Simon is a seasoned business adviser and results-driven legal executive with over 18 years in private practice in multiple international jurisdictions and having spent the past 4 years advising technology start-ups in the digital assets, cybersecurity, video analytics, digital media and circular economy sectors.  

Over his career Simon has also counselled executive-suite management teams of listed multinationals and international conglomerates on a multitude of corporate/commercial matters, including corporate finance, joint ventures, venture capital and private equity, mergers and acquisitions, general company law, banking and finance, corporate governance and structuring, advising on the laws of England and Wales, British Virgin Islands, Jersey, Cayman Islands and Bermuda.Before joining Argentum Law, Simon was a partner at Harneys in its London, BVI and Bermuda offices, heading up the Russia CIS and CEE practice group. Simon also gained considerable experience with world-class international law firms Walkers (BVI and Jersey offices) and CMS, and on client secondments to Nomura and The Wellcome Trust.

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Selected representative roles and matters:

• Simon has unique experience with technology start-ups, working alongside management teams as a strategic advisor, board member and legal counsel on fundraisings and scale-ups.
• Advising a cybersecurity start-up on late seed fundraising round, establishment in ADGM and multiple corporate and commercial matters as in-house counsel and board member.
• Advising a DIFC-licensed fintech start-up on its establishment in DIFC, fundraising, scale-up and operations as director and in-house counsel.
• Advising a video analytics and artificial intelligence start-up on late seed fundraising round and scale-up as board member and in-house counsel.
• Advising a digital media SAAS start-up on late seed fundraising round as advisory board member and in-house counsel.
• Advising an energy-from-waste and pyrolysis start-up on seed fundraising round and feasibility project as advisory board member and general counsel.
• Acting for Credit Suisse on the acquisition financing of Lexmark’s enterprise software business by Thoma Bravo for US$1.5bn.
• Acting for unsecured creditors on the US$10 billion debt restructuring of Seadrill Ltd.
• Acting for Ineos PLC on its US$1.1bn acquisition of Ashland Global Holdings.
• Acting for NASDAQ-listed UTI Worldwide, Inc. on its$1.6 billion takeover by DSV.
• Acting for Orascom Construction Industries on term loan facilities totalling US$2.2 billion with a syndicate of banks.
• US$1.2 billion sale of EUROSET, Russia’s largest mobile telecommunications company.
• Acting for GLG Partners, Inc. on its US$3.4 billion reverse takeover by Freedom Acquisition Holdings Limited and admission to the New York Stock Exchange.
• Acting for GLG Partners, Inc. on its US$1.6 billion merger with Man Group plc.
• Acting for Rio Tinto Group on its disposal of the Corumba iron ore project in Brazil to Vale for US$1.6 billion.
• Acting for Transocean Pacific Drilling, Inc., on a secured loan facility in the amount of US$1.265 billion to finance the construction and delivery of two drill ships.