurst and Emma Harris (private wealth), Alexis Karim (corporate), Ben Xu (immigration), and Ben Hogan and David Cave (projects). Other highlights from the year include being named Law Firm of the Year at Bristol Law Society Awards and being shortlisted for Independent Law Firm of the Year at The Lawyer awards.

UK law firm Ashfords has been appointed as a supplier on Government Commercial Agency's (GCA) RM6374 Legal Panel for Public Sector framework, providing legal services to public sector organisations across England and Wales. The appointment sees Ashfords named as a supplier across six key lots, an increase from two lots on the previous framework: Lot 1a – Full Legal Service Provision (All Public Sector) Lot 1b – Full Legal Service Provision (Local Government and Local Communities) Lot 1c – Full Legal Service Provision (Health and Social Care) Lot 2 – Focused Legal Support Lot 3 – Litigation and Disputes Lot 4 – Projects and Complex Advice (including PPP) Robin de Wreede, partner and joint head of public sector at Ashfords, said: “Being appointed to the Government Commercial Agency’s new Legal Services Framework is a significant achievement for the firm and reinforces our commitment to supporting public sector organisations with high-quality, commercially focused legal advice. We look forward to building on our existing public sector relationships and helping clients navigate opportunities and challenges across a wide range of legal matters.” For more information about Ashfords' public sector expertise, please contact our public sector & government team.