Ben Burton is counsel in our Finance practice in London.

Ben has worked in London and New York, and has worked at Morgan Stanley in a lead role on their leveraged finance execution desk in London.

Ben focuses his practice on leveraged finance, acquisition finance, restructuring transactions and subordinated finance. He has extensive experience leading complex cross-border financings across the capital structure.

• The financing sources in relation to Blackstone's public offer for Italian infrastructure group Atlantia. The transaction is Europe's largest ever take-private transaction, with an enterprise value of c. €54 billion.
• The lenders in a senior facilities agreement in support of the €1 billion acquisition of Forterro by Partners Group.
• The lenders in a €350 million senior facilities agreement in support of the acquisition of Version 1 by Partners Group.
• The mandated lead arrangers in a $2.021 billion financing in support of the acquisition of Bayer Environmental Science by Cinven.
• The lenders in a €250 million senior facilities agreement in support of the acquisition of Maticmind S.p.A. by CVC Capital Partners, and the related acquisition by Maticmind of a majority stake in a leading Italian cybersecurity and intelligence technologies business.
• AlbaCore Capital Group in relation to the provision of a €200m term loan facility to refinance certain existing debt and provide working capital to the TDR-backed Norwegian coastal ferry and cruise-line group, Hurtigruten, as part of a comprehensive loan financing and extension.
• The lenders in relation to the financing in support of the acquisition of a majority stake in Sanoptis, Europe's second largest ophthalmology services provider, by Groupe Bruxelles Lambert.
• Ares Management in relation to the unitranche financing in support of the acquisition of The Clear Group, a regulated insurance business, by Goldman Sachs Asset Management.
• The financing sources in relation to numerous bid processes involving a variety of capital structures.
• As part of the deal team, advised Morgan Stanley and negotiated numerous bid processes and full-form transactions opposite top-tier sponsors.*
• The mandated lead arrangers in a £350 million senior facilities agreement to support a top-tier sponsor’s bid for a regulated gambling asset.*
• HPS, CDPQ, Partners and MV Credit in relation to (i) the €500m unitranche financing for EQT’s acquisition of Schülke, and (ii) the subsequent refinancing of the Schülke facilities and related dividend recap.*
• Goldman Sachs (MBD) in the financing of a minority leverage-backed holdco loan facility to fund a sponsor’s add-on acquisition of a business intelligence-focused media company.*
• Lonestar in relation to the financing of its public to private takeover of McCarthy & Stone.*
• The second lien noteholders in relation to Aston Martin’s £259m new second lien notes.*
• The sponsors in relation to the establishment of sports league and related media-rights sales.*
• The mandated lead arrangers in the committed financing for SAZKA Group on its all cash, unconditional offer to acquire Greece’s OPAP.*
• The mandated lead arrangers in a revolving facility/ABL facility to provide transfer fee financing arrangements for a Champions' League football club, secured by football league rights, broadcasting revenues and sponsorship revenues.*
• The financing sources in relation in connection with the financing of Cineworld’s credit facilities.
• JP Morgan as the initial purchasers in connection with offerings of senior secured notes of INEOS.
• Hellman & Friedman in its $5.30 billion (equivalent) first lien and second lien facilities for its public to private takeover of Nets A/S.*
• Hellman & Friedman in its €1.825 billion recapitalisation of Verirsure’s debt, to refinance existing notes and pay a €1.05 billion dividend to shareholders.*
• Morgan Stanley in relation to the financing for Vantiv’s $10.4 billion public to private takeover of Worldpay.*
• UBS and Goldman Sachs in a $2.625 billion first lien term loan, second lien term loan and asset-based credit facility for Serta Simmons LLC.*
• Ares Capital Corporation in its $1.075 billion unitranche loan for Thoma Bravo's acquisition of Qlik Technologies Inc. At the time of closing, this transaction was the largest direct financing in the US market.*
• The financing sources in relation to Ares Management LLC’s acquisition of Farrow & Ball.*
• The financing sources in relation a European mobile phone network operator’s capital restructuring and refinancing.*
• The super senior liquidity facility creditors in the restructuring of South Africa's largest non-food retailer, Edcon Group’s, capital structure, including a significant decrease in the outstanding amount of third-party debt and a transfer of control over the group’s operating companies from its current sponsor.*

*Denotes prior firm experience

Awards & Accolades

• Ben is recognised as a "Key Lawyer" in Acquisition Finance and Bank Lending: Investment Grade Debt and Syndicated Loans in Legal 500 UK 2023.