Benjamin Lee


Benjamin Lee
  1. People /

Benjamin Lee

Benjamin Lee

Partner


Benjamin Lee
  1. People /

Benjamin Lee

Benjamin Lee

Partner

Benjamin Lee

Partner

London

Partner and Global Practice Group Leader – Corporate Transactions

T: +44 (0) 20 3400 4260

M: +44 (0) 7919 484930

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Biography

Benjamin Lee is Co-Leader of the firm’s Global Corporate Transactions Practice. He has 27 years’ experience with corporate practice based on domestic and international M&A, private equity and public markets work. He focuses on mergers and acquisitions, disposals and public takeovers, and advises investors, selling shareholders and management teams on private equity and venture capital transactions.

Benjamin has extensive experience in advising public companies on M&A and governance and shareholder activism issues. He has strong experience in the financial services, real estate and retail sectors.

 

Benjamin is very calm under pressure, looks for innovative solutions and adds a sense of humour into what is often tense discussions.

Chambers & Partners 2024 - Band 2

Admissions

  • England and Wales

Related Practice Areas

  • M&A & Corporate Finance

  • Private Equity

  • Start-Up & Venture Capital Practice

  • Retail & Consumer Products

  • Sports & Entertainment

  • Betting & Gaming

  • Corporate

  • Finance

  • Real Estate Sector

  • Regulation, Compliance & Advisory

  • Israel Practice

  • UK Public Company

  • ESG Governance, Compliance & Reporting

  • Healthcare & Life Sciences

  • Collegiate Sports Practice

  • Olympic & National Governing Body Practice

  • Professional Sports Team Practice

  • Sports & Entertainment Contract, Endorsement & Celebrity Representation Practice

  • Anti-Doping Practice

  • Sports & Event Venue Real Estate Infrastructure and Operation

  • Naming Rights & Sponsorship Practice

  • Sports & Entertainment M&A Practice

  • Sports & Entertainment Litigation Practice

  • Sports & Entertainment Specialty Counseling Practice

  • Entertainment Industry Practice

  • Sports & Event Financing

  • Financial Institutions

Experience

  • Playtech - Advised Playtech, the market leader in the gambling and financial trading industries, on its acquisition of approximately 70.6 per cent of the issued share capital of Snaitech S.p.A, a leading operator in the Italian gaming and betting market which is listed on the Milan Stock Exchange. The aggregate enterprise value of the transaction was €846m.
  • BCA - Advised BCA Marketplace plc, a premium listed automotive business that operates across the post-factory value chain through the purchase and remarketing of vehicles throughout the UK and Europe, in connection with a £1.9bn offer made by TDR Capital LLP.
  • Thesis - Advised Thesis Group, a UK financial services group, on the disposal of its private client discretionary portfolio management services business by way of hive out to a new company, and then share sale, to Sanlam UK.
  • British Telecom - Advised BT Group plc on the carve out from BT and sale of non-core division, BT Fleet Solutions, and a long term outsourcing arrangement to continue management of BT’s own fleet worth with, Aurelius Group, a pan-European investment group.
  • Vaalon - Advised private equity and advisory firm Vaalon Capital on its minority investment in MyMoneyMantra, an Indian Fintech company.
  • The Foschini Group - Advised on its acquisition of Phase Eight, Hobbs and Whistles.
  • BestX/State Street Corporation - Advised the shareholders of BestX on the disposal of the company to State Street Corporation. BestX’s clients include 60-plus banks and investment firms with more than $17tn in assets under management. Its transaction cost analysis service is designed to help users secure the best trades for end-investors.

Related Insights

Insights
Nov 01, 2024

UK Corporate Briefing November 2024

Welcome to the Corporate Briefing, where we review the latest developments in UK corporate law that you need to know about. In this month’s issue we discuss: IA Principles of Remuneration 2025 The Investment Association has published its Principles of Remuneration for 2025 following a review to ensure they support a competitive remuneration environment and meet investor expectations. Companies House ECCTA implementation plan Companies House has published its implementation plan for the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023. Invest 2035: The UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy The government has published a green paper focused on creating a pro-business environment that supports businesses to thrive and grow and making it simpler and cheaper for companies to scale up and invest. Independent expert panel report on corporate re-domiciliation An independent expert panel on corporate re-domiciliation, convened by the government in December 2023, has published a report outlining its recommendations. Code of Conduct for Directors The Institute of Directors has launched a voluntary Code of Conduct for Directors aimed at helping directors make the right decisions by providing clear guidance on what constitutes good conduct. Material Adverse Effect conditions - lessons to learn from a recent case This case teaches us some valuable lessons about how the courts approach MAE conditions in M&A agreements. An interim dividend paid to one shareholder may become a debt due to all This case highlights that if an interim dividend is paid to one shareholder, it may become a debt due to all shareholders (of the same class), unless they agree otherwise. Article in ‘PLC Magazine’ on public M&A in the real estate sector: issues and trends Partners Richard Werner and Tom Bacon share their insights on the key issues that are relevant to public M&A in the real estate sector. Article in ‘Law 360’ on tokenised investment funds in the UK Partner Tom Bacon and associate Andrew Tsang authored an article for Law360 on the road ahead for tokenised investment funds in the UK. Article in ‘Law360’ on the FRC’s report on good corporate governance Lead Knowledge Counsel Tessa Hastie, assisted by Dana AlBalooshi, authored an article published in Law360 providing insights from the FRC’s recent report on reporting against the Wates Principles.
Insights
Oct 01, 2024

UK Corporate Briefing October 2024

Welcome to the Corporate Briefing, where we review the latest developments in UK corporate law that you need to know about. In this month’s issue we discuss: FRC Annual Review of Corporate Reporting 2023/24 The Financial Reporting Council has published its latest review of corporate reporting. The quality of reporting has been maintained across FTSE 350 companies but there is some evidence of a widening gap in reporting quality between companies in the FTSE 350 and other companies.  Boardroom Bellwether 2024 Annual Survey The Boardroom Bellwether annual survey has found that British boards are sceptical about stock exchange recovery and UK competitiveness remains a concern. Updated guidance on payment practices and performance The Department of Business and Trade has published updated guidance for companies required to report their payment practices and performance. FCA annual report The FCA annual report contains highlights from 2023/24 and progress towards achieving its three year strategy. Takeover Panel annual report  The Takeover Panel published its annual report for the year ending 31 March 2024 which offers a comprehensive analysis of M&A activity and regulatory actions. LSE Dividend Procedure Timetable The dividend procedure timetable for 2025 has been published.
News
Sep 17, 2024

BCLP advises Playtech plc in connection with the proposed sale of Snaitech S.p.A. for a total enterprise value of EUR€2.3 billion

BCLP has advised client Playtech plc (Playtech), in connection with the proposed sale of Snaitech S.p.A. (Snaitech) to Flutter Entertainment Holdings Ireland Limited, a subsidiary of Flutter Entertainment plc (Flutter), for a total enterprise value of EUR€2,300 million in cash.
Insights
Sep 02, 2024

UK Corporate Briefing September 2024

Welcome to the Corporate Briefing, where we review the latest developments in UK corporate law that you need to know about. In this month’s issue we discuss: FCA consultation on changes to National Storage Mechanism filing requirements The FCA has published a consultation paper proposing changes to the data requirements for regulated information on the National Storage Mechanism. Wates Principles report on quality of reporting The FRC’s latest report on the application of the Wates Corporate Governance Principles has found that approximately 30% of in-scope large private companies applied the principles in 2021/22. Register of members was determinative despite a transfer made by forgery or without authority This case highlights how crucial the register of members is in determining who the members of the company are – and, in turn, the validity of shareholder resolutions.  Restrictive covenants must be reasonable This High Court judgement is a good reminder that, to be enforceable, restrictive covenants must be reasonable – in terms of their length, the scope of the restricted business activity and their geographical extent.
Insights
Aug 01, 2024

UK Corporate Briefing August 2024

Welcome to the Corporate Briefing, where we review the latest developments in UK corporate law that you need to know about. In this month’s issue we discuss: Final Listing Rules – changes to note Following various consultations, the FCA has published feedback and final rules for the revised Listing regime which came into force on 29 July 2024. FCA consultations on the new public offers and admissions regime and a new public offer platform The FCA has published two consultation papers with proposed rules for (i) replacing the existing prospectus regime with a new regime which would not require a prospectus for a further issuance, except in limited circumstances; and (ii) a new public offer platform regime allowing firms to facilitate companies making public offers of shares to investors outside public markets when raising more than £5m. What will the FTSE index include after the listing rules reform? FTSE Russell has outlined changes to the future composition of the FTSE UK Index Series, following the FCA's update to the UK Listing Rules. Draft Audit Reform and Corporate Governance Bill The King’s Speech announced that this Bill will be brought forward to strengthen audit and corporate governance. A recent case highlights the importance of clear drafting This Court of Appeal case highlights the uncertainty that can result from simply having an adjective at the beginning of a list: does it relate to the first item only, or all of them? In this case, approximately $7.5m turned on the answer. BHS directors liable for wrongful trading and misfeasance This high profile case has a number of key takeaways for directors.
Insights
Jul 01, 2024

UK Corporate Briefing July 2024

Welcome to the Corporate Briefing, where we review the latest developments in UK corporate law that you need to know about. In this month’s issue we discuss: Listing Rules reform The FCA has provided an update on timings for publishing final rules during the election period. IoD consultation on Director Code of Conduct The Institute of Directors has initiated a consultation on a proposed new voluntary Code of Conduct for Directors. Appointing directors, amending articles by conduct and refusing to register share transfers This recent case has points to note concerning the appointment of directors, amending articles of association by conduct and losing the power to refuse to register a share transfer. W&I policies: check the exclusions very carefully This recent case highlights the need to check W&I policy terms – particularly the exclusions - very carefully.

Related Insights

Insights
Nov 01, 2024
UK Corporate Briefing November 2024
Welcome to the Corporate Briefing, where we review the latest developments in UK corporate law that you need to know about. In this month’s issue we discuss: IA Principles of Remuneration 2025 The Investment Association has published its Principles of Remuneration for 2025 following a review to ensure they support a competitive remuneration environment and meet investor expectations. Companies House ECCTA implementation plan Companies House has published its implementation plan for the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023. Invest 2035: The UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy The government has published a green paper focused on creating a pro-business environment that supports businesses to thrive and grow and making it simpler and cheaper for companies to scale up and invest. Independent expert panel report on corporate re-domiciliation An independent expert panel on corporate re-domiciliation, convened by the government in December 2023, has published a report outlining its recommendations. Code of Conduct for Directors The Institute of Directors has launched a voluntary Code of Conduct for Directors aimed at helping directors make the right decisions by providing clear guidance on what constitutes good conduct. Material Adverse Effect conditions - lessons to learn from a recent case This case teaches us some valuable lessons about how the courts approach MAE conditions in M&A agreements. An interim dividend paid to one shareholder may become a debt due to all This case highlights that if an interim dividend is paid to one shareholder, it may become a debt due to all shareholders (of the same class), unless they agree otherwise. Article in ‘PLC Magazine’ on public M&A in the real estate sector: issues and trends Partners Richard Werner and Tom Bacon share their insights on the key issues that are relevant to public M&A in the real estate sector. Article in ‘Law 360’ on tokenised investment funds in the UK Partner Tom Bacon and associate Andrew Tsang authored an article for Law360 on the road ahead for tokenised investment funds in the UK. Article in ‘Law360’ on the FRC’s report on good corporate governance Lead Knowledge Counsel Tessa Hastie, assisted by Dana AlBalooshi, authored an article published in Law360 providing insights from the FRC’s recent report on reporting against the Wates Principles.
Awards
Oct 17, 2024
Chambers 2025 UK guide ranks BCLP in 34 practice areas and recognises 74 individual lawyers
News
Oct 09, 2024
BCLP advises Playtech plc on multiple litigation and arbitration proceedings and the revised terms of its strategic relationship with Caliplay
Insights
Oct 01, 2024
UK Corporate Briefing October 2024
Welcome to the Corporate Briefing, where we review the latest developments in UK corporate law that you need to know about. In this month’s issue we discuss: FRC Annual Review of Corporate Reporting 2023/24 The Financial Reporting Council has published its latest review of corporate reporting. The quality of reporting has been maintained across FTSE 350 companies but there is some evidence of a widening gap in reporting quality between companies in the FTSE 350 and other companies.  Boardroom Bellwether 2024 Annual Survey The Boardroom Bellwether annual survey has found that British boards are sceptical about stock exchange recovery and UK competitiveness remains a concern. Updated guidance on payment practices and performance The Department of Business and Trade has published updated guidance for companies required to report their payment practices and performance. FCA annual report The FCA annual report contains highlights from 2023/24 and progress towards achieving its three year strategy. Takeover Panel annual report  The Takeover Panel published its annual report for the year ending 31 March 2024 which offers a comprehensive analysis of M&A activity and regulatory actions. LSE Dividend Procedure Timetable The dividend procedure timetable for 2025 has been published.
News
Sep 17, 2024
BCLP advises Playtech plc in connection with the proposed sale of Snaitech S.p.A. for a total enterprise value of EUR€2.3 billion
BCLP has advised client Playtech plc (Playtech), in connection with the proposed sale of Snaitech S.p.A. (Snaitech) to Flutter Entertainment Holdings Ireland Limited, a subsidiary of Flutter Entertainment plc (Flutter), for a total enterprise value of EUR€2,300 million in cash.
News
Sep 12, 2024
BCLP advises Ventiga Capital Partners on strategic partnership with Omnevo Group
Insights
Sep 02, 2024
UK Corporate Briefing September 2024
Welcome to the Corporate Briefing, where we review the latest developments in UK corporate law that you need to know about. In this month’s issue we discuss: FCA consultation on changes to National Storage Mechanism filing requirements The FCA has published a consultation paper proposing changes to the data requirements for regulated information on the National Storage Mechanism. Wates Principles report on quality of reporting The FRC’s latest report on the application of the Wates Corporate Governance Principles has found that approximately 30% of in-scope large private companies applied the principles in 2021/22. Register of members was determinative despite a transfer made by forgery or without authority This case highlights how crucial the register of members is in determining who the members of the company are – and, in turn, the validity of shareholder resolutions.  Restrictive covenants must be reasonable This High Court judgement is a good reminder that, to be enforceable, restrictive covenants must be reasonable – in terms of their length, the scope of the restricted business activity and their geographical extent.
Insights
Aug 01, 2024
UK Corporate Briefing August 2024
Welcome to the Corporate Briefing, where we review the latest developments in UK corporate law that you need to know about. In this month’s issue we discuss: Final Listing Rules – changes to note Following various consultations, the FCA has published feedback and final rules for the revised Listing regime which came into force on 29 July 2024. FCA consultations on the new public offers and admissions regime and a new public offer platform The FCA has published two consultation papers with proposed rules for (i) replacing the existing prospectus regime with a new regime which would not require a prospectus for a further issuance, except in limited circumstances; and (ii) a new public offer platform regime allowing firms to facilitate companies making public offers of shares to investors outside public markets when raising more than £5m. What will the FTSE index include after the listing rules reform? FTSE Russell has outlined changes to the future composition of the FTSE UK Index Series, following the FCA's update to the UK Listing Rules. Draft Audit Reform and Corporate Governance Bill The King’s Speech announced that this Bill will be brought forward to strengthen audit and corporate governance. A recent case highlights the importance of clear drafting This Court of Appeal case highlights the uncertainty that can result from simply having an adjective at the beginning of a list: does it relate to the first item only, or all of them? In this case, approximately $7.5m turned on the answer. BHS directors liable for wrongful trading and misfeasance This high profile case has a number of key takeaways for directors.
Insights
Jul 01, 2024
UK Corporate Briefing July 2024
Welcome to the Corporate Briefing, where we review the latest developments in UK corporate law that you need to know about. In this month’s issue we discuss: Listing Rules reform The FCA has provided an update on timings for publishing final rules during the election period. IoD consultation on Director Code of Conduct The Institute of Directors has initiated a consultation on a proposed new voluntary Code of Conduct for Directors. Appointing directors, amending articles by conduct and refusing to register share transfers This recent case has points to note concerning the appointment of directors, amending articles of association by conduct and losing the power to refuse to register a share transfer. W&I policies: check the exclusions very carefully This recent case highlights the need to check W&I policy terms – particularly the exclusions - very carefully.