Image of Michael Bloch

Michael Bloch

Partner

Email

michael.bloch@aoshearman.com

Phone

+44 203 088 2769

Offices

London

V-CARD
Michael is UK Equity Capital Markets Co-Lead. He has extensive experience in a wide range of ECM transactions, including initial public offerings (IPOs), rights issues, open offers, placings and accelerated bookbuild offerings. He also regularly advises on corporate finance transactions, including public and private mergers, acquisitions and disposals, frequently on a cross-border basis.

In addition, he acts as adviser to listed companies on a multitude of corporate governance matters, such as compliance with listing rules and other securities laws, directors’ duties, board effectiveness, internal procedures and controls, corporate reporting and investor engagement. He works with international corporates, investment banks, private equity clients and other shareholders and investors across multiple sectors including technology, fintech, life sciences, financial services, energy, industrials, mining and minerals, and more.

Michael is also involved the firm’s growth capital focus group, advising emerging and high growth companies on their private fundraising requirements and supporting them to IPO and beyond.

Michael is recognised as a leading ECM practitioner in Chambers, as a ‘Next Generation Partner’ in Legal 500, and as a ‘Rising Star’ in IFLR1000.

Expertise

Experience

Representative matters

  • IPOs and listings – Michael advises growing companies, underwriting banks, shareholders and investors on IPOs and listings of companies on the London Stock Exchange and other international stock exchanges.
  • Recent experience includes advising on the IPOs of CAB Payments and Ithaca Energy – among the largest to complete in the UK in 2023 and 2022 respectively. He has also advised on IPOs for DWF Group, Quilter, China Yangtze Power, Sensyne Health, McCarthy & Stone, Equiniti, Circassia Pharmaceuticals, Softcat, Kuwait Energy, Ophir Energy, Hibernia REIT, Spire Healthcare, Poundland and more.
  • Secondary offers and follow-ons – Michael also advises listed companies, underwriting banks and selling shareholders across the globe on rights issues, open offers, placings, block trades and other strategic equity-related and corporate finance transactions. This includes capital raisings, public M&A, demergers and spin offs, redomiciliations and reorganisations.
  • Recent examples include advising GPE on its £350m rights issue, as well as a leisure, travel and tourism company on four significant capital raisings including its recent EUR1.8bn rights issue – the largest in London since 2020.
  • He has also advised on capital raisings for companies including TP ICAP, Ocado, Hiscox, Marks & Spencer, Sirius Minerals, Energias de Portugal (EDP), Cobham and Equiniti, as well as on accelerated block trades.
  • Corporate governance – Michael acts as adviser to listed and private companies on a multitude of corporate governance matters, such as compliance with listing rules and other securities laws, directors’ duties, board effectiveness, internal procedures and controls, corporate reporting and investor engagement.
  • Growth capital – As an involved member of A&O Shearman’s growth capital and EC/VC group, Michael advises private companies on capital raisings from Series B onwards, in addition to supporting those companies to IPO and beyond.

Pro bono

  • Michael is a keen advocate of the firm’s social impact, pro bono and community support work, in particular working with charitable organisations on their corporate structuring and funding requirements.
  • He is also involved in the firm's Solicitor Apprenticeships programme.

Recognition

“Michael is brilliant, he has excellent depth of knowledge”
Chambers UK 2024 (Equity Capital Markets)
“Michael is a pleasure to deal with and absolutely knows his stuff, he's very highly regarded by all”
Chambers UK 2024 (Equity Capital Markets)

Qualifications

Admissions

Admitted as solicitor, England and Wales, 2006

Academic

MA (Oxon), History, University of Oxford, 2002

Dip. Law, Nottingham Law School, 2003

LPC, Nottingham Law School, 2004

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.