Leon N.Ferera

Partner

London + 44.20.7039.5213

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Leon Ferera has over 25 years' experience advising on corporate transactions and governance matters, including takeover offers, private M&A, buyouts, and joint ventures. He was seconded for two years to the UK Takeover Panel (where he was also secretary to the Code Committee, which carries out the Panel's rulemaking functions) and for one year to Invesco's UK equities team. Leon leads the London M&A practice.

Representative matters include advising: Framatome on its acquisition of Rolls Royce's Civil Nuclear Instrumentation and Control business in France and China; Koch Equity Development on its investment into Victoria plc; Freudenberg on its takeover of Low & Bonar; The Stars Group on its £11 billion combination with Flutter; Hansteen on its £500 million takeover by Blackstone; Signature Aviation on the $1.36 billion sale of its Ontic business to CVC; Houlilhan Lokey on GVC Holdings' £3.9 billion takeover of Ladbrokes Coral; Canyon Bridge on its £550 million takeover of Imagination Technologies; Reynolds American on its $49 billion acquisition by BAT and $27.4 billion acquisition of Lorillard; GE Healthcare on the acquisitions of Rapidscan and Asymptote; STERIS on its $6.2 billion combination with Synergy Health; Euronext on its €510 million binding offer for LCH.Clearnet; Atmel on its proposed $4.6 billion sale to Dialog Semiconductor and subsequent $3.6 billion sale to Microchip Technology; WL Ross on the £1 billion Northern Rock acquisition from the UK Government; and various transactions for Essilor, Invesco, and Procter & Gamble.

Leon speaks and writes frequently on takeovers, is a member of the takeovers working group of ICAEW's Corporate Finance Faculty, and is repeatedly recommended in Chambers and The Legal 500.

Experience

  • Bally’s completes $1.5 billion Senior Notes offeringJones Day represented Bally's Corporation, a leading owner and operator of 12 casinos across eight states as well as online gaming and sports betting platforms, in connection with the issuance by two of its unrestricted subsidiaries of $750 million aggregate principal amount of 5.625% Senior Notes due 2029 and $750 million aggregate principal amount of 5.875% Senior Notes due 2031.
  • Jennmar sells ownership of Rocbolt Technologies in China, South Africa and Mongolia to SandvikJones Day advised Jennmar Corporation in the sale of its ownership of Rocbolt Technologies in China, South Africa and Mongolia to Sandvik.
  • Koch Real Estate Investments invests in Oppidum Bidco's all cash offer for Wm Morrison SupermarketsJones Day is advising Koch Real Estate Investments, LLC as investor in the recommended all cash offer by Oppidum Bidco Limited for Wm Morrison Supermarkets PLC, the UK's fourth largest supermarket chain.
  • Avient acquires Magna ColoursJones Day advised Avient Corporation in the $48 million acquisition of Magna Colours Ltd., a market leader in sustainable, water-based inks technology for the textile screen printing industry.
  • Signature Aviation sells Global Engine Services business to StandardAero for $230 millionJones Day advised Signature Aviation plc, a market-leading provider of global aviation support services, in the $230 million sale of the Engine Repair and Overhaul (ERO) business to StandardAero, a portfolio company owned by The Carlyle Group and a leading provider of maintenance, repair, and overhaul services.
  • STERIS acquires Cantel Medical for $3.6 billionJones Day advised STERIS plc in its acquisition of Cantel Medical Corp, a global provider of infection prevention products and services primarily to endoscopy and dental customers, for $3.6 billion.
  • Hornblower Group acquires WalksJones Day advised Hornblower Group, Inc. in its acquisition of Walks, a technology-enabled services platform for sightseeing tours and travel activities.
  • Bally's to acquire Gamesys for $2.7 billionJones Day is advising Bally's Corporation in its $2.7 billion acquisition of Gamesys Ltd., an LSE-listed online gaming company.
  • Verizon Media forms partnership with BuzzFeed to acquire HuffPostJones Day advised Verizon Media in its sale of HuffPost to BuzzFeed.
  • Bally's acquires SportCallerJones Day advised Bally's Corporation in its acquisition of SportCaller, one of the leading B2B free-to-play (F2P) game providers for sports betting and media companies across North America, the UK, Europe, Asia, Australia, LATAM, and Africa.
  • Astellas returns rights to Eligard® in Europe, Middle East, CIS, and Asia to TolmarJones Day represented Astellas Pharma Europe Ltd. in connection with a series of transactions, including the sale of related assets, in which Astellas returned its in-licensing rights to Eligard® (leuprorelin acetate for injectable suspension), a treatment for advanced prostate cancer, sold by Astellas in Europe, the Middle East, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and Asia, to Tolmar International Limited.
  • Framatome to acquire Rolls-Royce Civil Nuclear Instrumentation and Control business in France and ChinaJones Day is advising Framatome, an international leader in nuclear energy recognized for its innovative solutions and value added technologies for the global nuclear fleet, in its acquisition of the Rolls-Royce Civil Nuclear Instrumentation and Control business in France and China.
  • Koch Equity Development invests preferred equity in AIM listed Victoria plcJones Day advised Koch Equity Development LLC ("KED"), the acquisition and investment subsidiary of Koch Industries, Inc., on its investment into AIM listed Victoria plc ("Victoria"), a UK-based global designer, manufacturer, and distributor of flooring products.
  • Huadong Medicine enters co-development partnership with Exscientia to accelerate oncology drug discovery through AIJones Day advised Huadong Medicine Co. Ltd. in the negotiation and signing of a research cooperation agreement with Exscientia, a world-leading, clinical-stage Artificial Intelligence (AI) drug discovery company.
  • Freudenberg acquires Low & Bonar PLCJones Day represented Freudenberg SE, the global technology group, in connection with the £107 million takeover offer by group member, FV Beteiligungs-GmbH, of Low & Bonar PLC via a Scheme of Arrangement.
  • The Stars Group combines with Flutter Entertainment in all share transaction to create world's largest online gaming company by revenueJones Day advised The Stars Group Inc. ("TSG"), listed on Nasdaq and TSX, on an all-share combination with Flutter Entertainment plc ("Flutter"), listed on LSE, implemented through an acquisition of TSG by Flutter pursuant to a Canadian plan of arrangement (the "Combination").
  • JTC acquires NES Financial for up to $116 millionJones Day advised JTC PLC in the acquisition of NES Financial, a technology-enabled provider of specialist fund administration and treasury services recognized on the San Francisco Business Times top Bay Area fintech list, for up to $116 million.
  • OMNOVA acquired by Synthomer plc for $824 millionJones Day advised OMNOVA Solutions Inc. in its $824 million acquisition by Synthomer plc, a United Kingdom-based specialty chemical company.
  • Largest Cineworld shareholder refinancesJones Day advised Global City Theatres B.V., (GCT), the largest shareholder of Cineworld Group plc (Cineworld), Regal in the U.S., as lead counsel on its debt refinancing and related capital market aspects.
  • Hansteen acquired by Potter UK Bidco Limited for £500 millionJones Day advised Hansteen Holdings PLC in the £500 million recommended cash acquisition of Hansteen by Potter UK Bidco Limited, a newly-formed company indirectly owned by investment funds advised by affiliates of The Blackstone Group Inc., effected by means of a Scheme of Arrangement.
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    May 2021 Alerts

    Additional Changes in German Foreign Direct Investment Control

    April 2021 Alerts

    Australian Regulators Stress the Importance of Managing Climate-Related Risk

    February 2021 Commentaries

    ASIC Signals Increasing Expectations for Climate Change Disclosures

    November 2020 Commentaries

    New Foreign Investment Control Regime Coming to the UK

    November 2020 White Paper

    UK Takeover Panel's Code Committee Proposes Changes to Treatment of Offer Conditions and Offer Timetable

    September 2020 Alerts

    Austria Introduces New Foreign Investment Screening

    July 2020 White Paper

    Foreign Direct Investment Screening in Europe and the Middle East

    June 2020 Alerts

    Germany Tightens Foreign Direct Investment Control in Light of COVID-19 Pandemic

    May 2019 External Publications

    The In-House Lawyer Comparative Guide on Corporate Governance (United Kingdom), The Legal 500 & The In-House Lawyer

    November 2018 Jones Day Publications

    The Main Market & AIM
    View All

    Additional Publications

    Speaking Engagements

    • April 17, 2019
      Foreign Investment Review and Public Takeovers in the UK - Key considerations for Chinese investors, Jones Day Shanghai Outbound Seminar
    • April 16, 2019
      Key considerations for Chinese investment into the UK, Jones Day Beijing Outbound Seminar
    • April 15, 2019
      Foreign Investment Review and Public Takeovers in the UK - Key considerations for Chinese investors, Seminar to CAPE
    • 20 avril 2017
      Finale de la 3ème édition du Prix Jones Day/ESSEC/Paris II
    • 17 novembre 2016
      Atelier AFJE "Négocier un contrat de cession d'actions pro-vendeur"
    • November 9, 2016
      Jones Day Global Life Sciences Conference – 2016 Issues & Trends
    • June 3, 2015
      Global Insights: The Future of M&A
    • April 2012
      In the Battle for Success, How to Win the M&A War, panelist, Merrill Datasite webinar
    • September 2011
      CNBC/Global Finance webcast on Trends in European M&A, panelist
    • March 2009
      The Expro International case and schemes of arrangement, Jones Day client seminar
    • February 5, 2009
      Impacts juridiques de la crise financière sur les opérations de fusions-acquisitions, Atelier AFJE
    • September 2007
      The Takeover Code and AIM, Presentation to Standard Bank
    • July 2006
      The Implementation of the Takeovers Directive, Presentation to Hoare Govett
    • December 2003
      Understanding the Takeover Panel, Presentation to M&A team and members of the European offices of UBS AG
    • October 2003
      Understanding The Takeover Panel, Presentation to London M&A Team of Greenhill

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