Our People
Head of department Stanley Watson is counsel of choice for many London private equity houses with Irish interests and local corporate finance intermediaries. Interviewees commend his "broad business experience and excellent contact list."
Corporate/M&A: Chambers Global and Chambers Europe 2009
Stanley is also recognised as a leading lawyer by international legal directory PLC Which Lawyer.
Expertise
Stanley is a partner at Matheson Ormsby Prentice since 1996 and is head of the firm's London Office. He advises on mergers and acquisitions, venture capital, management buyouts and in transactions for private and public limited companies. His clients include AIB, Alchemy Partners, Electra Partners and Legal & General Ventures.
Stanley has been retained by a significant number of UK institutions and corporates investing in Ireland with particular emphasis on leveraged buyout work.
Stanley is a Treasurer and Council Member of the Ireland Fund - a worldwide charity established in the United States by Sir Anthony O'Reilly, who is also Chairman of Matheson Ormsby Prentice. Stanley is a non-executive Director of St James' Hospital and is a member of the English Law Society (non-practising).
Education
University College Dublin, Bachelor of Civil Law
Highlights
Stanley has advised:
- AIB on the €1.3 billion merger between AIB's Ark Life division and Aviva's Hibernian Life & Pensions
- Precinct Investments on its recommended takeover of the Gresham Group plc for €113 million
- getmobile Europe plc, an AIM and IEX company, on its reverse takeover of getmobile AG, a German telecoms company and a related placing of approx €72.5 million
- Alchemy Partners on the recommended $376.3 million cash offer for Riverdeep Group plc
- the joint global co-ordinators, Goldman Sachs and Citigroup in the €398 million IPO of C & C Group plc
- continues to advise a multitude of public and private bodies on all aspects of corporate governance, with particular emphasis on State bodies in interpreting the Code of Governance issued by the Department of Finance
