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Diederik Van Lede

Partner

England & Wales

020 3319 3700

diederik.vanlede@keystonelaw.co.uk

“I've found Diederik/Keystone to be an invaluable part of our story, as a startup founder it's important to surround yourself with the best people that complement your weaknesses and can offer solutions. Diederik has a refreshing approach to startups and continues to add value across HR, legal and general business practices as legal counsel and non-exec director to KLEEK. I can not recommend Diederik enough and look forward to working with him for years to come.”

- Antoine Commane, Founder KLEEK

Diederik is a corporate dealmaker with deep cross-border M&A experience and a sharp instinct for what ambitious businesses need to move fast. He has led complex international transactions, group restructurings, and high-stakes financings spanning Europe, the US, and emerging markets, from sub-million acquisitions to multi-billion global deals.

Entrepreneurs, scale-ups, and multi-nationals alike rely on his clarity, commercial edge, and ability to anticipate the pressures that define modern corporate growth.

Alongside advising founders and boards, Diederik serves as a non-executive director for several international companies, bringing hands-on strategic insight to decision-making at the highest level.

Based between London and Brussels, he brings a global perspective to every deal and navigates international dynamics with ease.

Expertise

Diederik advises corporates and investors on complex cross-border mergers, acquisitions and restructurings, coordinating multi-jurisdictional projects and managing transactional, regulatory and governance requirements for global businesses.

Experience

  • Advised on numerous M&A and investment transactions in Europe, the Americas, Asia and Africa.
  • Acted in the worldwide restructuring of an American hardware and technology group, split into 3 new divisions in 180 jurisdictions, with the sale of one global division for 1.75bn to a PE fund.
  • Managed the worldwide tax-driven restructuring of an American pharmaceutical group (revenue USD 40bn), 17 jurisdictions, and advised on corporate matters.

Diederik advises on private equity, venture capital and specialty lending transactions, including IPOs, funding structures and debt reorganisations.

Experience

  • Advised on several IPOs ranging in value from EUR 50m to 1.2bn.
  • Advised on a EUR 22m bank loan restructuring for a German–Luxembourg consortium with a Liechtenstein bank.
  • Acted in the reorganisation of the capital structure and the junior debt of an international telecoms company in connection with a high-yield bond issuance (EUR 750m).

Diederik advises on joint ventures, shareholder arrangements and international business structuring, including fractional ownership and complex commercial contracts.

Experience

  • Acted in multi-jurisdictional JV and corporate group structurings.
  • Advised on fractional ownership acquisitions in England, Scotland, Italy and Morocco.
  • Renegotiated a USD 1.5bn contract concerning the international wholesale activities of a telecoms group.

Diederik advises German and international corporates, private equity investors and entrepreneurs on cross-border M&A, restructurings and investments, with extensive experience leading complex, multi-jurisdictional transactions between the UK, Germany and wider Europe.

Experience

  • Lead advisor to the buyer on the acquisition by US Recruitment Group of a German-UK software business (GBP 12m).
  • Lead advisor to the buyer of the acquisition by Canadian-Dutch Group of German milling company (EUR 2m).
  • Lead advisor for a German chemical group on 3 UK business acquisitions (aggregate GBP 34m).
  • Lead advisor on the 40% share purchase and restructuring of a German fashion label and transition to UK.
  • Acted for shareholders and UK investor in EUR 1.9m fundraising and investment & growth strategy advisor for a German-Austrian based vegan juice brand.
  • Lead advisor to the owners on the sale of EUR 50m German frozen food consortium.
  • Lead advisor on a EUR 22m bank loan restructuring for a German-Luxembourg consortium with a Liechtenstein bank.
  • Acted for UK shareholders in the delisting and sale of a EUR 25m German listed real estate company.
  • Acted for the owner on the EUR 8m sale and conversion of a Bavarian resort into a psychosomatic clinic.
  • Advisor to a Saudi hotel group on two property acquisitions in Germany.
  • Advisor to acquiring holding in a German PE investment (20% of shares – GBP 6m) in a UK racing car manufacturer.
  • Advisor to the buyer in the acquisition by a German group of a UK calibrations business (GBP 1.2m).
  • Advisor to the buyer in the acquisition by a German group of a Dutch software company (GBP 2.5m).
  • Advisor to the investor of a German PE investment (17% shares – GBP 4m) in a UK solar panel manufacturer.
  • Advisor to the buyer in the acquisition by a German group of a UK liquid level instrumentation business (GBP 3m).
  • Advisor to a German PLC on the hostile take-over of a UK PLC traded on the open market.
  • Advisor to the buyer in the acquisition by a German company of a UK pressure instrumentation business (GBP 4.2m).
  • Advisor to the investor in a PE Investment of GBP 4.5m by a German investor in a UK racing car manufacturer.
  • Global lead and coordination of due diligence phase in the acquisition by a German group of a global supplier of electro-technical services (EUR 30m) – 7 jurisdictions.
  • Acted for Ilford Group on EUR 7.5m acquisition of German Tecco business by Ilford Group.
  • Advised on EUR 1.5m acquisition of Dutch business Graphic Mission BV by German Group GMG Colour GmbH & Co. KG.
  • Advised on a EUR 22m bank loan restructuring for a German–Luxembourg consortium with a Liechtenstein bank.
  • Set up of UK based EIS film production fund, management and counsel to German fashion brand.
  • Advised on EUR 7.5m acquisition of German Tecco business by Ilford Group, acted for buyer.
  • Lead advisor on EUR 1.5m acquisition of Dutch business Graphic Mission BV by German Group GMG Colour GmbH & Co. KG, acted for buyer.
  • Acquisition by US Recruitment Group of a German-UK software business (GBP 12m) – lead advisor to buyer
  • Acquisition by Canadian-Dutch Group of German milling company (EUR 2m) – lead advisor to buyer
  • Lead advisor for German chemical group on 3 UK business acquisitions (aggregate GBP 34m)
  • Lead advisor on 40% share purchase and restructuring of German fashion label and transition to UK
  • EUR 1.9m fundraising and investment & growth strategy advisor for German-Austrian based vegan juice brand – acting for shareholders and UK investor
  • Lead advisor on sale of EUR 50m German frozen food consortium – acting for owners
  • Lead advisor on EUR 22m bank loan restructuring for German-Luxembourg consortium with Liechtenstein bank – achieved 50% haircut
  • Delisting and sale of EUR 25m German listed real estate company – acting for UK shareholders
  • Advisor on EUR 8m sale and conversion of Bavarian resort into psychosomatic clinic – acting for owner
  • Advisor to Saudi hotel group on 2 property acquisitions in Germany
  • German PE investment (20% of shares – GBP 6m) in UK racing car manufacturer – advisor to acquiring holding
  • Acquisition by German Group of UK calibrations business (GBP 1.2m) – advisor to buyer
  • Acquisition by German Group of Dutch software company (GBP 2.5m) – advisor to buyer
  • German PE investment (17% shares – GBP 4m) in UK solar panel manufacturer – advisor to investor
  • Acquisition by German Group of UK liquid level instrumentation business (GBP 3m) – advisor to buyer
  • Advisor to German PLC on hostile take-over of UK PLC traded on the open market
  • Acquisition by German company of UK pressure instrumentation business (GBP 4.2m) – advisor to buyer
  • PE Investment of GBP 4.5m by German investor in UK racing car manufacturer – advisor to investor
  • Acquisition by German group of a global supplier of electro-technical services (EUR 30m) – global lead and coordination of due diligence phase – 7 jurisdictions
  • Acted in the sale of the cable activities of Belgian municipalities to a telecoms group for EUR 900m, combined with a reinforcement of the group’s equity base of EUR 1.25bn

Diederik advises multinational and African corporations on cross-border transactions, investments and restructurings, with experience leading major telecom, infrastructure and private investment projects across multiple African jurisdictions.

Experience

  • Renegotiation on behalf of Africa’s largest Telecom Group of USD 5bn strategic partnership contract
  • Lead advisor on acquisition of 4 cable networks in central Africa by MTN Group
  • Advisor on structuring of fractional ownership of holiday homes in Morocco
  • Lead Advisor on $12m investment in South African foundation
  • Renegotiation on behalf of Africa’s largest Telecom Group of USD 5bn strategic partnership contract.
  • Lead advisor on the acquisition of four cable networks in central Africa by MTN Group
  • Advisor on the structuring of fractional ownership of holiday homes in Morocco
  • Lead Advisor on a $12m investment in a South African foundation.
  • Restructuring of American hardware group – project coordinator for 14 African jurisdictions.
  • Acted in the USD 1.745 bn demerger by the American Standard Companies Inc. of its global bath and kitchen business – coordination of 12 European and African jurisdictions.

Please note: The experience list above may include examples of work completed prior to joining Keystone Law.

Diederik qualified as a solicitor in 2003. Prior to joining Keystone Law in 2015, he worked at the following firms:

  • Roedl & Partner
  • Baker and McKenzie