Tom advises on a broad range of corporate transactions, with a focus on private equity and M&A. He has sector specialisms in insurance, financial services, energy and real estate transactions. In the private equity sector he acts for investors, companies seeking investment, sellers to private equity backed buyers and management teams.
Tom also advises on joint ventures, group reorganisations, start-ups and early stage investments. Tom is experienced in leading and project managing complex transactions, drawing on a larger team of specialist lawyers and working together with clients’ other advisers.
Experience
Examples of experience include advising:
- Arch Insurance on the sale of Castel Underwriting Agencies to Ryan Speciality
- Amwins Group in relation to potential acquisitions in the Lloyd's market
- LDC on various PE investments, including in digital media company Hybrid and in The Barrister Group, a new digital model of chambers
- Ovo Energy in relation to M&A matters, including through Ofgem's "supplier of last resort" processa nd in the EV space
- Vitol in relation to equity arrangements and M&A matters in the UK and numerous overseas jurisdictions
- Blueback Global on its sale to TopSource Worldwide, backed by Horizon Capital
- Hickory's smokehouse restaurant shareholders, including Piper PE, on its sale to Greene King
- Build to Rent developer PLATFORM_ on funding arrangements with Heimstaden Bostad AB for a SEK 1.5 billion Edinburgh residential project
- Piper PE on its £33m investment in Omlet, an online pet accessories brand
- Arch Reinsurance on its acquisition of Somerset Bridge Group, with its MGA, distribution capabilities and claims operation and associated insurer Southern Rock
- LDC on various investments, including its £13m investment into digital media company Hybrid
- Howden Broking Group on its acquisition of Medical Professional Risk Solutions
- Arch Insurance on its acquisitions of Barbican Group, including Lloyd's syndicates and underwriting agencies, and the commercial lines business of Ardonagh
- Moorfield Group on the £102m sale of its UK logistics portfolio to Carlyle and ARA Dunedin
- Arch Insurance on a Brexit related Part VII transfer of its EEA insurance business from London to Dublin
- NCR Corporation on its £100m acquisition of Zynstra
- Martin Audio management on its LDC backed MBO and subsequent £39.2m sale to Focusrite plc
- Dunedin on the MBO of Acquis Insurance
- Lone Star on the £158m sale of Salisbury House, Finsbury Circus to Workspace Group PLC
- HQW Precision GmbH on its acquisition of Barden Corporation from Schaeffler
- Greenergy a leading supplier of wholesale fuels in the UK, on its "Navigator Terminals" joint venture with Macquarie Capital
- Hilco Capital on its acquisition of Staples UK Retail
- Willis Towers Watson on the sale of its Scottish commercial business to Clark Thomson Insurance Brokers, its SME business (Businesscare) to Allianz Business Services and its UK classic car business RH Specialist Insurance to Hiscox
- Sompo Canopius, the Lloyds (re)insurer, on the sale of the majority of its retail or direct-to-consumer business to UK insurance broker A-Plan
- Foresight Group on the investment by Foresight Environmental Fund and UK Waste Resources and Energy Investments fund on its investment in Willen Biogas.
"Our global footprint requires advisors who can execute on cross border transactions, while providing the same client focus, first rate expertise and premium experience as we do. I am very delighted and impressed with how WBD and FRP Corporate Finance delivered on our sale to TopSource Worldwide."
Arden Ng, founder of Blueback Global
"Throughout the whole sale process of Hickory's to Greene King, nothing was too much trouble at any hour of the day or night for the WBD team and the advice was always balanced and thought out. They made every partner, shareholder and professional feel involved in the deal, understood and listened to. Their dedication and flexibility 24 hours a day played a huge part in us hitting the deadlines set & getting the deal over the line on time."
Neil McDonnell, Hickory's founder
"I'd like to thank the teams at WBD both in the US and the UK for assisting us with the completion of our acquisition of Bath-based software company Zynstra. This £100m acquisition not only enhances our product capabilities, but also our standing in the vertical industries we serve and provides even more solutions for our customers."
Jamie Graves, NCR Law Vice President
"Dunedin has a strong record of investing in specialist insurance. We worked with WBD last year when they advised Kingsbridge, another specialist insurance business in the Dunedin portfolio, on a deal. We were impressed by their sector expertise and wanted to use them to lead on this transaction. It has been great working with them."
Oliver Bevan, partner at Dunedin
"WBD worked well with our team on our acquisition of Ardonagh’s commercial lines business and provided first-rate commercially minded legal advice.”
Elizabeth Collins, Senior Vice President, General Counsel, Arch Insurance
"We found the WBD team very responsive, commercial and pragmatic when handling our acquisition and the associated equity and option arrangements."
Andy Stevens, CFO of Kingsbridge Risk Solutions
"Bond Dickinson provided excellent support throughout the sale of the CUKS direct business and the service provided has been first class."
Alex Baalack, Head of Legal, Sompo Canopius
“Our MBO from Dow Chemicals was an eye opening experience for us and we would never have been able to do it without the excellent advice and strength in depth from Bond Dickinson."
Ian Stark, CEO, Chemoxy International
