Mourant acts on record-breaking Japanese outbound M&A deal

Tuesday 15 January 2019

Leading offshore law firm, Mourant, has advised Shire plc in relation to its takeover by Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited.

The transaction by deal value is the largest ever outbound M&A deal by a Japanese company and is also the largest ever takeover of a Jersey incorporated company.

The takeover, which completed on 8 January, valued Shire at £46bn. and was implemented by Shire's Jersey scheme of arrangement. It makes Takeda one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies.

Mourant has acted for Shire, alongside Slaughter and May, for over 10 years. Shire was a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index prior to its takeover.

The Mourant team was led by Robert Hickling with support from Stephen Alexander, Paul Martin, Jon Woolrich, Amy Wilson, Rachel Needham, Carla Benest and Katie Philipps. The team managed the scheme process and acted as Jersey counsel alongside lead counsel Slaughter and May on the transaction.

Mourant continues to advise Shire in relation to its integration into the Takeda group.

The Shire transaction is one of a long line of schemes of arrangement on which the Mourant team has recently advised. Others include: Informa's takeover of UBM, the takeover of Kentz Corporation by SNA Lavelin, the public to private takeover of Heritage Oil, Colfax's acquisition of Charter International, and schemes by IWG, Informa and Beazley to create new holding companies.

Pictured top: Robert Hickling.