Richard Porter

Richard Porter

Partner

Richard advises on a wide range of cross-border corporate transactions, including private and public mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, equity issues and restructurings.
His clients include corporations, banks and private capital institutions, including private equity and sovereign wealth funds. Clients have commented on Richard’s “strong technical knowledge and good commercial business judgment” and observed that he “gets the deal done quickly and efficiently without the melodrama and theatrics some firms are under the misapprehension clients want.”

Experience

Representative matters

  • InterContinental Energy on its US$115 million Series B capital raise with GIC and Hy24.
  • General Electric on the US$3.25 billion sale of its Distributed Power business to Advent International.
  • Investcorp in connection with its US$500 million fund with Fung Capital in China’s Greater Bay Area.
  • Chipita S.A. on the sale of its business to Mondelēz International, Inc. for approximately US$2 billion.
Energy
  • InterContinental Energy on its US$115 million Series B capital raise with GIC and Hy24.
  • A prominent Southeast Asian energy company on various investments in the cleantech and sustainability sectors. 
  • General Electric on the US$3.25 billion sale of its Distributed Power business to Advent International and on various potential acquisitions in the oil and gas sector.
  • IFM Investors on its acquisition of a minority stake in VTTI B.V.
  • Hague & London Oil B.V. on its share for share exchange with Wessex Exploration PLC.
Private Capital
  • Mubadala on its US$1 billion strategic partnership with KKR in APAC.
  • A prominent Asian sovereign wealth fund on various co-investment transactions.
  • Investcorp in connection with:

– its US$500 million fund with Fung Capital in China’s Greater Bay Area;
– its £100 million acquisition of a majority stake in Tyrrells; and
–  its subsequent £300 million sale of Tyrrells to Amplify Snack Brands, Inc.CVC Capital Partners in connection with:
– its investment in Skroutz, Greece's leading e-commerce platform (Fund VII);
– its investment in Hellenic Healthcare Group;
– its acquisition of Metropolitan Hospital Group (Fund VI); and
– its acquisition of e-Travel SA, through its portfolio company Etraveli AB (Fund VI).Canada Pension Plan Investment Board on its Series C investment in 10x Future Technologies.

  • SS&C Technologies on its acquisition of Capita's life insurance and pensions servicing business in Ireland.
  • Marlin Equity Partners on the acquisition of Wax Digital and its merger with Medius.
  • Vitruvian Partners on its acquisition of a majority stake in JacTravel.
  • Intuit Inc. on its acquisition of Acrede Technology.
  • Symphony Technology Group on its purchase of the Bernard Hodes business in the UK.
  • Morgan Stanley Private Equity on the disposal of its majority stake in Zenith Vehicle Contracts Limited.
  • Electra Private Equity on its £150 million acquisition of a majority stake in Hotter Shoes.
TMT
  • Liberty Global plc in connection with:

– the sale of its European assets to Vodafone for US$22.7 billion;
– its split-off of Liberty Latin America, with an enterprise value of approximately US$9.3 billion; and
– the takeover of Cable & Wireless Communications plc at an enterprise value of US$8.2 billion.

  • Fenway Sports Group (FSG) on the investment in FSG by RedBird Capital Partners, valuing FSG at US$7.35 billion, and New England Sports Ventures on its acquisition of Liverpool Football Club.
  • Discovery, Inc. on its agreement with BBC Studios to separate their UKTV joint venture.
  • Viacom on its US$345 million acquisition of Televisión Federal S.A. from Telefónica S.A and its £450 million acquisition of Channel 5 Broadcasting and Viacom CBS on its US$500 million sale of CNET
  • Media Group to Red Ventures.
  • Abu Dhabi Media Investment Corp on its joint venture with Sky to set up and operate Sky News Arabia.
  • Aabar Investments on Aabar’s and Daimler’s acquisition of a stake in Brawn GP.
Consumer
  • Chipita S.A. on the sale of its business to Mondelēz International, Inc. for approximately US$2 billion.
  • Barry Callebaut AG on its US$950 million acquisition of the cocoa ingredients business of Petra Foods.
  • American Sugar Refining, Inc. on its investment in Belize Sugar Industries Limited.
Financial Services
  • Intercontinental Exchange in connection with:

– its partnership with Abu Dhabi National Oil Company and nine of the world’s largest energy traders to establish ICE Futures Abu Dhabi, a new Murban oil exchange;
– its intra-group reorganization and €1.3 Billion IPO of Euronext; and
– various internal corporate matters.

  • ICE Benchmark Administration Limited on the acquisition of the ISDAFIX Benchmark from International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc.
  • ICE Clear Europe on the setting up of its credit default swap (CDS) clearing service, one of the first European CDS clearing houses.
  • An Asian blockchain infrastructure company on various capital raise transactions.
  • Citi Holdings on the sale of various mortgage portfolios by Future Mortgages Limited and Canada Square Operations Limited and on the sale of Future Mortgages Limited.
  • Attica Bank S.A. on the sale of its non-performing loan portfolio to Aldridge EDC Specialty Finance.
Public M&A
  • Qatar Investment Authority on its £2.6 billion takeover of Songbird Estates plc and the follow-on £4.1 billion takeover of Canary Wharf Group plc.
  • AlbaCore Capital on its arrangements with TDR Capital for the £1.9 billion takeover of BCA Marketplace plc.
  • Fairfax on its £1.2 billion takeover of Brit plc.
  • Vector Capital on its takeover of Trafficmaster plc.
  • Scandent Holdings on the acquisition by Xchanging plc of a 75% stake in Indian-listed Cambridge Solutions Limited.
Industrials / Manufacturing
  • BE Aerospace, Inc on its US$398 million acquisition of UFC Aerospace Corp and its US$162 million acquisition of Satair A/S’s OEM distribution business.
  • The Dow Chemical Company on its intra-group reorganization in connection with its merger with DuPont.
  • Lecta S.A. on its corporate reorganization, its €670 million refinancing and its €45 million acquisition of PaperlinX’s Italian Operations.

Pro bono

  • Member of the firm’s Global Pro Bono Committee – 2023 to 2024.

Published Work

  • Porter. Richard (and others) (2022) “Private Mergers and Acquisitions in the UK: Overview”, Practical Law

Speaking Engagements

  • Panelist, “Designing Innovative Structures in PE/M&A Deals Amidst Increasing Regulatory Interventions”, American Bar Association International Law Section India Conference, March 2023
  • Moderator, “Capitalising on Changing Allocations”, Singapore Venture & Private Capital Association Conference, June 2022

Leadership Positions And Professional Affiliations

  • Former Head of the Singapore Office, the firm

Recognition

The team is the most responsive I have ever worked with. Richard Porter and Kok Jin Ong excel in anticipating our needs and responding to our requests, no matter the time or day. I feel confident having this ... team in my corner
The Legal 500 Asia Pacific, 2024
Strong team from lead partner, counsel and to associates. Very clear in the process of obtaining instructions and turning that into solid legal work. The transparent approach to billing is a relief. Genuinely, just a pleasure working with this ... team.
The Legal 500 Asia Pacific, 2024

Awards

  • Recommended Lawyer for Corporate and M&A: Foreign Firms and Energy in Singapore and Indonesia: Foreign Firms, The Legal 500 Asia Pacific, 2024
  • Nominated for Private Equity Lawyer of the Year, Asia Legal Awards, 2024
  • Featured in the Legal 500 Asia Pacific Green Guide, 2024 
  • Rising Star Partner for M&A in Singapore, IFLR1000, 2023
  • Recommended Lawyer for M&A: Upper Mid-Market and Premium deals, The Legal 500 UK, 2019
  • Recommended Lawyer for Private Equity: Transactions, The Legal 500 UK, 2019

Qualifications

Admissions

England & Wales, 2010

Academic

Legal Practice Course (Distinction), Oxford Institute of Legal Practice, 2008
BA, Jurisprudence, St Peter's College - Oxford University, 2007

Languages

English
Disclaimer
A&O Shearman was formed on May 1, 2024 by the combination of Shearman & Sterling LLP and Allen & Overy LLP and their respective affiliates (the legacy firms). Any matters referred to above may include matters undertaken by one or more of the legacy firms rather than A&O Shearman.