Mark Chilton Email & Phone Number

Glasgow, Scotland, Gb

I was responsible for all Company Secretarial, legal and insurance matters for the group, a FTSE 250 listed company, the UK's largest food wholesaler with a turnover of over £5 billion and over 13,000 employees. Activities include/have included:-Acquisition/Merger/Listing - 2.7 Announcement in relation to the share and cash merger with Tesco PLC subsequently implemented by scheme of arrangement. Acquisition of share capital Musgrave Retail Partners for £40m. Acquisition of Makro UK in exchange for 9.99% of the existing issued share capital, constituting a Class 1 transaction and issue of a circular to shareholders.Disposal - Agreement for the sale of 18 company owned retail stores to Co-Operative Foodstores Limited for consideration in excess of £14m.Competition - Successful applications to the CMA for clearance of the merger with Tesco, acquisitions of Makro and Musgrave Retail partners and disposal of 18 company owned retail stores to Co-Operative Foodstores Limited.Admission - Admission of Company onto Aim market by reverse takeover of Blueheath Holdings plc and subsequent listing on main Market.Company Secretarial - Preparation of Annual Report and arrangement of AGMs, including returns of capital to shareholders by way of B share schemes. Tracking trends in best practice/briefing accordingly and dealing with governance organisations and major shareholders in relation to institutional concerns.Corporate governance - Regular reviews of corporate governance arrangements including internal and external board evaluations to ensure appropriate for main market listed company.Share Schemes - Establishment and maintenance of SAYE and Employee PSP Share Schemes.India - Establishment and maintenance of Indian legal structure to support store opening programme and establishment of joint venture with local business partner. Commercial - Advice, drafting and negotiation of a wide variety of agreements.Litigation - Managing external advisers in substantial disputes

Group Solicitor/Head of Legal for The Big Food Group Plc, a FTSE 350 food retail and wholesale company based in the UK comprising the supermarket chain, Iceland, the wholesaler, Booker Cash & Carry, the foodservice company, Woodward Foodservice and the logistics company, Expert Logistics. Advising Board members and senior management in relation to a wide number of complex and significant commercial and corporate transactions. Managing a team of 12 providing company, commercial, property and regulatory advice across all operating businesses.Managing external legal advisers in the UK, Europe and USA in property, employment and substantial commercial disputes, undertaking reviews of external advisers through tender exercises and establishment of service level obligations to ensure provision of best value legal and professional services.

European legal counsel responsible for the provision of commercial advice for Uniqema, the industrial specialities business of ICI based in Teesside

Senior solicitor for one of the largest independent public house and leisure retailers in the UK providing a full range of company commercial, employment and property advice across all operating businesses, including the acquisition and disposal of hotels within De Vere brand and the provision of company secretarial role to group subsidiaries. In addition, provision of advice in relation to establishment of joint ventures for the construction and management of hotel within football stadium and for the manufacture and distribution of own brand vodka and gin in eastern European countries

Bachelor Of Laws - Llb

Education record