Created Date:
30 October 2019

Carey Olsen wins Deal of the Year as it enjoys double success at The Deal's European awards

Carey Olsen was among the winning advisers for both the Financial Services Deal of the Year and Middle Market Deal of the Year at The Deal Awards Europe 2019.

At a ceremony held at the Shard in London, Carey Olsen was recognised alongside the other advisory teams involved in the US$5.6 billion acquisition of Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group plc (JLT) by Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (MMC), which won Financial Services Deal of the Year, and Stride Gaming's £115 million takeover by Rank Group, which won Middle Market Deal of the Year.

Working alongside Slaughter and May who were advising MMC as an integrated team with Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, Carey Olsen advised MMC on the financial regulatory approvals required in connection with the acquisition of JLT in Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, Jersey and Guernsey. The Carey Olsen team included partner Mary Ward and counsel Adam Bathgate (Bermuda), partner Nick Bullmore and counsel Graham Stoute (Cayman Islands), partner Christopher Anderson and senior associate Arya Hashemi (Guernsey), and partner James Willmott and counsel David Allen (Jersey).

In respect of the Middle Market Deal of the Year, Carey Olsen acted as Jersey, Guernsey and British Virgin Islands (BVI) counsel for Stride Gaming. The Carey Olsen team was led by Jersey partner Guy Coltman, with partner Andreas Kistler leading on elements of the transaction involving the Jersey Royal Court. Other members of the Jersey team included senior associate David Taylor and associates Dean Robson and Luke Steele. Guernsey partner Tom Carey and associate Kristina Mikhaylova advised on the regulatory aspects of the gaming licence, while London partner Jasmine Amaria advised Stride Gaming on the BVI aspects of the transaction. Carey Olsen worked alongside Pinsent Masons LLP, who acted as onshore counsel for Stride Gaming.

Commenting on the double award success, Carey Olsen Bermuda partner Mary Ward said: "To have been involved in two such notable award-winning deals in the past year is a significant endorsement of the M&A and transactional expertise that exists across the Carey Olsen group. Awards like this also help to underline our reputation as a global firm with cross-jurisdictional capabilities that is able to deliver effective, responsive and commercially-led advice."

Carey Olsen partner David Crosland, counsel David Allen and senior associate David Taylor collected both awards on behalf of the firm at the ceremony.