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Philip Bowden

Partner

Philip is Private Capital Sector Lead.

He formerly served as Co-Head of our Global Banking Practice for 8 years and prior to that as Co-Head of our Global Leveraged Finance Practice. He has extensive experience representing commercial and investment banks, private credit funds and corporate borrowers across a range of debt products, specialising in leveraged acquisition finance, structured finance and investment grade event driven acquisition financings.

Philip is ranked by both Chambers and Legal 500 and is described as recognised as a Leading Individual for Acquisition Finance in Legal 500, having described him as "very impressive". "Philip Bowden is exceptional: he's a very good and senior lawyer."- Chambers UK, 2024.

Experience

Representative matters

The lenders in relation to the bank and HY bond financings to Emeria (formerly Foncia), a global leader in the real estate services market.

The lenders in relation to the bank and HY bond financings to Techem, the German metering company.

The lenders in relation to the bank and HY bond financings to Upfield, the owner of the Flora spreads business.

The private credit lenders on the credit facility financing to Access Group, a leading enterprise resource planning business.

The MLAs underwriting the incremental facility to be used in connection with a dividend recap related to the acquisition by Partners Group of a stake in Breitling, a Switzerland-based luxury watch manufacturer.

The lenders on the financing in connection with the public takeover by Brookfield of Befimmo SA, a Belgian real estate investment and real estate operator.

The lender on the financing in connection with KKR’s acquisition of The Citation Group, a leading provider of subscription-based HR and Employment law, Health & Safety, and ISO services to SMEs.

The MLAs on the refinancing in connection with BC Partners’ acquisition of Synthon, a global leader in the development of complex generics.

The underwriters in connection with the acquisition financing of TenCate Grass, the world's leading manufacturer and distributor of artificial turf components.

The lenders on the covenant amendments and maturity extension in respect of Altice France S.A.’s existing 2025/2026 TLBs and the conversion of the same into new EUR/USD loans due August 2028.

The lenders on the financing of the acquisition by Blackstone of Crown Resorts Limited.

The private credit lenders to HG Capital’s acquisition of Sovos Compliance, a US based provider of regulatory tax compliance software

The private credit lenders to the acquisition by Litera (a HG Capital portfolio company) of Kira Systems, a machine learning contract review and analysis software platform.

The mandated lead arrangers on the senior secured loan financings in respect of the proposed merger of Virgin Media and O2 UK, both leading telecommunications companies.

VMO2 on the infrastructure financing loan facilities provided by a syndicated of lenders to fund the build out of VMO2’s UK network.

The Bank of Nova Scotia as facility agent and the bookrunners in relation to the various financings provided to UPC Broadband Holding B.V, Liberty Global’s Dutch cable business, Telenet, Liberty Global’s Belgian cable business and Vodafone Ziggo, the Dutch joint venture between Vodafone Group Plc and Liberty Global Plc.

The lenders, in relation to the financing of the acquisition by Apax of RFS Holland Holding B.V., the Dutch parent company of online retailers Wehkamp, Fonq.nl and Create2fit.

The lenders on the financing in connection with KKR’s minority investment in Soderberg & Partners, one of the Nordic region's leading financial advisers and brokers of insurance and financial services.

The bookrunners in connection with the financing package for the acquisition by BVI Medical, Inc., a TPG portfolio company, of PhysIOL Group SA, an innovative ophthalmology company specialized in the research, development and manufacture of intraocular lenses, phaco equipment and surgical consumables.

Recognition
He is adept at handling both leveraged and investment-grade acquisition financings as well as structured finance matters.
Legal 500, 2022
He is very good technically. He is very on top of market developments.
Chambers UK 2022

Qualifications

Admissions

Admitted as solicitor, New South Wales, Australia, 1992

Admitted as solicitor, England and Wales, 1999

Academic

LLB, The University of Sydney, 1990
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.