Thomas Bishop

Thomas Bishop

Corporate Managing Associate, London

"I am an all-round corporate lawyer with a particular focus on advising public companies on their most high-profile and strategically important transactions. I combine commercial pragmatism with a client-focussed approach to deliver practical solutions."

Overview

Professional experience

Education and qualifications

Overview

Thomas advises major corporates and financial institutions on their most significant and complex matters, including mergers and acquisitions, public takeovers, joint ventures, carve-outs and corporate restructurings.

Thomas has significant experience of working on transactions governed by the UK Takeover Code, acting for bidders and target companies in various situations, ranging from recommended offers to competitive situations involving multiple bidders. Thomas also has significant experience advising Boards on responses to shareholder activism, as well as general corporate governance matters.

Although now based in London, Thomas has previously undertaken a secondment to the Linklaters Amsterdam office.

Work highlights

Tom has been heavily involved on numerous high profile corporate transactions in recent years. Some examples of his experience include advising:

  • Spirent Communications on its c.£1bn takeover offer from Viavi Solutions Inc. and its subsequent recommended competing offer from Keysight Technologies
  • Mondi on its possible all share combination with DS Smith
  • Vistry on its £1.25bn recommended cash and share combination with Countryside Partnerships
  • Charter Court Financial Services on its £1.5bn recommended all-share combination with OneSavings Bank
  • Edinburgh Worldwide Investment Trust on its response to a shareholder activist campaign to remove the board of directors
  • Nestlé on the carve-out of its European frozen pizza business into a 50/50 joint venture with PAI Partners
  • Glencore on its acquisitions of two 33.3% interests in the Cerrejón coal mine in Colombia from its joint venture partners, Anglo American and BHP
  • KPMG International Services on the exit of KPMG Russia and Belarus firms from the KPMG network
  • Prax Group on its acquisition of the Lindsey Oil Refinery and related logistic assets from Total
     

Professional experience

Thomas has worked closely with Lawyers Without Borders, a not-for-profit organisation with a mission to advance global rule of law, build capacity and integrity in the world’s justice sectors and support development.

Education and qualifications

Thomas studied Economics and International Studies at St Chad’s College, Durham University.