David is a Partner in our Corporate team and is based primarily in our Manchester office, which is located in the North West of England. With a proud history of arts & culture, music, science & innovation and sports, David is both proud and passionate about the City of Manchester and the city's presence in the domestic markets and as an attractive destination for global interest.
David is also our international desk lead for North America. Having led a number of projects involving North American parties and established a number of clients and intermediary contacts located in North America, he is passionate about corporate development growth between UK and North American businesses.
David’s expertise is advising clients in relation to M&A transactions and strategic corporate events. David also advises clients on corporate governance and strategy at varying stages of corporate growth.
With over 15 years’ experience, David has advised global and large domestic corporate clients on UK inbound acquisition and corporate development strategy and projects and a large number of owner managers on disposal projects to domestic and cross-border purchasers located in North America (among other cross-border jurisdictions).
For several years, David has led a number of complex, high-value, cross-border and domestic UK projects. In recent years, David has increased our legal advisory presence among North American corporate clients seeking corporate development growth in the UK — acting as lead UK advisor and contact for attorney and counsel contacts.
Notable projects include:
- Advising the selling shareholders on the sale of a UK based leading clinical research organisation to one of the largest US based global healthcare businesses.
- Leading the sale of a European based CDMO specialising in DNA plasmid and Viral Vector services to a North American based global healthcare business.
- Lead M&A advisor to a multinational operated FTSE business on its mid-market acquisitions.
- Advising on the family owners of Barnsley Football club to a multinational conglomerate.
- David is also lead UK advisor to a number of North American owned corporate groups, leading UK based corporate development.
In addition to David’s M&A experience, he is passionate about working with owner managed businesses during inception and growth phases; acting as a trusted advisor to a number of business clients and high net worth individuals. David’s latest role in this context was advising the founder of a fraud detection AI platform for the insurance market receiving investment in the UK.
As a result of David’s corporate M&A and transactional experience, he has advised on transactions in the UK, Europe, North America, India and Hong Kong.