Michael Dawes

I am a senior corporate finance lawyer, based in London, with 25 years' experience of advising on equity capital markets and public and private M&A transactions, predominantly in the natural resources and technology sectors. I act on transactions globally, including in many emerging markets.

I have extensive experience of London's capital markets, having advised on dozens of Main Market and AIM listings, fundraisings, public and private M&A transactions and board governance issues. I have also advised on regulatory breaches and investigations, and sensitive disclosure issues. Advising in this area requires detailed knowledge of a complex set of overlapping regulations, as well as deep commercial experience of how London's stock exchanges operate in practice. My clients want to work with me for my commercial and collaborative approach, underpinned by a deep understanding of the legal framework.
I started my career during the late-90's tech boom, acting for new technology companies raising capital. Since then, I have developed my main sector focus to include natural resources (particularly mining) as well as technology – essentially, I advise growth companies on raising capital in London, developing their businesses and expanding. Clients range from smaller start-ups to Premium Listed companies, as well as the various small- and mid-cap banks who raise money for them. I also act for sector-focused funds – whether they be listing portfolio companies, making investments or divesting assets.
My scope is international, and I have acted on complex projects in Africa and other emerging markets, where there are often difficult due diligence issues, and where local knowledge is essential. Previously, I worked for one of the largest law firms in Australia, and I have built up a broad practice of acting for Australian companies seeking to access London – whether it be an ASX-listed mining company looking to dual list here, or a smaller fintech company looking to expand into the UK and Europe.
I have given numerous presentations to international audiences, educating them about London's capital markets, and I have travelled extensively to promote what the UK can offer to international businesses. I am also on the advisory panel of the AQUIS Stock Exchange.

• Acting for FADEL Partners, Inc., a US-based developer of cloud-based brand compliance and rights and royalty management software, on its admission to trading on AIM.
• Acting for Capital Ltd, a mining services company listed on the Premium Segment of London's Main Market, on a transformational fundraising to secure a contract to provide services to Centamin's Sukari gold mine in Egypt.
• Acting for ASX and AIM dual-listed 88Energy, an oil exploration company, on numerous equity finance rounds.
• Acting for a mining-focused Australian private equity fund on the sale of a major mining project in West Africa.
• Acting for the independent non-executive directors of The Rethink Group, a recruitment company, on its management buy-out.