Corporate and commercial
Praised by clients for its 'high-quality, strategic advice with exceptional service', Addleshaw Goddard works with a host of major corporates on big-ticket transactions across a host of sectors. UK M&A head Chris Taylor is the key contact for a number of the firm's leading clients, particularly in consumer goods, life sciences, and renewable energy. Noted for his considerable takeover experience, Simon Wood's recent engagements cover the transport and real estate sectors. Other key practitioners include Ben Koehne and Hugh Lauritsen, who also co-head the financial services sector, and Graham Cross , noted for his private equity focus.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Mentions
Profile
Work Department
Corporate
Position
Partner
Career
Simon is a corporate partner based in London, and is experienced in all types of transactions. He has particular expertise in public M&A having recently returned from a two year secondment as Secretary to the Takeover Panel, where he was involved in all the major decisions and policies made during that time. As a consequence, he has a unique insight into the manner in which the Takeover Code is applied by the Panel on a day to day basis.
Simon’s other main areas of practice involve advising public companies on the full range of transactions on the Main Market and AIM, including IPOs, secondary fundraisings, and general corporate and stock exchange compliance. Simon also regularly advises public and private companies on acquisitions of real estate assets carried out through onshore and offshore corporate structures, as well as the structuring and establishment of joint ventures for the acquisition and/or development of large property portfolios.
Recent transactions include advising:
- GVC Holdings plc on its £1.1 billion takeover of bwin.party Digital Entertainment plc and its £485m takeover with William Hill for Sportingbet plc;
- Assura plc, a primary healthcare property REIT, on a £180m placing, open offer and offer for subscription;
- Mount Anvil on its £200m joint venture with ARES Management to fund residential developments in central London; and
- Investee Bank plc on the £150 million reverse takeover of Harworth Estates by Coalfield Resources plc, and the related £115m placing and open offer.
Content supplied by Addleshaw Goddard
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- ‘We have consistently been impressed by Addleshaw Goddard's responsiveness and client service. They are quick to react, always available when needed, and communicate clearly – these are crucial attributes in time-sensitive M&A transactions.’ ‘Addleshaw Goddard adopt a pragmatic and business-minded approach to transactions. Rather than offering purely theoretical advice, they provide commercially focused solutions that align with our objectives and risk appetite. Their ability to cut through complexity and focus on actionable outcomes is a real strength.’ ‘The team also demonstrates a deep understanding of our business and industry. They take the time to listen, anticipate our needs, and tailor their advice accordingly.’ 'Their cross-border capabilities have been invaluable. We have worked with them on transactions spanning multiple jurisdictions, and they have demonstrated seamless coordination and local insight.’ ‘Overall, the firm delivers high-quality, strategic advice with exceptional service and a real understanding of what matters to clients in the M&A space.’ ‘We have worked closely with Addleshaw Goddard on a number of M&A transactions and have always found the team to be exceptionally responsive, commercial, and solution-oriented. In particular, Angus Rollo and Marton Eorsi stand out for their deep expertise, calmness under pressure, and ability to guide transactions with confidence and clarity.’ ‘Angus brings a wealth of experience to negotiations, always balancing legal precision with pragmatic advice. Marton is equally impressive, both in terms of his technical expertise and responsiveness.’ ‘One of their standout qualities is their ability to understand our commercial drivers and tailor their approach accordingly. Rather than defaulting to overly cautious legal positions, they consistently provide advice that is grounded in the needs of our business.’ ‘Very experienced, with strong skills and expertise. They take time to understand clients’ needs and their business. They are also very welcoming and open, and always build strong and positive working relationships with clients’ internal and external teams.’ ‘Elvan Hussein is a standout corporate adviser to our company. She is very responsive, commercially minded, and a great negotiator. Even when matters are moving at great pace, the quality of output from her and her team never drops. Additionally, they have mobilised very quickly to get matters moving for us during difficult periods, and their ability to draw on talent in multiple strong UK offices gives them both breadth and solutions when it comes to fees. This is underpinned by a strong team of associates who frequently perform over and above their stated PQE.’
Key clients
- Coventry Building Society Nationwide Building Society Guardian Media Group Alpha Financial Markets Consulting plc SSE BP DX (Group) plc The Openwork Partnership British International Investment plc (BII) Shawbrook Bank LDC abrdn Property Income Trust Limited LDC Terra Firma InvestAcc Group Limited Miniclip Five of the individual sellers of the Litica group Aggregate Industries UK Limited GoCardless
Work highlights
Advising Coventry Building Society on its £780 million cash acquisition of The Co-operative Bank Holdings p.l.c.