Matthew Darling, Partner

Matthew specialises in a broad range of general corporate matters, including mergers and acquisitions, disposals, shareholders’ agreements, joint ventures and other co-investment arrangements and corporate reorganisations; he has particular expertise in private company acquisitions and sales.

Matthew’s clients range from AIM-listed technology companies, through regulated utility companies and hi-tech start-ups, to high net worth individuals; he has experience of advising businesses across many sectors on the full range of corporate governance and commercial issues typically encountered by companies and businessmen on a daily basis.

He has served as a non-executive director of an AIM-listed technology company, giving him further insight into what clients expect of their advisers, speaks passable French and has worked in Paris, Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates.

Recent transactions that he has led include:

• the sale by AIM-listed Z Group plc of its 4 trading subsidiaries to management;
• the acquisition of the Hempel Hotel in London and the Dylan Hotel in Amsterdam by an Irish investment vehicle;
• the purchase of a £20m office block in the City by means of the acquisition of an Isle of Man-incorporated SPV;
• advising the majority shareholders on the sale of uSwitch Limited to the EW Scripps Company for £210m;
• Xploite plc's disposal of Fujin Technology Trading Limited and the acquisitions by Xploite of Itheon Limited and Red Squared plc, the latter by means of a recommended offer;
• the acquisition by Irish investors of a 50% stake in Onslow Suffolk Limited, and associated shareholder agreements;
• Lincoln Electric Holdings Inc's acquisition of Metrode Products Limited; and
• the acquisition by ESP Gas Group Limited of Laing O'Rourke Energy Limited.