Paul Gilks Email & Phone Number

London, England, United Kingdom

London

London, United Kingdom

In August 2019 I advised on the sale of iPresent ( a UK based startup and pioneer of sales enablement ) to Mediafly Inc , a Chicago based provider of sales enablement technology, expanding Mediafly's global footprint.In June 2018 I advised the Zhejiang Silk Road Fund on the Series B funding round in CMR Surgical Limited raising $100 million. It is thought to be Europe’s largest ever fundraising in the medical devices industry.I am ranked by Legal 500 in 2019 and 2018 for M&A deals up… Show more In August 2019 I advised on the sale of iPresent ( a UK based startup and pioneer of sales enablement ) to Mediafly Inc , a Chicago based provider of sales enablement technology, expanding Mediafly's global footprint.In June 2018 I advised the Zhejiang Silk Road Fund on the Series B funding round in CMR Surgical Limited raising $100 million. It is thought to be Europe’s largest ever fundraising in the medical devices industry.I am ranked by Legal 500 in 2019 and 2018 for M&A deals up to £50 million (Tier 2) and described as " extremely experienced " and as providing "well considered advice". Show less

The motivation for my move was to establish the firm's corporate department . In the first full twelve months to 31st May 2006 the department advised on 11 corporate deals with an aggregate value of £520 million. I advised on a number of ground breaking transactions including the listing of one of the UK's first REITs in 2007 and the setting up of one of the first property mezzanine finance investment funds. While specialising in private equity and mergers and acquisitions work I also advised… Show more The motivation for my move was to establish the firm's corporate department . In the first full twelve months to 31st May 2006 the department advised on 11 corporate deals with an aggregate value of £520 million. I advised on a number of ground breaking transactions including the listing of one of the UK's first REITs in 2007 and the setting up of one of the first property mezzanine finance investment funds. While specialising in private equity and mergers and acquisitions work I also advised on property finance transactions including the £85 million facility for the acquisition of Centre Point. My clients included family offices, private equity houses, venture capital investors and management teams . I developed corporate work from the firm's existing clients most notably, Steelcase, Prezzo and Winkworth. I contributed a new Venture Capital section to Sweet and Maxwell Practical Commercial Precedents ( 2006). Show less

Advised Wiseman on the £225 million competitive bid for Unigate and Hewden Stuart on the £330 million bid by Finning. I also advised management on the public to private bid for Hi tec Sports plc. During this period I advised 3i on a number of significant exits. The bursting of the dot com bubble had brought private equity investment work to an abrupt halt.

My move to the recently opened London office of this leading Scottish firm was intended to take advantage of the growth in leveraged transactions backed by RBS and BoS who were clients of the firm. I also had my own connections with a number of City based private equity houses and as a result advised on equity investments by Charterhouse , LDC and 3i among others . I contributed the Management Buyout Section of Commercial Transaction Checklists (1997)

Established the firm's first private equity unit and became the contributor of the private equity section of Sweet and Maxwell Practical Commercial Precedents (1992). Notable buyout deals on which I advised as lead adviser were Magnet ( at £628m the largest UK buyout at the time) and the buyouts of the Roxboro Group ( now Dialight ) and the photo processing business of Dixons both of which were backed by Permira. I also advised Charterhouse and Brown Shipley on a series of venture capital… Show more Established the firm's first private equity unit and became the contributor of the private equity section of Sweet and Maxwell Practical Commercial Precedents (1992). Notable buyout deals on which I advised as lead adviser were Magnet ( at £628m the largest UK buyout at the time) and the buyouts of the Roxboro Group ( now Dialight ) and the photo processing business of Dixons both of which were backed by Permira. I also advised Charterhouse and Brown Shipley on a series of venture capital investments and advised management on the investment into and sale of PC World to Dixons. I was also a partner in the firm's banking department from 1990 to 1994 advising on leveraged finance and property finance transactions including £100 million of senior and mezzanine facilities for the contested bid by Caparo Group for Armstrong Equipment. Show less

I was fortunate to be involved in the buyout of DRG Calendars and Diaries one of the early buyouts to be backed by 3i and the buyout of Linguaphone from Westinghouse , an innovative funding on the Granville OTC market. I also advised NEB on a number of rounds of investment in the shower manufacturer Aqualisa Products and advised Prontaprint on an investment by a syndicate of venture capital investors prior to its eventual admission to the Unlisted Securities Market . Private equity was… Show more I was fortunate to be involved in the buyout of DRG Calendars and Diaries one of the early buyouts to be backed by 3i and the buyout of Linguaphone from Westinghouse , an innovative funding on the Granville OTC market. I also advised NEB on a number of rounds of investment in the shower manufacturer Aqualisa Products and advised Prontaprint on an investment by a syndicate of venture capital investors prior to its eventual admission to the Unlisted Securities Market . Private equity was then very much in its infancy. My feeling is that then lawyers had a greater influence in the structuring of transactions than they do now. Show less