Clifford Chance (CC), Sullivan & Cromwell and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have landed roles on one of the largest private equity deals to take place this year - the £1.6bn acquisition of Expro International by a Candover-led consortium.
CC has the lead role for longstanding client Candover, with the magic circle law firm’s team headed by London corporate partners Adam Signy and Kem Ihenacho.
Private equity house Candover - a client of Signy for more than 20 years - is leading a group of buyers including Goldman Sachs and AlpInvest that have agreed to pay £1.61bn for oilfield-services provider Expro. It is unclear if AlpInvest is also taking separate legal counsel but the firm has previously used firms including Herbert Smith.
Goldman is also taking separate legal advice on its position in the consortium - turning to regular adviser Sullivan, with London M&A partner Tim Emmerson (pictured) leading the team.
Freshfields corporate partner Jeff Roberts is advising UK company Expro. The firm has advised Expro on many transactions in the past, including its flotation on the London Stock Exchange in 1995 and its 2006 acquisition of Power Well Services.
With private equity deals faltering since the summer’s prolonged credit turmoil, the deal is one of the largest to take place so far this year. Significantly, Royal Bank of Scotland, HBOS, HSBC, Lloyds TSB and Royal Bank of Canada have agreed to put up debt for the deal, which is thought to come to around £1bn.
Emmerson commented: “The market is not dead, it is just depressed. You will be seeing more deals like this in the coming year.”
Signy said: “This is something like the second-biggest deal of the year so far, but what makes it unusual is it is difficult to get debt at the moment. Having said that, consortium deals are always complex.”
The deal is expected to complete by the end of the second quarter. However, since the Candover bid was announced, Expro has confirmed that a third party - thought to be US oilfield services giant Halliburton - is also carrying out due diligence and is considering a counter-bid. The company has previously used firms including Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Preston Gates Ellis.
