48-51-thames-valleyV6.qxp 13/2/09 14:40 Page 51
WWW.MANDADEALS.CO.UK
THOMAS EGGAR LLP
JOHN RIDDICK – PARTNER
0870 160 1300
john.riddick@thomaseggar.com
www.thomaseggar.com
The first half of 2008 was hectic in the M&A arena, more on internal compliance and to some extent on
with company sales being driven through at top commercial activity while corporate life starts to
speed due to the former capital gains taper relief become accustomed to more difficult times.
regime remaining open until 5 April 2008. Banking and construction deals are down.
Thereafter, a number of deals that didn’t make that However, it does seem that there will be significant
date soldiered on to complete within the following opportunities for investors and entities that are in
weeks within the Entrepreneur Relief Rules. cash and can profit from low prices in 2009 onwards.
Dark clouds started to appear in the summer with We expect to see the market beginning to
news that US mortgage giants Freddie Mac and recover during the first half of 2009 as domestic
Fanny Mae were having financial problems. These and international capital start to reinvest in the
difficulties, arising out of sub-prime mortgages, markets – especially private equity. Whether the
heralded the beginning of a tsunami of financial market recovers quickly or slowly will depend on
events that culminated in recessionary times by the a number of factors and it will be interesting to
latter part of 2008. see what happens.
Instead of M&A, corporate lawyers tend to be Clients in food and technology are still
working with insolvency practitioners in the continuing to do deals with some resilience, and
restructuring and administrations sector due to a we expect to see consolidation elsewhere over the
chronic shortage of credit available from banks. next few months.
Demand for legal services is now centring much Hopefully, the dark clouds are passing.
Target Target location Target Target
country business description
Welcome Break Group Newport Pagnell GB Hotel operator, motorway service area and hotel
operator, motorway services station operator
Greater Gabbard Offshore Winds Reading GB Wind farm development services
Vodafone Group Plc Newbury GB Mobile telecommunications services
Thiakis Maidenhead GB Obesity and metabolic disease treatments developer
Centrica Plc Windsor GB Gas production and distribution services,
Electricity generator and distributor
Premier Research Group Plc Berkshire GB Full clinical trial management services,
Contract research services, pharmaceutical
and biotechnological research services
Leasedrive VELO Wokingham GB Commercial car fleet management services
Rightmove Plc Milton Keynes GB Online estate agency services
NetStore Plc Reading GB Data centre operator, application service provider,
Information technology security and outsourcing services
Greater Gabbard Offshore Winds Ltd Reading GB Wind farm development services
Mergers & Acquisitions 51
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