Peter Smith is a Partner in the Corporate team in London. He qualified as a solicitor in 1980 and has been with the firm since 1984. He became a partner in 1987.
He specialises in corporate finance and corporate law advice. His work includes mergers and acquisitions, quoted company takeovers and initial public offerings on the London Stock Exchange and other exchanges. Clients include UK and multinational companies on M&A transactions, both UK domestic and cross border. In corporate finance transactions he has regularly acted for issuers, sponsors, nominated advisers and underwriters on IPOs since 1987 as well as bidders and targets in takeover offers.
Peter's clients are in a range of sectors including financial services, natural resources (particularly oil and gas and mining), automotive, TMT, and fund management.
Relevant experience includes advising:
- CBaySystems on its US$286.9 million acquisition of a 69.5 per cent. stake in MedQuist Inc. and admission of the enlarged share capital of CBaySystems to AIM. MedQuist and CBaySystems are the largest providers of medical transcription services in the United States
- Checkmate Mortgages, a new intermediary only mortgage lender preparing for launch
- Florissant, a major shareholder on the takeover of online auctioneer Tradus plc (formerly QXL ricardo) by South African media firm Naspers for £946 million. Previously advised Florissant on its takeover offer for QXL ricardo which competed with a third party offer valuing the company at £11.9 million. Following an auction imposed by the Panel under Rule 32.5 neither offer was successful although Florissant acquired a material shareholding. Advised on a subsequent agreement to settle litigation in Poland in relation to QXL’s former subsidiary, QXL Poland and an issue of ordinary shares as part of the settlement
- Impax Environmental Markets PLC, an investment trust focusing on the markets for cleaner or more efficient delivery of basic services of energy, water and waste, on a placing, open offer and offer for subscription of C Shares which raised £105 million. We previously advised Impax on share issues raising over £125 million, as well as on its £50 million IPO
- Investec Bank (UK) Limited when it placed shares in Cohort PLC, a company that provides independent technical advice and services across the defence, security and associated sectors, to part finance the acquisition of SEA (Group) Ltd, a UK based independent systems engineering and software company. We also acted for Investec, Cohort’s nominated adviser on its placing and admission to AIM. Has also advised Investec on numerous other placings and IPOs including Venture Production, Tullow Oil, CMR Fuel Cells, Anzon Energy, TRL Electronics and Northern Petroleum
- Conchango plc on its admission to AIM. Conchango provides business consulting, business intelligence, enterprise architecture, and systems integration
- Conchango plc on a recommended £42 million cash offer made by a wholly owned subsidiary of EMC Corporation, the New York listed developer and provider of information infrastructure
- Frontera Resources, a Houston, Texas based international oil and gas company on a depositary interests programme to enable its shares to be traded through CREST. Previously advised Frontera on its admission to AIM and a placing of new shares to raise £42 million
Education:
Bristol University LLB (Law) 1977. College of Law Guildford. |