James Leslie

James’ experience includes advising:

• On the tax aspects of the revolving credit facilities for Williams Scotsman, Inc., a provider of mobile and modular office space, to refinance existing debt
• PureGym, a UK-based company engaged in operating fitness clubs, on the tax aspects of an equity investment by KKR
• Darktrace plc in connection with its £1.7 billion initial public offering and listing on the London Stock Exchange
• BluJay Solutions, Francisco Partners, Temasek, and other selling shareholders on the US$1.7 billion sale of BluJay to E2open Parent Holdings, Inc.
• The senior creditors committee in relation to the rescue financing and subsequent c. €2.9 billion debt and equity restructuring of Swissport, a global aviation services business headquartered in Switzerland
• The underwriter on the tax aspects of the US$29.4 billion initial public offering of Saudi Aramco, a Saudi Arabian public petroleum and natural gas company, on the Saudi Stock Exchange — marking the world’s largest IPO
• A consortium of investors, including TPG Capital, on the tax aspects of the acquisition of a majority stake in Aviva Ltd, a Singapore-based insurance company
• RIMES Technologies, a portfolio company of EQT Partners, on the tax aspects of its acquisition of EBR Analytics Holdings, a provider of benchmarking and data analytics services for financial institutions
• The committee of senior secured bondholders in relation to New Look, the UK-headquartered national fashion retailer, including the Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) of its store portfolio and a restructuring of its c. £1.35 billion debt capital structure via the injection of interim financing, public debt exchange, debt-for-equity swap, and new high yield bond issuance
• The underwriters on the tax aspects of the US$3.2 billion initial public offering of Avast, a leader in digital security products — marking the largest-ever tech IPO on the London Stock Exchange
• The initial purchaser on the tax aspects of the issuance of US$1.085 billion, five-year senior secured notes by Aston Martin Capital Holdings Limited, a British luxury carmaker
• Abcam, a Cambridge-based research tool provider, on the tax aspects of its US$156 million American depositary share IPO listed on the London Stock Exchange and the NASDAQ
• Total SE, a French multinational integrated oil and gas company, on the tax aspects of its US$14.9 billion financing of a liquefied natural gas project in the Republic of Mozambique
• The initial purchaser on the tax aspects of a £320 million cash-box placing by IWG, a multinational operator of workspace brands
• Investec Bank on the tax aspects of a £141 million private placement by JD Wetherspoon, a UK-based pub company
• A consortium of investors led by Cinven Partners and Astorg Partners on the tax aspects of the acquisition of LGC Group, a UK-based provider of chemical and biological, analytical and diagnostic services
• Astorg Partners on the tax aspects of its sale of Audiotonix Group Limited, a UK-based manufacturer and distributor of audio consoles, to Ardian for €1 billion
• Hellmann Worldwide Logistics GmbH & Co. KG, a Germany-based logistics services company, on the tax aspects of its debt restructuring
• Silver Lake Partners on the tax aspects of its acquisition of a stake in City Football Group, the UK-based parent company of various football clubs, for US$500 million
• Goldman Sachs on the tax aspects of its acquisition of Aston Lark, a UK-based provider of insurance brokerage services
• Shandong Ruyi Investment Holding, a leading Chinese textile and apparel company, on the tax aspects of its acquisition of the Apparel & Advanced Textiles business of INVISTA, a producer of chemical intermediates, polymers and fibers
• Duke Street, a London-based private equity group, on the tax aspects of its sale of Wagamama, a London-based restaurant chain owner and operator, to The Restaurant Group
• Farfetch Limited on the tax aspects of its IPO listed on the New York Stock Exchange and concurrent private placement
• SIG Combibloc Group, a Switzerland-based company engaged in the containers and packaging industry, on the tax aspects of its IPO listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange
• MeiraGTx Holdings, a clinical-stage gene therapy company, on the tax aspects of its US$75 million IPO listed on the NASDAQ
• Permira Advisers on the tax aspects of its acquisition of a majority stake in the Corin Group, a UK-based company that develops, produces, and distributes orthopedic devices
• The lenders on the tax aspects of the financing of Cineworld Group’s acquisition of Regal Entertainment Group, a motion picture exhibitor