Ian Ivory
Biography
Overview
Ian Ivory is a partner in our global M&A and Corporate practice based in London. Ian's practice focuses on international M&A, private equity and venture capital. He represents sellers and buyers across a range of business sectors and jurisdictions, with a particular focus on technology, fintech, consumer retail and cross-border transactions.
Ian has many years of experience living and working in London, Moscow and Hong Kong and is admitted as a solicitor in England & Wales and Hong Kong.
Ian has presented at conferences over all the world on his specialist subjects, including at events organised by the International Bar Association (IBA), Japan Institute For Overseas Investment, Law Societies of England & Wales and of Hong Kong, Kazakhstan Bar Association, Moscow State Institute of International Relations University, Skolkovo Innovation Centre, European Bank of Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and Asian Development Bank.
Experience
Representative engagements include:*
- Farfetch on the acquisition of luxury beauty retailer Violet Grey
- Farfetch on its equity investment and platforming arrangements with US luxury retailer Neiman Marcus
- Farfetch on its strategic arrangements with Outlier Capital and subsequent launch of Dream Assembly Base
- SPIE (multi-technical energy & communications services) on its acquisition of 85% of Correll Electrical Engineering
- Drake Capital on the disposal of its franchised restaurants to Papa Johns
- Gridiron Capital and its portfolio company Vertical Supply Group on a UK acquisition
- Mubadala Corporation on its investments in MEL Science and IXcellerate
- Playtech on the sale of its financial trading division Finalto to Gopher Investments
- Viva Wallet on private equity investments by Tencent, Breyer Capital and EBRD
- Transamerica Finance Corporation on the restructuring and disposal of its European trailer leasing business to Goldman Sachs Private Equity and Cerberus
- Capital Alliance Private Equity IV and African Capital Alliance on their investment in Food Concepts PLC alongside private equity firm DPI
- EQT portfolio company's management team on sale of UK subsidiary GB Railfreight to Infracapital, the unlisted infrastructure equity arm of M&G Prudential
- British Land on its joint venture with Prologis
- CITIC Telecom on the acquisition of Linx Telecommunications
- Baring Vostok Capital Partners on the sale of its stake in Orient Express Bank
- Eurasian Development Bank on its USD 1.5bn co-investment with VEB and Raiffeisenbank in fertilizer giant Acron
- ICBC on its sale of two asset owning companies holding shipbuilding contracts for two 9400 TEU container ships under construction at Jiangnan Changxing Shipyard in the PRC
- Investec Property Fund on management equity and incentive arrangements in relation to its acquisition with co-investors of a controlling interest in a pan European logistics platform from Ares
- Kvaerner in relation to its off-shore oil & gas platforming arrangements with Vostok
- LK Bennett on its sale to Phoenix Equity Partners and Sirius Equity
- Royal Bank of Scotland on the restructuring of the Le Meridien hotels portfolio including the Grosvenor, Waldorf London and the Shelbourne and on-sale to new operators; and separately on the proposed sale of part of its hotel portfolio to Vector Hospitality, as part of a proposed £2.4bn listed REIT
- Telegraph Group on the disposal of Best of British
- Tesco on its investments in each of Dunnhumby, Nutricentre and First Call Leisure
*includes experience prior to joining White & Case
Ian also regularly contributes to business and legal publications and has written a number of articles and books including:
"Luxury powerhouses turn to M&A amid slowing sales (M&A Explorer, White & Case 2023)
"Can private equity meet public responsibilities?" (Financial Times Moral Money, 2023)
"New Technologies in the Consumer & Retail Industry" (Law 360, 2023)
"Five things you need to know about investing in Web 3.0" (White & Case 2023)
"Cybersecurity Developments and Legal Issues" (White & Case 2023)
"Transatlantic M&A poised for a resurgence of US interest in European assets" (M&A Explorer, White & Case 2023)
"Five recent trends in the Consumer & Retail Industry" (White & Case 2023)
"Fintech trends: M&A and strategic partnerships" (White & Case 2023)
"Five things to consider when exiting a European joint venture" (White & Case 2023)
"Consumer Retail goes Phygital - are digital and physical assets converging?" (White & Case 2023)
"ESG in the Consumer & Retail Industry" (White & Case, 2023)
"Why do buyout lawyers keep reinventing the wheel?" (Private Equity News, 6 October 2021)
"SPACs will continue to disrupt" (Private Equity News, 19 April 2021)
"Recent trends in real estate: acquisition of management platforms" (Property Funds World, 25 March 2021)
"Buy-and-build back in vogue" (Private Equity News, 5 November 2019)
"UK companies will be rich pickings for US buyers in a no-deal Brexit" (Private Equity News, 28 October 2019)
"English law on China's Belt and Road – And the Competitive Challenge from Chinese Law As An Alternative" (published 2016)
Legal 500 2022: "exceptionally responsive and understands our concerns… an expert in his field, he appreciates the bigger picture which means he is able to deliver solutions-orientated advice. He goes over and above to provide the best possible service."
