Herbert Smith Freehills LLP

Corporate/M&A

Mark is a corporate partner with particular expertise in public takeovers and cross-border M&A.

Mark has been a partner at the firm for over 13 years and has helped clients to close more than US$300 billion worth of transactions across the US, UK, Europe, CIS, Middle East, Africa, India, Asia and Australia.

He focuses on advising corporate clients and works with boards on both transactional and advisory work. He is frequently involved in advising on significant challenges that face boards whether on transactions, shareholder activism, governance issues or regulatory investigations. In addition, he regularly works with and advises investment banks and corporate finance advisers in connection with their roles on major cross-border transactions.

Mark is a General Editor of Butterworths Takeovers Law and Practice (second edition 2015) and a contributor to other leading practitioners' texts on topics including shareholder activism, market abuse, schemes of arrangement and takeovers. He lectures annually at Cambridge University to postgraduate MCL students as part of the Deals Course.

In September 2011, he completed a two-year secondment as Secretary to the UK’s Takeover Panel. During that time he was closely involved in the day-to-day regulation of UK public takeovers and also in significant revisions to the UK's Takeover Code. He continues to be actively involved in consultations regarding amendments to the UK's Takeover Code. He also acts as Secretary to the Takeover Appeals Board in relation to various appeals.

Mark holds an MA Cantab (Hons) Law from Fitzwilliam College Cambridge. Qualified as a barrister. Called to the Bar 1998.