Expertise

Having now enjoyed more than 20 years as a transactional lawyer in the Firm's highly regarded corporate team, Andrew has become firmly established as a go-to adviser in the high growth sector, particularly in relation to retail and consumer and food and drink businesses. 

Andrew is a leading member of the Firm's food and drink and pubs, bars and restaurants teams, which form part of the Firm's number one ranked retail and consumer sector team. He is also a leading member of the Firm's corporate finance and M&A teams. 

Andrew is a Scottish Beer Awards judge and a member of Scotland Food and Drink's Brewing Industry Leadership Group.

He provides advice on fundraisings, growth by acquisition, strategic relationships, contracts, joint ventures and exits. The exits include public and private company mergers and acquisitions, management buyouts and equity capital market flotations.

Andrew is a highly pro-active business developer with a track record of creating opportunities for clients and intermediaries. 

Examples of Andrew's experience include the following:

• From 2009 to date, acting as company secretary and quasi-general counsel to high growth company Genius Foods Limited, the leading gluten free bakery in the UK. This includes commercial work, fundraisings and acquisitions across multiple jurisdictions.
• From start up in 2000 to date, working closely with the founders of The Capital Pub Company plc to achieve multiple fundraisings, flotation on AIM and then sale to Greene King plc for an enterprise value of £93m. Andrew's team continues to work closely with the founders in their latest venture, the City Pub Group plc, which was admitted to AIM in 2017.
• From 2009 to date, advising Ramsdens Holdings plc on the rapid expansion of its business, including roll-out of stores from c30 units to c130 units. Andrew's team advised on the 2014 MBO of Ramsdens and more recently on the Group's admission to AIM in 2017.
• Recent highlights from a very busy 12 months from a transactional perspective include: advising the shareholders of Flow Hospitality Training on their successful transaction with Mapal Software, backed by Providence; advising the shareholders of Parcel2Go.com on their successful transaction with Mayfair; advising James Donaldson and Sons on their latest acquisitions; advising Crestline on another investment and business purchase in the retail sector; advising Hall Hunter Partnership on the successful disposal of its summer berry business; advising Sunamp on its series A funding.