Donald Stewart

Principal areas of expertise: Donald has a wealth of experience in corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions and related corporate, insolvency and regulatory issues. He has acted on over 30 IPOs, numerous secondary fundraisings, reverse takeovers and City Code offers. His clients have ranged from major financial institutions, brokers and corporate finance advisers to public and private companies and serial entrepreneurs. He has sector expertise in high tech and telecoms, hospitality, financial services, energy and extractive industries.

Experience – Corporate Finance: advising major US Bank as trustee on issue of listed asset-backed securities; advising an AIM listed group on issue of loan notes and warrants; advising offshore trustees on acquisition of 29.9% of AIM listed company; advising AIM quoted company on reverse takeover of US trading group; advising Eastern European property fund on AIM admission;

Experience – Mergers & Acquisitions: advising AIM listed group on an acquisition of a UK private company; advising NYSE listed IT group on City Code governed acquisition of fully listed UK company; advising US based international medical research group on UK aspects of global acquisition; advising global IT group on acquisition of UK security services group; advising UK financial services group on sale of non-core business.

Experience – Private Equity: advising leading Eastern European investment bank in Ukraine, on a new partnership agreement and a shareholders’ agreement; advising UK IT business on a venture capital injection.

Experience – Insolvency: advising an Eastern European Bank on Special Administration Procedure in relation to claims against global hedge fund group; advising US hedge fund in unwinding swap transactions with Lehman Brothers; advising US hedge fund on recovery of client assets from Lehman Brothers.

Experience – Corporate structuring: advising on UK aspects of pharmaceutical company’s global reorganisation; advising Brazilian company on formation of investment vehicle and transfer of assets; advising US investment bank as principal on UK aspects of revolving credit facility and additional term loans; advising oil and gas service provider on UK aspects of debt restructuring; acting for US retail group on UK aspects of debt restructuring.

Experience – Financial Services: advising EU Commission on website to encourage SMEs to access EU public markets; advising global food producer on complex invoice discounting financing scheme; advising major UK supplier of fuel cards in relation to Emoney Regulations and Payment Services Directive.

Experience – Corporate Governance: advising former finance director of public company in relation to his position; advising AIM quoted investment company in relation to deficiencies in board appointments;

Appointments: Director (former Chairman) Quoted Companies Alliance, the independent organisation championing the interests of small to mid-size quoted companies (QCA); UK representative on Policy Committee of European Issuers, the Brussels based pan European association representing the interests of quoted companies across Europe; Council Member of City of London’s International Regulatory Strategy Group; London Stock Exchange – AIM Disciplinary Committee member.

Publications: Donald has published extensively on matters affecting SME financing and regulatory developments in publications as diverse as the FT, Bloomberg Law Reports, Management Today, the International Financial Law Review and Practical Law.

Education: University of Edinburgh (1985 LLB (Hons.), 1986 Dip. LP)

Member: WS Society, Law Society of Scotland, Law Society of England and Wales, City of London Law Society, member of QCA legal experts group.

Leisure: Music, reading.

Phone: 07786 575 372

E-mail: donald.stewart@kepstorn.co.uk

Main areas of work:

• Mergers & Acquisitions
• Corporate Finance