Corporate and M&A in Guernsey

Carey Olsen

Carey Olsen‘s corporate offering encompasses both transactional and structuring matters, and the firm is regularly instructed by private equity houses, other funds and their onshore advisors in relation to M&A deals with Guernsey elements, while also overseeing mergers between Guernsey-based clients. The team is led by Tom Carey, who assists private equity clients with their transactions, as well as overseeing fund structuring mandates, together with Tony Lane, whose wide-ranging practice covers public and private M&A and joint venture structuring. Andrew Boyce assists private equity clients with the structuring of new investment vehicles, also assisting them with financing and transactional activities.

Responsables de la pratique:

Tom Carey; Tony Lane


Autres avocats clés:

Andrew Boyce; Rachel de la Haye; Colin Calvert; Annette Alexander


Les références

‘Strong team and strong knowledge and insights on local legislation.’

‘Rachel de la Haye is the rising star of the firm, was made partner last year and is the go-to person if you want to get your documents drafted fast and well.’

‘The team is always available, ensures that they deliver on time and provides work which is well thought out and of a high quality.’

Principaux clients

Phoenix Equity Partners


Gyrus Capital S.A.


Hipgnosis Songs Fund


Strategic Risk Solutions


JTC


Altum Trustees Limited


Centralis Group S.A.


Ravenscroft Holdings Limited


Shanta Gold Limited


Merchant Navy Ratings Pension Fund


Principaux dossiers


  • Advised Hipgnosis Songs Fund Limited on its takeover by Blackstone Europe LLP by way of a scheme of arrangement.
  • Advised Strategic Risk Solutions on its acquisition of Robus Group from The Ardonagh Group.

Mourant

‘Excellent Guernsey legal and regulatory knowledge’ characterises Mourant‘s corporate offering, allowing it to tackle challenges ranging from private equity investments to transactions involving listed companies and spanning the gamut of related regulatory matters. Heading the team is John Rochester, who is well versed in overseeing schemes of arrangement in addition to handling financing arrangements. Frances Watson maintains a broad practice, handling M&A and fund deals in addition to assisting with corporate restructurings, while John Lewis is noted for his expertise in private M&A and family office transactions. Alana Gillies Ridout is sought after for her combination of transactional and competition law expertise.

Responsables de la pratique:

John Rochester


Autres avocats clés:

Frances Watson; John Lewis; Alana Gillies Ridout


Les références

‘Mourant is our go-to law firm in Guernsey for corporate work involving UK publicly listed companies.’

‘John Rochester is extremely responsive, pragmatic and always close to the detail. He is great at finding creative solutions for issues.’

The customer service was excellent.’

Principaux clients

Titan Wealth Services Limited


The Travel Corporation


Vitruvian Partners LLP


GCP London Capital Unitholder Limited


Crossways Trustees Limited


Principaux dossiers


  • Advised Titan Wealth Services Limited on its acquisition of Ravenscroft’s wealth management business in the Channel Islands.
  • Advised The Travel Corporation on its sale of 18 brands within its  group of companies to funds advised by Apollo.
  • We advised Vitruvian Partners LLP on its investment into Options Technology.

Ogier

Ogier's transactional capabilities range from private equity-led take-privates to schemes of arrangement, advising both local and international clients on their acquisitions and disposals and also providing assistance on restructuring matters. The practice leadership group consists of ‘standout partner’ Bryon Rees, who handles both corporate and private wealth transactions, funds specialist Tim Clipstone and Richard Sharp, who combines M&A expertise with in-depth knowledge of the insurance and reinsurance sector. 2024 also saw a number of arrivals, with Mourant's Andrew Grant, an insurance specialist, joining in December, following the funds and capital markets-focused Liam Murphy's arrival from A&L Goodbody LLP in May.

Responsables de la pratique:

Bryon Rees; Tim Clipstone; Richard Sharp


Autres avocats clés:

Andrew Grant; James Walsh; Liam Murphy; Diana Collas


Les références

‘I have dealt with Diana Collas many times and she is always dependable, cheery and commercial. She is quick to get up to speed on matters and always willing to assist at a moment’s notice, even on very urgent things. Bryon Rees is always on hand at a partner level to provide assistance, and he is again very astute, very bright and always happy to assist.’

‘Their knowledge of the process was second to none, they expertly guided our mutual client from start to finish. Their responsiveness and quality of delivery of service was exceptional, I would not hesitate in recommending Bryon Rees and his team to my clients.’

‘Bryon Rees is extremely personable and responsive, he always provided the right answer and nothing was ever too much trouble. The Ogier team was always on hand to assist and guide us through a process that we were not familiar with. Liam Murphy was extremely helpful and was a safe pair of hands able to step into the breach whenever Bryon wasn’t available.’

Principaux clients

Brooks Macdonald Group PLC


Starwood Capital


The Ardonagh Group


Searchlight Capital


ETC Group


Sixth Street Partners


Blackstone Inc.


ComfortDelGro


Hillview Capital


Freestone Capital Management


Principaux dossiers


  • Advised Blackstone on its £1.5bn acquisition and take-private of Hipgnosis Songs Fund.
  • Advised Sixth Street on its $5.1bn take-private acquisition of Bermudian-based insurer Enstar Group.
  • Advised Starwood Capital on its £673.5m acquisition of Balanced Commercial Property Trust via a scheme of arrangement.

Walkers

Walkers‘ ‘ability to manage high-stakes negotiations’ allows it to take on large scale private-equity led deals, overseeing cross-border M&A transactions and also assisting corporate clients with restructuring and redomiciliation matters. Leading the team are Guernsey managing partner Matt Sanders, who couples M&A experience with expertise in fund structuring, and Craig Cordle, who handles public and private mergers, as well as competition issues. The ‘outstanding’ Chris Hutley-Hurst combines a considerable M&A track record with knowledge of related tax and regulatory requirements. Jessica Robinson specialises in insurance sector matters alongside her financial services M&A work, while Charlotte Gonçalves advises financial services clients on Guernsey regulatory requirements.

Responsables de la pratique:

Matt Sanders; Craig Cordle


Autres avocats clés:

Chris Hutley-Hurst; Jessica Robinson; Charlotte Gonçalves; Angela Proctor


Les références

‘The practice was involved in the development of regulatory policy through sitting on industry boards, so they understand the intent behind the regulation as well as the written substance. This gives them the ability to speak directly to the regulator and States of Guernsey, so advice is always in-context.’

‘Chris Hutley-Hurst has been our main contact and has been outstanding. He is involved in policy development with the regulator as part of local industry boards. Chris can speak to regulators, government officials, the civil service and other parts of the industry. He is therefore able to contextualise advice and make it commercial through actions as well as in the advice itself.’

‘Deep experience sets them apart, allowing them to navigate complexities with confidence and efficiency. They have keen attention to detail, strong deal-making skills, and the ability to manage high-stakes negotiations that make them a trusted partner.’

Principaux clients

Equitix


One Rock Capital Partners LLC


Investec Limited


Willis Towers Watson


Fort Group


Oaktree


Aston CM Guernsey Limited


Tetragon


Universities Superannuation Scheme


Warburg Pincus


GoldenTree Asset Management


Principaux dossiers


  • Advised Equitix on multiple high-value acquisitions of substantial infrastructure, telecoms and renewable energy assets.
  • Advised One Rock Capital Partners LLC on the Guernsey elements of the acquisition by its affiliate of Snacks Développement SAS.
  • Advised GoldenTree Asset Management on its £351m acquisition of a portfolio of real estate assets from abrdn Property Income Trust.

Appleby

Appleby‘s ‘responsive and comprehensive’ team considerably strengthened its partnership in 2024, with Bedell Cristin‘s Dylan Latimer and Babbé LLP‘s Tristan Ozanne arriving in October. Both new arrivals add considerable M&A experience to the practice, with Ozanne also offering expertise in financing matters, while Latimer is noted for his knowledge of insurance sector structures, including captives and reinsurance. Heading the team is Stuart Tyler, whose practice spans transactions, insolvency and Guernsey’s financial services regulatory regime. September 2025 saw Kate Ovenden and Tendai Gakanje join the team from Bedell Cristin.

Responsables de la pratique:

Stuart Tyler


Autres avocats clés:

Tristan Ozanne; Dylan Latimer; Kate Ovenden; Tendai Gakanje


Les références

‘Breadth and depth of knowledge across numerous areas and jurisdictions.’

‘They are most professional, knowledgeable, dedicated and pragmatic to work with. Their ability to navigate complex legal matters with precision and a client-centred approach sets them apart.’

‘Dylan Latimer was the responsible partner and he is amazing. He constantly demonstrates his exceptional expertise and attention to detail without being too long-winded in his advice or losing his pragmatic approach. He is not only highly responsive but also takes the time to really understand the client’s need. He is the best!’

Principaux clients

Aon Group PLC


Augmented Holdings


Barclays Bank PLC


Cherry Godfrey Finance Limited


Grant Thornton Advisors LLC


HSBC Group


Imperium Group


JP Morgan Chase


Paratus Group


Pensioneer Trustee Company (Guernsey) Limited


Perwyn Group


Praxis Group


RL360 Life Insurance Company Limited


Saris Aanhangers B.V.


Sedibelo Holdings


Suntera Group


Trireme Pension Services (Guernsey) Limited


UAP Holdings Limited


Unitrailer Holding


Warburg Pincus


WM Morrisons Supermarkets Limited


Principaux dossiers


  • Advised WM Morrison on the Guernsey law aspects of its acquisition of Sandpiper Group.
  • Advised Grant Thornton Advisors LLC on the agreement to combine with Grant Thornton Ireland’s advisory and tax business.
  • Advised Saris Aanhangers B.V. on the Guernsey law aspects of its acquisition by Unitrailer Holding.

Collas Crill

Collas Crill‘s ‘incredibly knowledgeable, supportive and resourceful’ team is instructed for its expertise in a number of growth sectors, ranging from digital assets to cannabis, overseeing transactions spanning multiple jurisdictions. Overseeing the firm’s efforts is Wayne Atkinson, who advises both regulated clients and investment funds on their transactions, in addition to assisting clients looking to navigate Guernsey’s regulatory environment. Simon Heggs' practice focuses on cross-border M&A, but he is also noted for his expertise in both transactions and regulatory matters in the crypto-asset arena, where he works closely with Steve Moore.

Responsables de la pratique:

Wayne Atkinson


Autres avocats clés:

Simon Heggs; Steve Moore


Les références

‘The team at Collas Crill is incredibly knowledgeable, supportive and resourceful. The work we do is very specialist and they have grown with us as we have built our expertise in this area together. They were instrumental in our work to carefully navigate our clients through the everchanging environment due to changes in regulation surrounding virtual assets.’

‘Simon Heggs has been phenomenally valuable to me and we have built a strong working relationship, which has enabled me to support my clients efficiently and confidently, knowing that the information provided by Simon is accurate and clear. Steve Moore has a very high level of knowledge regarding virtual assets and has been able to help me understand my clients needs and communicate with them confidently in the virtual asset world.’

‘It was great to have one point of contact across multiple jurisdictions rather than having to reach out to different contacts in different offices.’

Principaux clients

Van Mossel


Zedra Trust Company


Amalgamated Facilities Management Limited


IDEA Management


Curaleaf


Softbank Bank Corp


Walter Properties


Darwin Alternative Investment Management (Guernsey) Limited


Close Brothers Group Plc


Tynion


Albecq Trust Company


Guernsey Post


Crescendo International Limited


Principaux dossiers


  • Assisted Canaccord Genuity Group Inc’s wealth management business in relation to its acquisition of Brooks Macdonald Asset Management (International) Limited from Brooks Macdonald Group plc.
  • Advised a family office on a restructuring of global asset holdings exceeding £700m, held through Guernsey and BVI corporate structures.
  • Acted as Guernsey counsel to the management of Integrated Environmental Solutions on its acquisition by Apax Partners.

Bedell Cristin

Bedell Cristin advises on a range of transactional and regulatory mandates, handling both Guernsey-based and international M&A deals, related financing arrangements and restructuring matters. John Scanlan brings a ‘can-do attitude’ to his work on private and public M&A and financing arrangements. Dylan Latimer left the firm in October 2024, with Kate Ovenden and Tendai Gakanje departing in September 2025.

Autres avocats clés:

John Scanlan


Les références

‘Highly client-focused and responsive.’

‘John Scanlan stands out for his client care and responsiveness. John has a real can-do attitude.’

‘The team goes above and beyond some other firms and is proactive rather than reactive.’

Principaux clients

GXO Logistics Inc


Urban Logistics REIT plc


Ocorian Limited


Principaux dossiers


  • Advised GXO Logistics Inc on the Guernsey legal and regulatory aspects of its acquisition of Wincanton plc.
  • Advised Urban Logistics REIT plc in respect of its bid to acquire the logistics and warehouse assets of abrdn Property Income Trust Limited.

Ferbrache & Farrell LLP

Corporates, funds and HNWIs rely on Ferbrache & Farrell LLP for their acquisitions and divestments in Guernsey, the UK and Europe, in addition to assisting clients as they undergo restructuring measures. Practice head Gavin Farrell advises funds and other asset managers on their transactional matters and related financing structures. Helen McGeoch offers experience in financing arrangements, while Stuart Nash handles both corporate and property transactions.

Responsables de la pratique:

Gavin Farrell


Autres avocats clés:

Helen McGeoch; Stuart Nash


Principaux dossiers


  • Advised the sellers in respect of the sale of Guernsey fund administration group to a global fund administrator.
  • Advised a US REIT on multiple corporate matters.
  • Provided ongoing legal advice, including on all corporate, funds and banking matters, to Lakestar.