Expertise

Graham is a corporate Partner with extensive experience of private equity, M&A and corporate restructuring transactions, both in the UK and internationally. He has a particular focus on the financial services sector.

He regularly advises investors and management teams in connection with all stages of the PE investment cycle together with portfolio acquisitions, management issues and P2Ps.

Within the financial services sector, Graham has managed a variety of large and complex transactions, but with a particular focus on private equity investment in FCA/PRA regulated businesses, M&A transactions for banks, and transactions in the wealth management and insurance sectors. He has undertaken secondments to Lloyds Banking Group and RBS.

In addition, Graham advises banks, sponsors and borrowers in relation to a variety of restructuring and special situations transactions including distressed M&A, the equity aspects of debt restructurings, debt-for-equity swaps and debt portfolio transactions, as well as having a broad experience of corporate transactions generally, including joint ventures, general company and shareholder matters, and transactions involving UK and international private and public companies, banks, investors, management teams and intermediaries.

Graham is recommended in the Legal 500 for Mid-market Private Equity and M&A where he has been described as being "insightful, creative and hardworking" and is noted for transactions involving financial services companies.

Recent work highlights
  • Rathbones Group on its combination with Investec Wealth & Investments
  • Cirrus Inns on its acquisition by Liberation Pub Group
  • Terra Firma on the acquisition of Richborough Estates
  • Terra Firma on the acquisition of Hopkins Homes
  • The Openwork Partnership on the creation of an internal market for members
  • Rathbones Group on the acquisition of Saunderson House
  • Synova-backed Charnwood Molecular on its acquisition of Aurelia Bioscience
  • Terra Firma on the acquisition of Kier Living (Tilia Homes)
  • The founders of Global Prime Partners on the sale to Ares and Maven-backed Titan Wealth Holdings
  • The founding banks on the establishment of the Business Banking Resolution Service
  • Management on the sale of Logi-Tek Group to Cathexis
  • Management on the P2P of Clearstar Inc. by Hanover Partners
  • A UK clearing bank on the sale of its interest in an international settlement house
  • The principal investor in Starling Bank on multiple funding rounds
  • Synova on its investment in outsourced drug discovery provider, Charnwood Molecular
  • Inflexion on its investment in Marston Group
  • The management team of Stats Perform on their equity arrangements with Vista Equity Partners
  • Synova on the sale of Defaqto to SimplyBiz Plc
  • Synova on its investment in domestic appliance and heating services provider, Pacifica Group
  • Evans Cycles on its sale to Sports Direct
  • DBAY Advisors on its takeover of Harvey Nash Group plc
  • Terra Firma/ Wyevale Garden Centres on the sale of its entire garden centre business
  • Rathbones Group on its acquisition of Speirs & Jeffrey
  • Synova on its investment in All Clear Insurance
  • LDC on its investment in Right Choice Insurance
  • Amaris Hospitality on the sale of two portfolios of Mercure branded hotels
  • Rathbones Group on its approach for Smith & Williamson
  • Synova on its investment in specialist insurance brokerage, Stackhouse Poland
  • Synova on its investment in financial product ratings business, Defaqto
  • Cirrus Inns on the acquisition of a number of pubs and several funding rounds
  • The Hotel Collection on the disposal of a number of UK hotel assets
  • Rathbones Group on the acquisition of Jupiter's UK fund management business and the acquisition of the Taylor Young fund management business
  • Rathbones Group on its investment in, and subsequent acquisition of, the Vision IFA business disposal of its pension administration business
  • A UK clearing bank on its structural reform project
  • A leading UK bank on the sale of two large UK commercial real estate loan portfolios
  • A UK clearing bank on the intragroup transfer of its entire mortgage book and the intragroup transfer of a £1 billion portfolio of commercial loans.
Publications
  • "UK Investing: The Private Equity Review, Edition 6"