Simon Holden

Simon advises on IPOs, fundraises (placings, open offers, and debt issuances), and broader ECM activity across the Main Market, AIM, and the Aquis Stock Exchange, with deep experience supporting issuers, management teams, and advisers on complex corporate finance transactions.

• Advised Alteration Earth PLC in connection with its reverse takeover, associated fundraising, and migration from the Main Market to AIM.
• Advised several SPACs in connection with their IPOs on the Main Market.
• Advised Buccaneer Energy PLC in connection with several secondary placings.
• Advised Mustang Energy PLC in connection with its IPO and subsequent issue of convertible loan notes.
• Advised United Oil & Gas Plc in connection with its placing of £3 million and reverse takeover.
• Advised Panthera Resources PLC, a gold exploration and development company with key assets in India and West Africa, on its admission to AIM.
• Advised Victoria Oil & Gas Plc in connection with a placing and subscription of US$23.5 million completed by way of an accelerated bookbuild.
• Advised Empyrean Energy PLC (AIM: EME), an oil and gas development company with interests in Indonesia and the United States, in connection with its open offer.
• Advised Iofina plc (AIM: IOF) in connection with a debt restructuring of its US$20 million convertible secured loan notes and obtaining an additional US$10 million secured term loan facility, which was followed by a £7m fundraising (comprised of a placing and open offer) and associated US$4m debt for equity conversion.

Simon advises on public and private M&A, including reverse takeovers, acting for buyers, sellers, and target companies across a broad range of sectors and deal sizes, both domestic and international.

• Advised certain senior managers in relation to the recommended £169m takeover of Eckoh plc by funds managed by Bridgepoint Advisers II Limited through Eagle UK Bidco Limited by way of a scheme of arrangement.
• Advised Primorus Investments plc in connection with several disposals of stakes in portfolio companies.
• Advised Western Thomson Group Pte on the acquisition of the assets of Heath Springs and Components out of administration.
• Advised the shareholders of World Programming Limited on the sale of their share capital to then NASDAQ-listed Altair Engineering Inc. for a combination of cash and shares consideration of up to US$100 million.
• Acted for leading Australian lottery provider Jumbo Interactive Limited on its acquisition of UK-based lottery operator Gatherwell Ltd.
• Advised Stillcanna Inc. in connection with its £10.6m recommended all-share offer to acquire the entire issued and to-be-issued share capital of Sativa Group Plc which was implemented by a scheme of arrangement, with the enlarged issued share capital being admitted to trading on the Canadian Securities Exchange and the Aquis Stock Exchange.
• Led the transactional team advising the selling shareholders of C4L Group Holdings to the subsidiary of an AIM-quoted company for a total consideration of £20.2 million.

Simon advises private equity and venture capital funds, founders and management teams on investments, exits, and shareholder arrangements, with particular strength negotiating investment and shareholders’ agreements.

• Advised Tooth Fairy Healthcare Ltd on its US$10 million Series A financing, led by LBO France with participation from CRB Health Tech SGEIC and Portfolio Ventures, having previously advised on a £3m VC round led by impact VC firms ADA Ventures and Slingshot Ventures, with participation from Seedcamp, All Iron Ventures, and Haatch Ventures.
• Advised Wild Nutrition Ltd and its co-founders in connection with its £5 million private equity investment by Piper, the UK’s leading specialist investor in consumer brands.
• Advised gohenry on various corporate transactional matters, including the completion of two crowdfunding campaigns which raised in excess of £10 million.
• Acted for a deep tech company which builds AI models focused on continual learning in connection with its SAFE financing of £5 million, with funds raised from leading VC firms DCVC and Firstminute Capital.

Recognised by The Legal 500 for Corporate and Commercial: M&A Smaller Deals up to £50M 2017, 2023–2025

Recognised by The Legal 500 for Venture Capital 2024–2026

Recognised by The Legal 500 for Gaming and Betting 2022

Recognised by The Legal 500 for Flotations (Small and Mid-Cap) 2017, 2019

Recognised by The Legal 500 for Mining and Minerals 2017, 2019

Recognised by The Legal 500 for Oil and Gas 2017, 2019