Cody has broad experience in domestic, international and cross-border public and private buy- and sell-side M&A transactions, as well as joint ventures and similar long-term commercial arrangements. He has particularly deep experience in the acquisitions of U.S. public companies.

Cody focuses on transactions in the technology sector, including fintech, but he also has expertise in the purchase and sale of commercial credit card portfolios and regularly advises on transactions in the healthcare/pharma and mining and metals sectors, among others.

Before becoming an attorney, Cody was a software engineer for six years in the commercial aviation industry.

Prior to the merger with Allen & Overy, Cody was the partner advisor to Sterling Pride, Shearman’s LGBTQ inclusion network, and a member of Shearman’s Diversity and Inclusion Task Force. He anticipates provide similar contributions in the combined A&O Shearman.

Expertise

Industries

Experience

Representative matters

  • Intercontinental Exchange in its acquisition of Black Knight, an NYSE-listed provider of software solutions, data and analytics to the U.S. mortgage and real estate markets, and concurrent divestitures of Black Knight’s Empower and Optimal Blue businesses to satisfy U.S. antitrust regulators.
  • Dell in the sale of its consumer credit portfolio to a bank subsidiary of Bread Financial, and negotiation of a related long-term credit card program agreement.
  • Presence Product Group, a full-stack product strategy and development firm, in its sale to WorkandCo International.
  • Greenidge Generation, a vertically integrated power generator and bitcoin miner, in its going-public acquisition of Nasdaq-listed Support.com.
  • Albemarle Corporation in its negotiation of joint venture arrangements with Mineral Resources Limited regarding lithium assets in Australia and China.
Technology / FinTech
  • Bakkt, a cryptocurrency custody and trading solutions business, in its:
    – going-public merger with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC).
    – acquisition of Digital Asset Custody Company.
  • Goldman Sachs and Everstone Capital Partners in their joint investments in digital engineering services firms Infostretch and QMetry, and the negotiation of related equityholders agreements.
  • Intercontinental Exchange in its:
    – acquisition of Ellie Mae, a cloud-based platform provider for the mortgage finance industry, from Thoma Bravo.
    – disposition of Trayport to the TMX Group.
    – acquisition of the TMX Group’s National Gas Exchange (NGX) and Shorcan Energy businesses.
    – sale of its Interactive Data Managed Solutions (IDMS) business to FactSet.
  • Quantela, an urban digitization solutions provider, in its acquisition of CIMCON Lighting, a developer of smart lighting and smart city technologies.
  • SpotCues, the maker of mobile communications platform Groupe.io, in its sale to UKG.
  • SS&C Technologies in its acquisition of investment management software solutions provider Eze Software from TPG Capital.
  • Thomson Reuters in its acquisition of trading technology firm REDI from a consortium of investment banks led by Goldman Sachs.
Credit Cards / Payments
  • Citibank in its acquisition of L.L.Bean’s co-branded credit card portfolio from Barclays, and the negotiation of a credit card program agreement with L.L.Bean Inc.
  • Comenity Capital Bank in the sale of the PayPal consumer credit card accounts and related receivables and a participation interest to Synchrony Financial.
  • Goldman Sachs’ Marcus in the purchase of the General Motors co-branded credit card portfolio from Capital One.
Healthcare / Pharmaceuticals
  • CVS Health Corporation in its:
    – acquisition of health insurer Aetna.
    – acquisition of the U.S. bioservices business of AmerisourceBergen.
  • Sun Pharma in its acquisition of Indian pharmaceutical manufacturer Ranbaxy Laboratories.
  • Corning in its acquisition of a majority of the Discovery Labware unit of Becton, Dickinson and Company.
Mining & Metals / Chemicals
  • Albemarle Corporation in its:
    – negotiation of joint venture arrangements with Mineral Resources Limited regarding lithium assets in Australia and China.
    – sale of its Chemetall Surface Treatment business to BASF SE.
    – acquisition of NYSE-listed chemicals manufacturer Rockwood Holdings.
  • Anglo American in its:
    – sale of its Anglo American Norte copper business in Chile to an investor consortium led by Audley Capital.
    – sale to Mitsubishi Corporation of a minority interest in its Quellaveco copper project in Peru, and the negotiation of related partnership arrangements.
    – sales to Mitsubishi Corporation and Chilean national mining company Codelco of minority shareholdings in Anglo American Sur, and the negotiation of related partnership arrangements.
Other Public M&A
  • American Axle & Manufacturing in its acquisition of NYSE-listed automotive components manufacturer Metaldyne Performance Group.
  • Bunge Limited in its negotiation of cooperation agreements with Continental Grain Company and affiliates of D. E. Shaw.
  • Liberty Global in its:
    – acquisition of a preferred stock investment in Univision in connection with the acquisition of a majority stake in Univision by a private equity consortium by Searchlight Capital Partners.
    – acquisition and expansion of an investment stake in Hollywood studio Lions Gate Entertainment, including the negotiation of related shareholder arrangements.
    – acquisition of Cable & Wireless Communications plc.
    – acquisition of Virgin Media.
  • Raytheon Company in its merger of equals transaction of United Technologies.
  • Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores in connection with its going-private merger transaction with Transform Holdco and the related sale of its outlet segment to Franchise Group.

Published Work

  • Michael Dorf, Cody Wright, Robert J. Cardone, 2022, “USA Chapter for the inaugural issue of Chambers’ Technology M&A Global Practice Guide”, Chambers & Partners USA

Qualifications

Admissions

New York, 2009

Academic

B.A., Computer Science, Yale University, 1999
J.D. magna cum laude, Yeshiva University, 2008
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.