Nick Benham
Advises on leveraged and investment-grade acquisition financings for private credit, banks, sponsors and borrowers. Extensive experience with public company takeovers.
Nick leads our finance practice in London. He advises on cross-border leveraged and investment-grade acquisition financings on behalf of private debt providers, banks, sponsors and corporate borrowers.
Nick has extensive experience advising on the financing of UK and international public company takeovers, and also advises in connection with financial restructurings for private debt funds and strategic debt investors.
A client quoted by Chambers says, “Nick is exceptional - he’s one of our go-to lawyers for complex and difficult matters.” Another client declares, “I’d put him absolutely at the top of my list of lawyers to recommend.”
Experience
Notable Borrower Representations
- Financing for Tencent-led consortium’s acquisition of 20% of Universal Music Group
- £30.6bn financing for Comcast’s competitive takeover of Sky
- $18.6 billion financing for Sycamore Partners’ acquisition of Walgreen Boots
- $2.8bn financing for Verisk Analytics’ acquisition of Wood Mackenzie
- Financing for Ferrero Group’s $3.1bn acquisition of WK Kellogg
- $1.75bn financing for PT Freeport Indonesia
- $1.68bn financing for SS&C’s takeover of Blue Prism Group
- £1.4bn financing for Temenos’ proposed takeover of Fidessa
- €1bn financing for Natura’s acquisition of The Body Shop
- $945m financing for Nuvei’s takeover of SafeCharge
- €600m financing for eDreams ODIGEO
- $500m revolving credit facility for Temenos
- $315m financing for GeoPark’s takeover of Amerisur Resources
- £287m Inspired Entertainment Group refinancing
- £140m financing for Atairos’ acquisition of Ocean Outdoor
- £67.5m financing for Lightyear Capital’s acquisition of Wren Sterling
Notable Lender Representations
- $28.5bn financing for Amgen’s takeover of Horizon Therapeutics
- $5.32bn refinancing for Finastra Group
- $5.14bn financing for 3G Capital Advisors’ acquisition of Hunter Douglas
- €3.9bn financing for KKR’s acquisition of Refresco
- $1.36bn financing for Apollo’s acquisition of Lumileds
- Financing for Apax’s acquisition of Veriforce and its combination with Alcumus
- $1.2bn financing for Viavi Solutions’ proposed takeover of Spirent Communications
- Refinancing of Optimizely, a portfolio company of Insight Partners
- $1.1bn financing for Vista and BC Partners’ investment in Advanced
- £900m backstop financing for Barratt Developments’ takeover of Redrow
- £763m financing for GXO Logistics’ takeover of Wincanton
- £745m financing for GXO Logistics’ takeover of Clipper Logistics
- $700m refinancing for Vista Equity Partners portfolio company, Accelya
- $461m unitranche financing for Providence Equity and Searchlight Capital’s takeover of Hyve Group
- £365m financing for Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan’s acquisition of Bridon
- €290m unitranche refinancing for PSG Equity portfolio company, Nextlane Group
- €80m unitranche refinancing for PSG Equity portfolio company, MAPAL Group
Notable Financial Adviser Representations
- £71bn takeover of SABMiller by Anheuser-Busch InBev
- £4.3bn takeover of Rexam by Ball Corporation
- £3.3bn proposed takeover of RPC by Apollo
Recognition
Chambers UK – Banking & Finance: Big-Ticket
Chambers Europe and Global – Banking & Finance, UK
IFLR1000 – Banking, United Kingdom, Highly Regarded
Education
Prior experience
- Partner, Ashurst, 2010-2013
Qualifications and admissions
- England and Wales