John Coleman

John has over a decade of experience advising private equity funds, asset managers, multinational companies and sovereign wealth funds on complex cross-border M&A, investments, joint ventures, restructurings and strategic transactions. John has broad experience across various sectors, including consumer goods and retail, real estate and energy.

John also has significant experience advising clients on M&A and investments in emerging markets, with a particular focus on the Middle East and Africa.

• Acted for Shell on the disposal of its downstream retail business in Pakistan.
• Acted for GIC and Serenitas on the disposal of Serenitas, a leading Australian lifestyle communities business, to Pacific Equity Partners and Mirvac for approximately AUD 1 billion.
• Acted for Terra Firma, a leading European private equity house, on various transactions, including its acquisition of Richborough Estates, a major UK land promotion business, its acquisition of Kier Living (a major UK housebuilder) from Kier Group plc and the strategic reorganisation and sale of the Wyevale Garden Centres group (formerly the largest garden centre operator in the UK), involving the sale of 145 sites across over 50 transactions.*
• Acted for Nordic Aviation Capital, one of the world's largest lessors of turboprop aircraft and its founder, Martin Møller Nielsen, on the acquisition by EQT of a majority stake in Nordic Aviation Capital (enterprise value of USD 1 billion) and a bolt on acquisition of Irish aviation leasing company, Aldus Aviation Limited.*
• Acted for Brandeaux Student Accommodation Fund on the sale of its UK student accommodation portfolio, Liberty Living, to Canada Pension Plan Investment Board for approximately GBP 1.1 billion.*
• Acted for British International Investments plc (BII) on various transactions across Africa, including: its USD 200 million joint venture with Norfund to acquire, develop and operate hydropower assets across Sub-Saharan Africa; its follow-on investments in Jacoma Estates, an agribusiness based in Malawi; and its follow-on investments in Liquid Telecommunications, Africa’s largest fibre-network operator operating in 13 countries across Sub-Saharan Africa.*
• Acted for BII, Finnfund (Finland's development finance institution), FMO (the Dutch development finance institution) and Mirova (a provider of sustainable finance) on their investment in Miro Forestry, a sustainable forestry business with operations in Ghana and Sierra Leone.*
• Acted for BII and Norfund (Norway's development finance institution) on their joint USD 70 million investment in AgDevCo, a specialist investor in early-stage agribusinesses across Sub-Saharan Africa.*
• Acted for Actis, an emerging-markets focused private equity house, on various transactions, including: its USD 62 million majority investment in Sigma Pensions, a leading pension fund in Nigeria; potential investments in tertiary education institutions in Egypt; and its investment in Echoenergia, a Brazilian wind farm operator.*
• Acted for The Carlyle Group on its investment in Alamar Foods, operator of Domino's Pizza and Wendy's restaurants throughout the Middle East and North Africa.*
• Acted for African Infrastructure Investment Managers and ASMA Capital Partners on their investment in Seven Energy alongside Savannah Petroleum plc, an oil exploration and refinery business in Nigeria.*
• Acted for bp on the disposal of its retail network, wholesale fuel business and logistics assets in Mozambique to Total Energies.*
• Acted for Finlays Tea, a leading independent tea supplier, on the strategic restructuring of its tea operations in Kenya; and the sale of its flower farm business in Kenya.*

* Experience gained at previous firms.