"Stuart is an exemplary team player with huge amounts of knowledge. He gives very commercial advice, excellent client service and can close transactions in a very timely manner. His execution skills are second to none and he is very generous with his time." "He is very pragmatic and commercial in his approach."
Chambers UK 2022

Overview

Stuart Brinkworth is the head of Leveraged Finance in Europe and a partner in the Banking & Finance practice of the London office. He has a wealth of experience spanning over 200 deals in the mid-market having been a partner in the City since 2006. He focuses on acting for UK and international lenders (including credit and debt funds), sponsors and sponsor-backed portfolio companies on a variety of UK, European and cross-border leveraged finance transactions, including private equity-backed leveraged buy-outs, public bids, recapitalisations, rescue-style financings and restructurings. He is experienced across all elements of the debt capital structure.

Stuart’s experience spans a number of sectors, including healthcare, media, sport, technology, real estate, financial services, business services, retail and leisure.

Prior to joining Mayer Brown in 2018, he led the London finance practice of another large international firm.

Areas of Focus

Practices

Experience

  • Advised Permira Credit in relation to the refinancing of Netherlands-based medical device supplier Duomed, which included funding for its acquisition of the distribution activities of TSC Group in France and the Benelux. 
  • Advised EMK Capital and its Israeli-based portfolio company, Bright Data, on the refinancing of its existing debt facilities and a dividend recapitalisation with a secured term facility provided by Silicon Valley Bank and Investec Bank.
  • Advised Francisco Partners in relation to the financing of its acquisition of Israeli-based MyHeritage, the leading global discovery platform for exploring family history. 
  • Advised Francisco Partners in relation to the financing of its acquisition of German-based Native Instruments, a leading manufacturer of software and hardware for computer-based audio production, and US-based iZotope, a leading designer of software, hardware plug-ins and mobile apps for the music industry.
  • Advised Permira on the rescue of stationary retailer Paperchase from administration.
  • Advised Star Capital on the financing of its acquisition of administration services provider Hawksford.
  • Advised the unitranche lenders on a debt-for-equity swap and new funding commitments for a travel company.
  • Advised various unitranche lenders on covenant amendments and new money commitments in respect of various businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Advised Sixth Street Specialty Lending’s European business on the financing of the public to private takeover offer and settlement of shares in Easy Software AG by Battery Ventures. Easy Software is a German developer of software solutions for electronic archiving and document management systems.
  • Advised TA Associates on the financing of its acquisition and investment in Priority Software in Israel with a ILS 535 million (£120m) term and revolving credit facilities agreement provided by Goldman Sachs and its affiliate lending partners in Israel. Priority Software offers enterprise resource planning (ERP) software and business management solutions.
  • Advised Francisco Partners on the financing of its acquisition of the Consignor Group. Founded in Oslo in 1997, Consignor has grown to be one of the leading providers of delivery management software by making it simpler, quicker and cost effective to ship orders to customers and by making delivery a competitive advantage.
  • Advised Five Arrows Principal Investments on the financing of its acquisition of Radiologie in Germany.
  • Advised Magnetar Financial (UK) LLP in relation to a senior term and accordion facility made available to Aero Services Global Group Limited, a leading global supplier of aerospace components and tooling solutions, to refinance existing debt facilities and to finance the acquisition of AMF Precision Engineering Limited.
  • Advised Francisco Partners on the acquisition of LiveU Ltd, an Israel based manufacturer and provider of cutting-edge live broadcasting equipment and portable video-over-cellular solutions.
  • Advised Francisco Partners on the financing of their DKK3.7billion acquisition of EG Group, one of the leading Scandinavian software providers.
  • Advised Permira Debt Managers in relation to a £42m Facility made available to the Davies Group, owned by HGGC.
  • Advised Apollo on the financing of Castik Capital’s acquisition of AllDent, a leading German dental chain.
  • Represented Francisco Partners in relation to its $50m preferred equity investment in French software business Talentsoft.
  • Represented Five Arrows Principal Investments on a €50 million refinancing of its Irish healthcare business, Centric Health.
  • Advised Permira Debt Managers and Lloyds Bank plc on their financing of Trilantic Europe’s acquisition of YM&U, formerly James Grant Group, the leading integrated management company for clients in sports, music and enter­tainment with operations in both the UK and US.
  • Advised Permira Debt Managers on the financing for the £180m acquisition of loveholidays by Livingbridge.
  • Advised Francisco Partners on the £115m financing of its acquisition of ByBox, a provider of technology-led logistics and locker technology for global businesses for £221m.
  • Advised Francisco Partners on the c.US$500m leveraged recapitalization of BluJay Solutions Group in connection with the sale of a minority stake to Temasek – one of the biggest unitranche deals in Europe in 2017.
  • Advised Five Arrows Principal Investments on the £30m leveraged recapitalization of White Clarke Group.
  • Advised Permira Debt Managers on the £31m unitranche financing for Bridgepoint Development Capital’s acquisition of Cruise.co.
  • Advised Permira Debt Managers on the £46m unitranche financing for MML Capital’s acquisition of csi.
  • Advised Permira Debt Managers on the EUR105m financing of G Square Capitals’ acquisition of duomed.

Perspectives

Events

News

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Admissions

  • England and Wales
  • New York
  • Band 3 Banking & Finance. European head of leveraged finance Stuart Brinkworth advises lenders and sponsors on domestic and cross-border matters. He is active across a range of sectors and is noted widely for his strength on unitranche and acquisition financings. "He always delivers high-quality work." Chambers UK (2023).
  • Listed as a key lawyer for Bank Lending, team head Stuart Brinkworth has vast experience across the gamut of debt finance products, which he implements to good effect for both direct lenders and financial sponsors. Legal 500 (2023).
  • European head of leveraged finance Stuart Brinkworth advises lenders and sponsors on domestic and cross-border matters. He is active across a range of sectors and is noted widely for his strength on unitranche and acquisition financings. "Stuart is an exemplary team player with huge amounts of knowledge. He gives very commercial advice, excellent client service and can close transactions in a very timely manner. His execution skills are second to none and he is very generous with his time." "He is very pragmatic and commercial in his approach." Chambers UK (2022).
  • Team head Stuart Brinkworth  has been the principal architect of the firm's growing involvement in the direct lending space, in light of his well-established credentials in the market. ‘Stuart Brinkworth and Danister de Silva have a great sense of humour and work ethic as well as working extremely collaboratively.’ Legal 500 (2022) Acquisition Finance.
  • Winner - Acquisition Finance Expert of the Year in the United Kingdom. Global Law Experts (2021).
  • Listed as a key lawyer for Private Equity. Legal 500 (2021).
  • European head of leveraged finance Stuart Brinkworth  advises lenders and sponsors on domestic and cross-border matters. He is active across a range of sectors and is noted widely for his strength on unitranche and acquisition financings. "He is very good, very thorough and very experienced." Chambers UK (2021, Banking Lending).
  • Listed as a 'Leading Individual', head of the leveraged finance team in Europe, Stuart Brinkworth advises lenders and sponsors on domestic and cross-border leveraged finance matters. He is "very experienced, knows his stuff, is very authoritative and proactively seeks solutions to problems," according to clients. Chambers UK (2020).
  • Listed under 'Other key lawyers' Stuart Brinkworth has bolstered the team's prowess on the direct lending front following his arrival in 2018 from Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP. Legal 500 (2020) (Bank Lending).
  • Stuart Brinkworth is praised by clients as "a superb marketer with deep technical expertise." He has experience advising lenders and sponsors on domestic and cross-border leveraged finance matters. Chambers UK (2019)
  • "The recruitment in June 2018 of the "excellent" Stuart Brinkworth from Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson (London) LLP is a major statement of intent for the firm, particularly in relation to the direct lending space." Legal 500 (2018) 
  • Described as "extremely well networked and experienced." Chambers UK (2015)
  • Stuart earns strong praise for his leveraged finance practice with sources commending him for being "highly commercial" and someone who is "really good at focusing on the key points" while he has "built a wide network and is very knowledgeable in the market in general." Chambers UK (2014)
  • Recommended for acquisition & leveraged finance. Legal 500 (2014)
  • Recommended and commended for being "very well connected to the Private Equity mid-market." Legal 500 (2013)