Matthew is an experienced private equity lawyer who specialises in advising management teams and senior executive and non-executive managers in connection with management buy-outs, equity incentivisation plans, reorganisations, bolt-on acquisitions and other corporate activities.
Hugely talented, very hard-working, business-savvy, team-minded and, quite simply, a great guy to have right alongside you.
A leading private equity practitioner
Matthew Kichenside and Emma Clark provided a premium service from the outset and were always focused on the key issues in order to achieve an outcome that was right for both me and the sponsor.
Senior Executive
Matthew’s commercial knowledge and transaction experience provided a highly effective approach that was responsive and hands-on.
Peter Byloos
CEO, Optegra
Expertise
- Private equity management
- Equity incentivisation
- Acquisitions
- Disposals
- Restructurings
- Reorganisations
- Leavers/joiners
Experience
Equity Incentivisation
- Advised the senior management team of the Financial & Risk business of Thompson Reuters on their equity incentive arrangements following the acquisition of a majority interest by Blackstone.
- Advised the management team of Belron (Autoglass) on their equity incentive arrangements following the acquisition of a minority interest by Clayton Dubilier & Rice from D’Ieteren.
- Advised the management of Flint Group on their equity incentivisation arrangements following its acquisition from CVC by Goldman Sachs Merchant Banking Division and Koch Equity Development in a transaction valuing the company at more than €2.2 billion.
- Advised the management team of insurance broker A-Plan on the £270 million sale by Equistone to, and new equity incentive arrangements with, Hg Capital.
- Advised the management team of media intelligence business Gorkana on the £200 million sale by Exponent to, and new equity incentive arrangements with, Cision (a portfolio company of GTCR).
Buy-outs
- Advised the senior management of Reed & Mackay on their incentive arrangements following the acquisition by US VC-backed TripActions Inc from Inflexion Private Equity.
- Advised the senior management of Parmenion on their incentive arrangements following the acquisition by Preservation Capital Partners from Standard Life Aberdeen plc.
- Advised the senior management team of px Group on their incentive arrangements following the acquisition by a consortium of funds managed by Aksiom Group and Ara Partners.
- Advised the senior management team of Optegra Eye Healthcare on their incentive arrangements following the acquisition by funds managed and advised by H2 Equity Partners.
Sales & Acquisitions
- Advised the management of BC Partners refinancing of Mergermarket including the acquisition of a 30% stake by GIC for £208 million.
- Advised the management team of roadside recovery group RAC on the acquisition by GIC of a strategic stake alongside The Carlyle Group in a transaction valuing the group at over £2 billion.
- Advised the management team of homebuilder Keepmoat on both the sale and new equity terms on TDR and Sun Capital’s £400 million acquisition.
- Advised on the $660 million sale of secure and step-down care facility provider Partnerships in Care.
- Acted for the management of Scandinavian payment infrastructure business Nets Holdings on their equity terms following the $3.1 billion acquisition by a consortium led by Bain Capital and Advent.
- Advised management on both sale and new equity terms on the €600 million sale by Investcorp of online payment services firm Skrill (formerly known as Moneybookers) to CVC.
- Advised management on the £390 million sale of Civica by 3i to, and new equity terms with, OMERS.
Disposals
- Advised James Daunt and other senior managers of Waterstones on the disposal of a majority stake to Elliott Advisers by Lynwood Investments.
- Advised the management team of manufacturing support service provider Aktrion on Graphite Capital’s disposal to Servest.
Other
- Advised management on the pre-admission reorganisation of Exova in connection with its £550 million Main Market IPO.
- Advised two senior executives on their appointments to portfolio companies of funds managed and advised by Providence Equity Partners.
Please note: The experience list above may include examples of work completed prior to joining Keystone Law.
Recognition
- Mergermarket: Frequently ranked by Mergermarket as one of the leading private equity lawyers globally by both deal volume and value in the mid-market.
Career
Matthew qualified as a solicitor in 2008. Prior to joining Keystone Law in 2020, Matthew worked at the following firms:
- Travers Smith
- Shearman & Sterling
- Goodwin Procter