Mark Taylor

• IPOs of Easynet Group plc, The Innovation Group plc, Bickerton plc, Concurrent Technologies plc, Goals Soccer Centres plc, Shed Productions plc, BNS Telecom Group plc, Biofutures International plc, Autoclenz Holdings plc, Monto Group plc, China Biodiesel, Northern Recruitment, Fonebak plc, The Local Radio Company plc, Spice Holdings plc, Excel Airways Group plc and others;
• Accelerated IPOs of Cello Group plc (£35m) and The Local Radio Company plc (£50m).

• Trombone rights issue by JJB Sports plc to fund the purchase of Sports Division plc (£448m); Open offer and placing by The Innovation Group plc (£181m).

• Offer by Xansa plc for Druid Group plc, Offer by Golden Rose Communications plc for London Jazz Radio plc; Offer by Meyer International plc for Grahame Group plc; Offer by GEAC Corporation for JBA Holdings plc; Offer by Guardian Media Group Limited for Jazz fm plc; Offer by Gladedale Holdings plc for Country & Metropolitan Holdings plc (combined value over £2.5bn).

Restructurings

• Advised The Coca-Cola Company with respect to the complex reorganization of Coca-Cola Bottlers Manufacturing Holdings Limited (“CCBMH”). CCBMH, a joint venture entity founded by The Coca Cola Company (through two subsidiaries) and subsidiaries of Swire Group and COFCO (China’s largest state-owned food and agriculture company), through multiple subsidiaries provides preparation and packaging operations in relation to Coca Cola’s still beverages business across Mainland China. On completion of the transaction, the multiple subsidiaries of CCBMH in Mainland China will be transferred to and owned by Swire Group and COFCO, respectively, and The Coca-Cola Company will start its franchise partnership with Swire and COFCO regarding the still beverage bottling system in Mainland China.
• £100m restructuring of Euramax Group. £60m demerger of Xyratex and Havant Holdings.

• Secondary buy out of EAT backed by Penta Capital Partners (£44m); MBI of information services division of Mysis backed by Kleinworts Private Equity (£50m); MBO of Xyratex Limited backed by Hg Capital (£60m).