Craig Kelly

In 2018, Mr. Kelly returned to Skadden from secondment to the U.K. Takeover Panel. During his two years at the Panel, he regulated more than 250 transactions governed by the U.K. Takeover Code. In recognition of his work, Mr. Kelly has been named an International Rising Star at the IFLR Europe Awards.

Mr. Kelly’s experience has included advising:

• International Paper in its proposed US$9.9 billion acquisition of DS Smith
• H.I.G. Capital in its £314.8 million acquisition of DX Group
• Global Auto Holdings Limited in its US$654 million acquisition of Lookers plc
• Gyroscope Therapeutics in its acquisition by Novartis for US$800 million, including upfront and additional milestone payments of up to US$700 million
• Raymond James in its £278.9 million acquisition of Charles Stanley
• Electronic Arts in its:
  • US$1.4 billion acquisition of Playdemic from Warner Bros. Games and AT&T
  • US$1.2 billion recommended cash offer for Codemasters Group Holdings plc
• Globalworth in a US$1.88 billion unsolicited bid to acquire the company by two of its major shareholders, CPI Property Group and Aroundtown
• Fortiana Holdings Limited in connection with its US$1.5 billion acquisition of Highland Gold Mining Limited, an AIM-quoted gold producer, comprising an initial US$585 million acquisition of a 40% interest, the U.K.’s first-ever preconditional mandatory bid for the remaining stake, delisting and compulsory squeeze-out of minority shareholders
• funds managed by I Squared Capital Advisors, LLC, along with TDR Capital LLP, in the US$3.1 billion acquisition of Aggreko plc
• Sampo plc in the shareholder arrangements with joint offeror Rand Merchant Investment Holdings Limited to support their £1.66 billion takeover bid for Hastings Group Holdings plc
• Nightstar Therapeutics plc in its US$800 million sale to Biogen Inc.
• Goldman Sachs International, Cenkos Securities plc and Dean Street Advisers Limited as joint financial advisors to Bain Capital in the £1.2 billion acquisition of esure Group plc
• CME Group Inc. in its US$6 billion acquisition of NEX Group plc
• Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Co., Ltd. in its US$5.3 billion acquisition of Amlin plc
• Matchtech Group plc in its £59.9 million acquisition of Networkers International plc
• Fortune Dynasty Holdings Limited, a joint venture between the Vitol Group and Daniel Chiu, in its acquisition of the remaining 43% stake in Fortune Oil plc it did not already own
• Destination Maternity in its proposed £266 million acquisition of Mothercare
• Pfizer in its proposed US$115 billion acquisition of AstraZeneca
• Vitol Group in the formation of Varo Energy B.V., a joint venture with The Carlyle Group LP to create a major midstream energy group across northwest Europe
• Doughty Hanson & Co. in its:
  • US$1.4 billion sale of Vue Entertainment Ltd. to Alberta Investment Management Corporation and OMERS Private Equity
  • £250 million acquisition and related financing of a majority stake in ASCO plc
• Altimo Holdings & Investments Ltd. in the US$5.2 billion sale of its 25% stake in OJSC MegaFon to AF Telecom and a subsidiary of MegaFon
• NIKE, Inc. in its US$225 million sale of Umbro International Ltd. to Iconix Brand Group, Inc.
• Upsher-Smith Laboratories, Inc. in its US$550 million acquisition of Proximagen Group plc
• Colfax Corporation in its US$2.4 billion acquisition of Charter International plc
• Danaher Corporation in connection with its tender offer for Genetix Group plc
• Williams Invest Holdings in its acquisition of a minority stake in Williams F1
• Glick Investments, a cornerstone investor in Songbird Estates plc, a majority shareholder in Canary Wharf Group plc, in a £895 million equity and debt refinancing