Experience

Ben's practice includes mergers and acquisitions, private equity, venture capital, joint ventures and restructurings.

Ben is head of the firm’s Private Equity and Venture Capital Group where he regularly advises private equity sponsors, management teams and financial institutions in relation to acquisitions, disposals and restructurings.

He has deep experience in the pharmaceutical, technology and retail sectors, where he has acted on several fundraisings, disposals, acquisitions, restructurings and corporate migrations.

Key highlights include advising:

  • Acted for the selling shareholders in relation to the sale of Ardmore Studios and Troy Studios to California-based property group Hackman Capital Partners, its studio operator affiliate, the MBS Group, and private equity firm Square Mile Capital Partners for a reported sale price of US$100 million.
  • The management team in relation to sale of Beauparc Utilities Holdings, Ireland’s largest waste management company, to Macquarie.
  • CarTrawler and its management team in relation to the controlling equity investment in CarTrawler by TowerBrook Capital Partners L.P.
  • The management team in relation to the investment by The Carlyle Group in Boru Energy, a new platform targeting acquisition of up to $1 billion, focusing on oil and gas opportunities across Sub-Saharan Africa.
  • The BWG Group, owners of the Spar, Mace and Londis brands in Ireland, in relation to its acquisitions of Corrib Foods, Four Aces, Heaney Meats and ADM Londis plc.
  • The management team in relation to the buyout of Nua Healthcare by iCON Infrastructure.
  • Novo Nordisk A/S in relation to its US$145 million acquisition of the US and Canadian rights to Macrilen from Strongbridge Biopharma plc.
  • Adapt Pharma and its shareholders in relation to its US$735 million sale to Emergent BioSolutions, Inc.
  • Bronfman Family Office in relation to its investment in Shorecal, Ireland’s largest Domino’s pizza franchisee.
  • Exponent Private Equity in relation to its £212 million acquisition of DCC plc’s Irish and UK environmental business.
  • Big Bus Tours, a portfolio company of Exponent Private Equity, in relation to its acquisition of Irish City Tours.
  • Exponent Private Equity as Irish counsel for in relation to the buyout of Fintrax.
  • Oaktree Capital Management in relation to its investment in the Cannon Kirk Group.
  • Oaktree Capital Management in relation to its joint venture with Alanis Capital.
  • Amdocs in relation to its acquisition of Brite:Bill Group and in relation to its acquisition of ChangingWorlds.
  • Horizon Pharma plc on a range of transactions including: its US$660 million acquisition of Vidara Therapeutics International Limited through a reverse merger for stock and cash; its US$475 million share offering and US$400 million Exchangeable Senior Note offering; its acquisition of Hyperion Therapeutics, Inc. for US$1.1 billion; and its acquisition of Crealta Pharmaceuticals.
  • IAMSA Group, one of Mexico’s largest transportation companies, on its acquisition of a 49 per cent stake in the Mexican airline VivaAerobús from Irelandia Aviation.
  • The management team of CarTrawler in relation to the €450 million secondary management buyout of CarTrawler backed by BC Partners.
  • Acted Irish Bank Resolution Corporation in connection with its joint venture with A1 Group (a subsidiary of the Alfa Group) in relation to the recovery and realisation of certain assets in Russia and Ukraine.