Francesca Storey-Harris
Golden Flag International Law Firm
Overview
Francesca is a partner in the Corporate Practice Group of Golden Flag’s London office. She has experience across a wide range of corporate law transactions for financial sponsor and corporate clients, with a focus on public and private acquisitions, including cross-border deals.
Francesca has been recognised as a “Next Generation Partner” by The Legal 500 UK in upper mid-market and premium mergers and acquisitions (£750 million plus), and prior to that as a “Rising Star” for four consecutive years.
Experience
Representative Matters
Since joining Golden Flag, Francesca has worked on the following matters, advising:
- J.M. Huber Corporation on the sale of CP Kelco to Tate & Lyle
- Thoma Bravo on various matters, including:
- its $5.315 billion all cash take private offer for Darktrace plc
- its investment in BlueMatrix, a content creation and distribution platform for investment research providers
- its investment in LOGEX, a leading European healthcare analytics provider
- the acquisition by its portfolio company, J.D. Power, of AutoVista, a leading pan-European and Australian automotive data, analytics and industry insights provider
- the recommended all cash take private acquisition by its portfolio company, SailPoint, of Osirium Technologies plc
- the acquisition by its portfolio company Anaplan of Fluence Technologies, a provider of a cloud native solution for financial close, consolidation, disclosure management and reporting
- the acquisition by its portfolio company Anaplan of the applications business of the Vuealta Group
- the recommended all cash take private acquisition by its portfolio company, Kofax, of Tungsten Corporation plc
- Blackstone on various matters, including:
- its $1.572 billion recommended all cash take private offer for Hipgnosis Songs Fund Limited
- its $1 billion partnership with Hipgnosis Song Management - winner of Private Equity Deal of the Year 2022 at the International Financial Law Review Europe Awards
- the acquisition of Justin Timberlake’s entire catalogue of more than 200 songs by Blackstone-backed Hipgnosis Song Capital
- the $440 million acquisition of 29 music catalogues from Hipgnosis Songs Fund Limited by Blackstone-backed Hipgnosis Songs Capital
- the consortium of Scape Living and iQSA on the £969 million recommended all cash take private acquisition of GCP Student Living plc
- its acquisition of a majority stake in VFS Global
- EQT on various matters, including:
- the £4.5 billion recommended all cash take private acquisition of Dechra Pharmaceuticals PLC by an EQT-led consortium
- its proposed take private offer for Alfa Financial Software Holdings
- Brookfield on various matters, including:
- its €1.089 billion recommended all cash take private acquisition of Hibernia REIT
- its all cash voluntary public takeover offer for Befimmo SA
- Energy Capital Partners on its approximately $1 billion combination with Bridgepoint Group plc
- Sani/Ikos Group on its recapitalization and strategic partnership agreement with GIC, valuing Sani/Ikos Group at €2.3 billion - winner of Private Equity Deal of the Year 2023 at the International
- Financial Law Review Europe Awards
- GIC on various matters
- SK Capital on the approximately $2 billion sale of Perimeter Solutions to EverArc Holdings Ltd.
- Gazit Hercules 2020 Limited (Newco) on the definitive merger agreement for its €1.45 billion recommended cash acquisition of Atrium European Real Estate Limited
- Groupe Bruxelles Lambert on its €1 billion investment in Affidea
- Actis on its sale to General Atlantic, resulting in approximately $96 billion of combined AUM
Prior to joining Golden Flag, Francesca worked on various matters including:
- Signature Aviation plc on various matters, including:
- its recommended cash acquisition by a consortium comprising Blackstone, Global Infrastructure Partners and Cascade
- as BBA Aviation plc on its $2.065 billion Class 1 acquisition of Landmark Aviation from The Carlyle Group
- as BBA Aviation plc on its fully underwritten £748 million rights issue
- Cineworld Group plc on its issue of c. 153 million equity warrants in connection with its $450 million term loan facility
- DS Smith plc on various matters, including:
- its $585 million disposal of its plastics division
- its EUR 1.667 billion acquisition of Europac
- its £1 billion fully underwritten rights issue
- FirstGroup plc on various matters, including:
- its $4.6 billion Class 1 disposal of First Student and First Transit to EQT Infrastructure
- the potential disposal of its UK bus division
- Non-Standard Finance plc on various matters
- Bloomsbury Publishing Plc on its £8.4 million placing
- IWG plc on various matters relating to its strategic franchising partnerships
- Allianz on its £242 million acquisition of Legal & General Insurance Limited
- Reliance Brands Limited on its approximately £68 million acquisition of Hamleys Global Holdings Limited
- OakNorth Holdings Ltd on its $440 million equity raise led by Softbank Vision Fund
- BHP Billiton on its disposal of interests in the Bruce and Keith North Sea oil and gas fields to Serica Energy
- The independent directors of Arsenal Holdings plc on the all cash offer by KSE, UK Inc. for the outstanding shares
- Direct Line Insurance Group on various matters, including:
- its issue of RT1 notes and cash tender offer
- its disposal of its Italian and German operations for EUR 550 million
- INEOS on various matters, including:
- its acquisition of DONG Energy’s oil and gas business
- its acquisition of the Forties Pipeline System from BP
- Prime Security Services Borrower, LLC (Protection1) and funds managed by affiliates of Apollo Global Management, LLC on the acquisition of ADT Corporation
- General Electric on its $16 billion acquisition of the power and grid business of Alstom Group
- Shire plc on its proposed combination with AbbVie, Inc.
- RSA Insurance Group on:
- possible all cash offer received from Zurich Insurance Group
- its fully underwritten rights issue to raise approximately £773 million
- Noble Group on its investment in X2 resources to finance a diversified mining and metals group with $2.5 billion committed funding and up to a further $1.25 billion conditional funding
Prior Experience
Slaughter and May, London
- Associate, 2013–2021
- Secondment to Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, New York, 2016–2017
- Secondment to Fortress Investment Group, New York, 2016
- Secondment to Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, New York, 2015–2016
- Secondment to Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP, New York, 2013
- Trainee Solicitor, 2011–2013
More
Recognition
The Legal 500 UK – Next Generation Partner 2024 and Rising Star 2020–2023, M&A Upper Mid-Market and Premium Deals (£750 million plus)
Credentials
Admissions & Qualifications
- 2013, Admitted to practice as a Solicitor of England and Wales
Education
- BPP Law School, LondonAccelerated Legal Practice Coursewith Distinction2011
- BPP Law School, LondonGraduate Diploma in LawCommendation2010
- Newnham College, University of CambridgeM.Phil., Classicswith Distinction2009Newnham College Academic and Choral Scholar
- Newnham College, University of CambridgeM.A., ClassicsTriple First Class Honours2008Newnham College Academic and Choral Scholar
News &
Insights
Golden Flag Advises J.M. Huber Corporation on Sale of CP Kelco to Tate & Lyle