Linklaters and Slaughter and May have won top roles on Wood Group’s £2.2bn takeover of Amec Foster Wheeler.
Both firms are longstanding advisers to the companies, with Linklaters global corporate head Aedamar Comiskey serving as Amec Foster Wheeler’s lead relationship partner.
Comiskey led on the deal for the energy company alongside corporate partner James Inglis. Inglis is relationship partner for some of Linklaters’ other large construction corporates, such as Rio Tinto and Kier Group.
Slaughter and May won the top role for the acquirer, Aberdeen-based Wood Group.
The firm’s deal team was led by partners Simon Nicholls, Paul Dickson and Chris McGaffin.
Competition matters were handled by partners Bertrand Louveaux and Lisa Wright, while Jonathan Fenn worked on share schemes and incentives.
Partners Sandeep Maudgil, Michael Lane and Matthew Tobin advised on pensions, tax and financing respectively.
Both companies provide services in the oil, gas and energy sectors. The takeover offer comes as Amec Foster Wheeler was due to launch a rights issue of approximately £500m. This has now been suspended amid takeover negotiations.
Background to the deal
The proposed acquisition comes just three years after Amec acquired its Swiss rival Foster Wheeler.
In 2014, the company bought Foster Wheeler for $3.2bn, with Linklaters winning the top role for Amec and Freshfields advising the target Foster Wheeler.
Amec lawyer Alison Yapp went on to take the top general counsel role at the new company – with firms such as Pinsent Masons and Reed Smith also on her list of preferred advisers.
Slaughter and May is also a longstanding adviser to Wood Group, counselling the company on its acquisition of PSN, as well as the UK aspects of its well support division to General Electric. Wood Group general counsel Robbie Brown stood down in 2015 having joined the company from Maclay Murray & Spens in 2010. Martin McIntyre has since taken on the role and is based in Houston.
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