TMT (technology, media and telecoms)
Leveraging ‘breadth and depth’ throughout the financial services sector, which is enhanced by the team’s international capability, Linklaters LLP is well-positioned to support clients with retail and consumer concerns, ESG requirements, wholesale reforms, fintech and digital assets matters, and governance concerns. Former practice head Martyn Hopper retired from the practice in January 2025, and the team has since been strengthened by the arrival of new head Harry Eddis, a market-leading expert in financial markets regulation. Eddis brings particular specialism in clearing platforms, fintech innovation, perimeter and conduct issues, regularly advising major banks, broker-dealers and investment managers on complex regulatory change, including MiFID II and post-Brexit compliance. Michael Kent has a reputation within major banks and investment firms for work involving governance, SMCR implementation, MiFID II, and market infrastructure initiatives, and is particularly well-versed in advising on high-profile consortia projects and complex regulatory change. Peter Bevan excels in broker-dealer and investment bank advisory, regulatory investigations, and product structuring, frequently advising global financial institutions on regulatory change, ESG, market abuse, and cross-border compliance. While Alastair Holt brings broad sector expertise across licensing, conduct, governance, prudential rules, and transactions, with a growing focus on the insurance sector. The ’knowledgeable and commercially minded’ Raza Naeem is noted for work involving ESG, MiFID, Brexit and funds regulation. James Morris and Clare Whittle are further key contacts.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Mentions
Profile
Work Department
Financial regulation
Position
Harry has long-standing expertise in financial markets regulation, and regularly advises banks, broker-dealers, investment managers and other financial services institutions on all issues related to their regulated status. In addition, he offers guidance on perimeter issues, such as authorisation requirements, market abuse and market conduct requirements, as well as wholesale market infrastructure. Recently, Harry has been advising on MiFID II and Brexit issues for a broad range of financial service institutions as well as industry bodies.
Harry is a market-leading expert on clearing platforms, advising both banks and Central Clearing Counterparties (CCPs) on a number of projects involving the structure of clearing arrangements across a wide range of product types, including credit default swaps (CDSs), IRS, commodities and foreign exchange (FX) products.
Harry has leveraged his regulatory and market expertise over the years in relation to FinTech, advising BrokerTec and SwapsWire on the establishment of electronic trading and post-trade platforms. Harry continues to be a leader in this field, currently advising a consortium of banks on FinTech issues and being a regular speaker at FinTech events.
Harry spent more than four years with a major investment bank, covering equity derivatives, advising on the structuring and distribution of derivative products. This experience gave Harry particular insight into the way in which financial institutions operate and a deep understanding of complex financial instruments.
Work highlights:
Harry has an extensive financial regulatory practice. The breadth of his practice includes advising, among others:
- Regulatory change: advising on the implications of the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID2). Other recent matters have included advising on market conduct, the foreign exchange (FX) remediation programme, the senior managers regime (SMR), the impact of the senior management arrangements, systems and controls (SYSC) regime and Client Assets and Money (CASS) implementation
- New structures: advising on the creation and structuring of trading and clearing platforms, including NASDAQ, OTCDeriv and a consortium in the process of setting up a precious metals exchange and clearing platform
- Pre-contentious regulatory: advising on various FX reviews and remediation and market conduct investigations, including advising major banks on their policies and procedures to comply with the senior managers function (SMF)
- Contentious regulatory: advising a number of major banks on FX manipulation investigations and market abuse and conduct reviews, as well as carrying out “Shadow S166” reviews alongside regulators
- Financial sector corporate activity: advising on the financial regulatory aspects of IPOs and other corporate transactions
Career
Linklaters 1996-2004; associate, solicitor Travers 2004-06; executive director Morgan Stanley 2006-10; counsel Linklaters, London 2010-12, partner Linklaters, London 2012 to date.
Memberships
Working group for the AFME Global FX Division
Education
Eton College (1989); Durham University (1993 Politics and Philosophy 2(1) (Hons)); College of Law (1994 Common Professional Examination (commendation); 1995 Legal Practice Course (distinction)).
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Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Breadth and depth in such a small team is unusual.’
‘Raza Naeem is incredible, very knowledgeable and commercially minded.'
'Helpful; very knowledgeable; approachable, and do not pretend they know things they don't. Efficient and effective.'
'Alastair Holt is extremely helpful.'
'Incredible breadth and depth of expertise across high-risk, cross-border mandates. Few firms offer such a one-stop shop of knowledge.'
'Harry Eddis is an outstanding partner and a key reason we value the team so highly. He combines deep technical knowledge with approachability and practical wisdom.'
'Linklaters’ non-contentious financial regulatory team is widely regarded as “top-class,” with an incredible breadth and depth of expertise across high-risk, cross-border mandates.'
Key clients
- Nomura Citi Bank of New York Bank of America Morgan Stanley Nomura HSBC Standard Charter Goldman Sachs Investec NatWest Rothesay and Phoenix Starling Tandem Bank Revolut Sainsbury’s Bank Blackstone Warburg Pincus Barclays BNYM JP Morgan New York Life Nomura Amundi Barings BlackRock Citi Private Bank Columbia Threadneedle Goldman Sachs Asset Management Macquarie Nuveen Morgan Stanley Investment Management BlackRock JP Morgan Asset Management MFS International Capital Group Invesco Lazard Moore Capital AllianceBernstein Ashmore Vanguard Jefferies
Work highlights
Acting for a consortium of buy-side and sell-side firms on a shared interpretation of the complex changes being made to Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID) equity and non-equity transparency rules in both the UK and EU.
Advise a range of financial institution clients, sell-side banks and buy-side asset managers, on their strategic positioning on ESG at both a product and group level in relation to current and incoming regulatory requirements.
Advised Sainsbury’s Bank’s on its asset sale to NatWest and J Sainsbury plc and Sainsbury’s Bank plc on the sale of its core banking business ) to the NatWest Group.