Katie Barnes

Katie Barnes advises a wide spectrum of clients (from FTSE 100 companies to start-ups) on their equity incentives and remuneration related arrangements. Ms. Barnes’ representations include providing advisory support with respect to the design and operation of a company’s share plans (often on a global basis), as well as supporting clients in remuneration-related corporate governance compliance and on the equity aspects of senior management appointments and departures. Ms. Barnes also advises on corporate transactions from an incentives perspective, including public takeovers, IPOs, private M&A deals and private equity investments.

Ms. Barnes’ recent experience includes advising on the incentive aspects of the following transactions:

• Danaher Corporation on its US$5.7 billion acquisition of Abcam plc
• Global Auto Holdings Limited on its US$654 million acquisition of Lookers plc
• DWF Group plc on its US$440 million (£342 million) public takeover by Inflexion Private Equity Partners LLP
• Corebridge Financial Inc. on the US$561 million (£460 million) sale of AIG Life Limited, its U.K. life insurance business, to Aviva plc
• H.I.G. Capital on its £314.8 million acquisition of DX (Group)
• Poltronesofá S.p.A. on its US$122 million acquisition of ScS Group plc
• Triple Private Equity on its acquisition of SmartSearch
• Freeline Therapeutics Holdings plc on its take-private acquisition by Syncona Limited
• Nexthink, S.A. on its acquisition of AppLearn International Limited
• Aptean, Inc. on its acquisition of 3T Logistics Holdings Limited

Prior to joining Skadden in 2023, Ms. Barnes trained and qualified at a Magic Circle law firm where she advised on the incentives aspects of the following transactions:

• Doordash on its $8.1 billion acquisition of Wolt
• OpenText on its $5.8 billion acquisition of Micro Focus
• Etsy on its $1.6 billion acquisition of Depop
• Sumo on its £919 million acquisition by Tencent
• Marks and Spencer on its (up to) £255 million acquisition of Gist