Leon N.Ferera

Partner

London + 44.20.7039.5213

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Leon Ferera has more than 20 years of experience advising companies, investors, and financial institutions on corporate transactions and governance matters, including takeover offers, takeover preparedness, private M&A, private equity transactions, 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 M&A practice in the London Office.

Representative matters include: advising Houlilhan Lokey on GVC Holdings' £3.9 billion takeover of Ladbrokes Coral; Canyon Bridge's £550 million takeover of Imagination Technologies; Reynolds American's $49 billion acquisition by BAT, $27.4 billion acquisition of Lorillard, and $7.1 billion divestiture to Imperial Tobacco; GE Healthcare's acquisitions of Rapidscan Pharma Solutions and Asymptote; STERIS's $6.2 billion combination with Synergy Health; Euronext's €510 million offer for LCH.Clearnet; transactions for Essilor; Atmel's proposed $4.6 billion sale to Dialog Semiconductor and subsequent $3.6 billion sale to Microchip Technology; PW Real Estate's £323 million takeover of Pinewood; Invesco on investments in Mereo Biopharma, PureTech Health, and Oxford Sciences Innovation; Procter & Gamble on the sale of its tissue and paper towel business and acquisition of Sara Lee's aircare business; and WL Ross & Co. on the £1 billion Northern Rock acquisition from the United Kingdom government.

Leon speaks and writes frequently on takeovers, is a member of the working group on takeovers of the Corporate Finance Faculty of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, and is repeatedly recommended in the Chambers and Legal 500 legal guides.

Experience

  • 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.
  • BBA Aviation sells Ontic for $1.365 billionJones Day advised BBA Aviation plc ("BBA") in the sale of its Ontic business to an investment fund affiliated with CVC Capital Partners for $1.365 billion.
  • GCA Altium acts as financial advisor to Project Sword Bidco Limited in £90 million acquisition of Catalis PlcJones Day advised GCA Altium as financial advisor to Project Sword Bidco Limited, a vehicle established by private equity firm NorthEdge Capital LLP, in connection with its £90 million acquisition of Catalis Plc, a provider of development, testing, and publishing services for the global video games market.
  • Voltalia completes €376 million capital increase with shareholders’ preferential subscription rightsJones Day represented Voltalia S.A. in connection with its €376 million offering by way of preferential subscription rights allocated to Voltalia's existing shareholders in a public offering in France and internationally in private placements to institutional investors.
  • ENGIE-led consortium wins competitive bidding process in Brazil for $8.6 billion acquisition of TAGJones Day advised ENGIE in the $8.6 billion acquisition and related financing of 90% of Transportadora Associada de Gás SA ("TAG"), the largest natural gas transmission network owner in Brazil, from Brazilian state oil company Petróleo Brasileiro SA (Petrobras).
  • ANSYS acquires Granta Design LimitedJones Day advised ANSYS, Inc., the global leader and innovator of engineering simulation software, in their acquisition of Granta Design, the premier provider of materials information technology, and Granta Design Limited has become a wholly-owned subsidiary of ANSYS.
  • NEP Group acquires Broadcast Sports International, LLCJones Day advised NEP Group in its acquisition of Broadcast Sports International, LLC, a leading provider of radio-frequency audio-visual solutions to the live sports and broadcast television industry.
  • Huadong Medicine announces £169 million (US$222 million) takeover offer for and acquisition of Sinclair Pharma PlcJones Day advised Huadong Medicine Co. Ltd. ("HMC") and its subsidiary, Huadong Medicine Aesthetics Investment (HongKong) Limited ("Huadong"), on Huadong's takeover offer for and acquisition of Sinclair Pharma Plc with a total value of approximately £169 million (US$222 million).
  • Aurora Resurgence sells Alltub Group to One Equity PartnersJones Day advised Aurora Resurgence in the sale of portfolio company Alltub Group to One Equity Partners.
  • Creditor brings DIFC action relating to liquidator's rejection of proof of debtJones Day represented a creditor in a claim before the Dubai International Financial Centre's ("DIFC") Court of First Instance concerning the liquidator's rejection of a proof of debt.
  • American Greetings sells majority interest in company to Clayton, Dubilier & RiceJones Day advised American Greetings Corporation in its sale of a 60 percent ownership stake to Clayton, Dubilier & Rice.
  • Houlihan Lokey acts as financial advisor in up to £3.9 billion (US$5.2 billion) acquisition of Ladbrokes Coral Group plcJones Day advised Houlihan Lokey EMEA, LLP in its capacity as financial adviser to GVC Holdings PLC in connection with its up to £3.9 billion (US$5.2 billion) cash and share combination with Ladbrokes Coral Group plc.
  • Funds managed by Invesco Asset Management Limited invest in GelesisJones Day advised Invesco Asset Management Limited in connection with its equity investment in Gelesis, Inc., a clinical stage biotechnology company focused on the development of first-in-class products to safely induce weight loss and improve glycemic control.
  • Neothetics and Evofem Biosciences mergeJones Day advised Invesco Asset Management Limited in connection with the merger of Evofem Biosciences, Inc. with a wholly owned subsidiary of Neothetics, Inc. and the purchase by certain of Invesco's discretionary managed funds of common stock of the combined company.
    • View All

    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

    October 2018 External Publications

    UK Cites Security Reasons for Proposed Deal Notification Regime, M&A Lawyer

    August 2018 Jones Day Publications

    UK Cites Security Reasons for Proposed Deal Notification Regime

    January 2018 Commentaries

    2017 Annual M&A Review

    June 2016 Alerts

    Brexit: United Kingdom Votes to Leave the EU

    April 2016 External Publications

    All change at the ToP: taking stock of the changing nature of the UK takeover regime, Butterworths Journal of International Banking and Financial Law
    View All

    Additional Publications

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    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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