John Connell

John Connell

Partner Corporate & Finance

London

+44 20 7296 2678

[email protected]

Languages

English

John Connell

Overview
Experience
Credentials
Insights and events

Valued and trusted partner and adviser, deep knowledge of my business and priorities, highly commercial, able to provide clear, actionable and proactive advice.
Legal 500, UK 2026

John Connell is a partner in our global M&A and corporate finance practice. He is Head of the firm's London M&A practice. He has a broad corporate practice and specialises in domestic and cross-border public and private M&A and private equity. He acts for both listed and private companies, financial institutions and private equity clients. He has a wide range of experience, including public takeovers, private acquisitions and disposals, private equity and growth equity investments, joint ventures, listings, capital raisings and restructurings. John advises across a broad range of sectors.

Very strong matter management, reassuring presence in front of client's business team, pragmatic attitude to risk is appreciated.
Legal 500, UK 2026

Representative experience

Marsh on Mercer’s agreement to acquire AltamarCAM, a specialist private markets asset manager and solutions provider with €20bn in assets under management

A consortium of 17 investment banks on their sale of Neptune Networks and strategic investment into the TP ICAP Group

Computershare on the disposal of its UK mortgage servicing business to Pepper Advantage.

DCC plc on the divestment of its Info Tech business in the UK and Ireland to Aurelius.

CVC as it joined KKR in the acquisition of Superstruct Entertainment, one of the world’s premier live entertainment groups.

MarshMcLennan on the sale of Mercer’s UK pensions administration business and U.S. health benefits administration business to Bain Capital.

Goldman Sachs on its investments in Revolut, Starling Bank, Younited Bank, Trussle, Mews, Lean IX, Xempus, Salary Finance, Nutmeg, ComplyAdvantage, InCommodities, Paidy, Bud, Elwood, Zest and Recover.

Goldman Sachs on its sale of Continental Bakeries to Platinum Private Equity.

Patron Capital on the sale of Punch Pubs & Co, a leading owner of approximately 1,300 tenanted pubs in the UK, to private equity firm Fortress Investment Group.

Qatar Insurance Company on its participation of £200m investment led by Pollen Street Capital in Markerstudy Group and on ongoing strategic partnership with Markerstudy, on its acquisition of Antares.

Patron Capital on the sale of Optimum Credit.

Paysafe on its £3bn takeover by CVC and Blackstone.

Optimal Payments on its €1.1bn reverse takeover of Skrill and the related €600m rights issue to finance the acquisition.

Masthaven Bank on the sale of a £500m portfolio of residential mortgages to Starling Bank.

Intriva Capital on the buy-out of Lending Works, its subsequent business remodelling and various bolt-ons.

A major UK retail bank on the disposal of its UK mortgage business, a large leveraged loan portfolio and on a significant banking joint venture.

Advising medical devices company Penlon on its participation in the Ventilator Challenge UK Consortium (part of the UK govern’s Covid response) and advising BPL on the sale of Penlon to Medcaptain

Resolution on its £1.8bn public takeover of Friends Provident.