Simon Lindsay was appointed Director General of the Takeover Panel on 2nd July, 2018. Simon is on secondment from Citigroup where he was a managing director within UK Investment Banking and the head of UK M&A. Simon has been an M&A-focused investment banker for almost 30 years and has focused principally on the UK since joining Schroders (subsequently forming part of Citigroup) in 1997. During that time, he has worked on a wide range of transactions involving UK and Irish counterparties, including public takeovers, private acquisitions and disposals, IPOs and restructurings.
Naomi is a Director in Mergers at the Competition and Markets Authority. Before joining the CMA in 2020, Naomi worked at a magic circle law firm for over 10 years. She has also previously worked at NHS regulator NHS Improvement.
Sunny Mann is a Partner in London who leads our EMEA and UK International Trade Practice, which has been ranked Tier 1 by Legal 500 UK for over 20 years. He also co-leads our UK Foreign Investment team. He is highly experienced in advising on the implications of foreign direct investment rules for cross-border transactions. He led on the clearance of one of the very few deals to go through a full statutory national security review in the UK, which entailed close coordination with authorities in the UK and the US. He has advised a range of multinationals on the implications of the UK National Security & Investment Bill and co-ordinated Baker McKenzie’s response to the UK Government Consultation. Sunny is a Visiting Professor at the College of Europe.
Samantha Mobley is a partner in the EU, Competition & Trade Practice of Baker & McKenzie's London office and a member of the London office Management Committee. She headed Baker McKenzie's Global Antitrust and Competition Group, a team of over 300 competition and antitrust specialists worldwide for six years.Samantha has significant experience of advising on complex multi-jurisdictional mergers and has a strong understanding of the importance of working effectively and strategically with global regulators. In addition to antitrust and merger control, she advises on the implications of foreign direct investment rules for cross-border transactions. Samantha has advised a range of multinationals on the implications of the UK National Security & Investment Bill and co-ordinated Baker McKenzie’s response to the UK Government Consultation.
Adam co-leads Flint’s Markets and Investor Advisory practice. He provides political and policy advice to investors and corporate leaders, including on major transactions.Before joining Flint, he was Head of Public Policy for Northern Europe at Uber and advised corporate leaders at Finsbury, a global consulting firm. Prior to that, he spent four years in 10 Downing St as a special adviser to the Prime Minister. At No10, he prepared the Prime Minister for PMQs each week, briefed Cabinet Ministers and helped to oversee government policy on all major issues. He also worked with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on economic policy. Earlier in his career he was Head of the Political Section in the Conservative Research Department.Outside of Flint, Adam is Chair of Governors at the East London Science School.
Gavin is a senior corporate partner with 28 years' experience at Herbert Smith Freehills. He advises on public takeovers and shareholder activism situations, cross-border M&A, investments, and corporate governance. His clients include UK listed companies, multinationals and private capital. He has particularly strong sector experience in financial services, industrials, real estate and TMT. Gavin regularly advises on matters involving complex or novel structures, contentious situations and regulated sectors. He has twice led teams winning Financial Times Innovative Lawyers Award, in 2009 and 2016.He heads our Global M&A practice and is a member of the Board of our Firm. He also sits as an advisor on the UK Government Trade Advisory Group, and advises the Government of Sierra Leone on inbound investment on a pro bono basis. Gavin works with, and is a former Trustee and Chair of The International Lawyers Project, a leading international charitable organisation providing the skills of senior lawyers to promote human rights, sustainable economic development and the rule of law worldwide.
Nimesh is a managing director in the UK Advisory business of the Investment Banking Division and head of Activism and Shareholder Advisory in EMEA. He joined Goldman Sachs in 2005 as an associate and was named managing director in 2011 and partner in 2020.Prior to joining the firm, Nimesh worked at JP Morgan.Nimesh earned an undergraduate degree from the London School of Economics.
David leads ICAEW’s public policy engagement, including, most recently, on the UK’s National Security & Investment Bill. In December 2020, he gave evidence on behalf of ICAEW to the Public Bill Committee.David initiated and led a task force of 22 leading business organisations, including the British Business Bank, to devise the Business Finance Guide. He has also led a high-profile initiative with HM Government, London Stock Exchange, the Takeover Panel, AFME and other organisations on Cyber Security in Corporate Finance.Under David’s leadership, the Corporate Finance Faculty has grown to include more than 7,000 professionals in more than 80 member firms.David is an experienced corporate financier. Formerly with PwC, he has advised on numerous deals, from smaller buyouts to large capital markets transactions, as well as infrastructure projects and complex outsourcing contracts. He holds a BSc (Jt Hons.) from the University of Durham, an MBA with distinction from the University of Bath, and the ICAEW’s Diploma in Corporate Finance.
Willianne van Zandwijk is a partner in the Corporate and M&A practice of NautaDutilh's London office and a member of the Private Equity team. Willianne focuses on Benelux and cross border mergers and acquisitions, leveraged buy-outs and corporate finance transactions for both financial investors and corporate clients. Willianne has broad trans-actional experience in various industries including retail, technology, energy, transport and logistics.
Mark Ward is a partner and Head of Mergers & Acquisitions in A&L Goodbody, Ireland's leading Corporate law firm. Mark specialises in M&A, corporate governance, company law, corporate finance, private equity, joint ventures, venture capital, corporate restructurings, commercial contractual arrangements and corporate fundraisings. His work ranges from general advice on compliance, including corporate governance, to advice on transactions, restructurings and on commercial contract arrangements. Mark's clients include public and private corporates, private equity, financial institutions and commercial enterprises generally.ALG has featured as the top ranking Irish advisor for corporate work by Bloomberg, Experian and Thomson Reuters for the last nine years; and most recently has been named 'Ireland's M&A Legal Adviser of the year, 2020' by Mergermarket.