Richard Cranfield
Partner
London
Richard Cranfield
Partner
London
Contact Details
Richard is global chairman of A&O's Corporate practice and co-head of A&O's financial institutions group. He has over 30 years' experience in mergers and acquisitions, and in capital markets (both international and domestic) for equity financings. His corporate client base includes FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 companies and banks in the UK and large public and private corporations and financial institutions outside the UK.
Market commentators describe Richard as an "excellent relationship partner who continues to roll up his sleeves". Chambers UK 2016 (Corporate/M&A)
Clients enthuse Richard is "bright and practical" and "has a very good way of settling the nerves of the board". Chambers UK 2014 (Corporate/M&A)
Clients say "What he does not know is not worth knowing … boards take real comfort from his assurances on a deal, such is his gravitas and knowledge". Chambers UK 2011 (Corporate/M&A)
His experience includes advising:
- Mid Europa Partners on the EUR500m sale of its 65% interest in Orange Austria, the third largest mobile phone operator in Austria, to Hutchison 3G Austria Holdings GmbH in 2012.
- Cable and Wireless on its GBP360m public takeover offer for Thus Group, a Scottish telecoms company.
- Cable and Wireless on the GBP3.7bn demerger into two new LSE listed groups: Cable & Wireless Communications and Cable & Wireless Worldwide.
- Novartis on its GBP305m public takeover of Neutec Pharma.
- Standard Chartered on its USD3.2bn acquisition of Korea First Bank in 2005 and Harrison Lovegrove in 2007.
- Hiscox on its redomiciliaition to Bermuda in 2006 and rights issue.
- Beazley on its rights issue and redomiciliation to Jersey in 2009.
- The College of Law on the GBP180m competitive auction sale of its legal education and training business to Montagu Private Equity in 2012.
- Sigdo Koppers on its acquisition of Magotteaux in 2011.
Expertise
Practices
Corporate Governance and Compliance
Financial Services Regulation and Investigations
Sectors
Qualifications
Professional
Admitted as solicitor, England and Wales, 1980
Admitted as solicitor, Ireland, 2018
Academic
MA Economics (Pt I), Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge University, 1978
MA Law (Pt II), Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge University, 1978
Experience highlights
Advising Cable and Wireless on the GBP3.7bn demerger into two new LSE listed groups, Cable & Wireless Communications and Cable & Wireless Worldwide.
Advising DTI on the privatisation of British Energy.
Advising Electra Private Equity on its defence against activist shareholder, Edward Bramson, and thereafter on its strategic review, formal sale process and GBP119m sale of its non-controlled assets, Photobox and Knights Square, to Lexington Partners.
Advising HSBC on its retail ring-fencing project.
Expertise
Practices
Corporate Governance and Compliance
Financial Services Regulation and Investigations
Sectors
Qualifications
Professional
Admitted as solicitor, England and Wales, 1980
Admitted as solicitor, Ireland, 2018
Academic
MA Economics (Pt I), Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge University, 1978
MA Law (Pt II), Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge University, 1978
Recognition
an excellent relationship partner who continues to roll up his sleeves.
Chambers UK 2016 (Corporate/M&A)
What he does not know is not worth knowing … boards take real comfort from his assurances on a deal, such is his gravitas and knowledge.
Chambers UK 2011 (Corporate/M&A)
has a very good way of settling the nerves of the board
Chambers UK 2014 (Corporate/M&A)
bright and practical
Chambers UK 2014 (Corporate/M&A)
Fraudulent emails
Please note there is a known inheritance related fraud/scam currently using the Allen & Overy brand and Richard Cranfield’s name.
More information on fraud using the Allen & Overy brand can be found here.
News & insights
Publications: 06 DECEMBER 2019
Warsaw podcast - GDPR in M&A transactions - episode two
Justyna Ostrowska, senior associate in Allen & Overy Warsaw, advises clients on new technologies law as well as intellectual property rights and data protection. In her podcast, she discusses the various stages of a M&A transaction in the light of the GDPR. This recording is devoted to the processing of employee data at the stage of sale transaction and data room preparation. We invite you to the second part of the podcast series dedicated to the employee data in M&A transactions.
Read more
News: 04 DECEMBER 2019
The People’s Republic of China issues its largest-ever US dollar sovereign bond
Allen & Overy has advised the joint lead managers in connection with the offering of USD6 billion sovereign bonds by the Ministry of Finance of the People’s Republic of China.
Read more
Publications: 04 DECEMBER 2019
IT and operational failures: financial services in the spotlight
There is unprecedented demand for and use of technology in the financial services sector. However, greater reliance on technology brings with it increased levels of risk. In particular, IT incidents and even brief disruptions to digital services may have a significant impact on clients and the markets.
Read more
Publications: 03 DECEMBER 2019
Data ethics – why should you care?
The potentially limitless opportunities provided by data-driven insights make data one of the most valuable assets that organisations have at their disposal today.
Read more