Will Holder

I am a senior associate in our International Corporate Group based in London with experience in a range of cross-border and UK based M&A transactions, VC investments, private equity and corporate reorganisations.

I act for both early and late stage companies in intellectual property rich sectors and for those who invest in them, including for VC funds, corporate or individual investors.

I have a passion for disruptive technologies, innovation and entrepreneurial business with a particular focus on the life sciences and healthcare, technology, media and telecoms, defence and energy sectors. Bird & Bird's wealth of experience advising clients operating in these innovative sectors means we are well-equipped to provide insightful and focused commercial advice to help our clients navigate any challenges that they may face.

I have completed secondments to the legal teams of both BP and BAE Systems, which gave me a good understanding of the services that clients expect from external counsel and how they should be delivered.

With experience living and working in London, Paris and Milan, I have advised clients across Europe on complex corporate transactions. Bird & Bird has an excellent international network, which requires us to work closely with our colleagues in other jurisdictions to help clients implement their transactions successfully.

• Life Sciences and Healthcare
• - Contura on the sale of its women's health division to Axonics Modulation Technologies for $200 million plus a potential $30 million milestone payment.
• - Juno Pharmaceuticals on its sale of Aspire to H.I.G. Capital.
• - Syncona on a series A investment in Resolution Therapeutics and a series B investment in Gyroscope Therapeutics.
• - Syncona and Oxford Science Enterprises Plc on a £20 million series A investment in Kesmalea
• Therapeutics.
• - Epidarex on investments in Transine Therapeutics, Kynos Therapeutics and Macomics Ltd.
• - Biomodal (formerly Cambridge Epigenetix) on a $30 million series C investment led by Ahren Innovation Capital.
• - Hypervision Surgical on its £6.5 million seed investment round led by Heran Partners and Redalpine.
• - Quell Therapeutics on a $34.7 million series A investment led by Syncona.
• - Amber Therapeutics on its seed funding round led by Oxford Science Enterprises Plc and acquisition of Bioinduction.
• TMT
• - Telit Communications PLC on its £305 million takeover by Trieste Acquisitions Holding Limited,
• an entity owned by funds managed by DBAY Advisors Limited.
• - Acted for a global leader in converged broadband and telecommunications on the €180 million sale of its satellite TV operations in Hungary, Romania, Czech Republic and Slovakia.
• - Raine Advisors on its acquisition of Little Baby Bum, YouTube's ninth most-watched channel at the
• time of the acquisition.
• - August Equity on its acquisition of Codeplan, a software-led compliance and HR management
• business.
• - InstaDeep, an enterprise AI platform, on its $100 million series B investment by Alpha Intelligence Capital, Google, BioNTech, Chimera, Synergie, G42 and Deutsche Bahn.
• - Hiro Capital on its investments in (i) Loco, India's leading game streaming platform, (ii) FRVR, an
• online gaming publisher, (iii) Keen Games, a game developer, (iv) Unsigned, a talent agency and (v)
• Soccerverse, a blockchain football management game.
• - Mayfair Equity Partners on its £21.4 million series C investment in Ultrahaptics, a virtual touch
• technology company.
• - What3Words on its series C investment by Daimler AG.
• - Koru Kids, a nanny-sharing platform, on its series A and series B investment rounds.
• - ITV AdVentures on media for equity investments in: (i) Ismybillfair, (ii) Feel and (iii) Carwow.
• Energy
• - Penso Power on joint ventures with BW Group regarding the development of battery storage sites in Hampshire, Berkshire and Wiltshire.
• Defence
• - Disposal of a major British defence organisation's compliance and financial crime detection business to Symphony AI.
• Automotive
• - Cox Automotive UK on its acquisition of C Walton Limited, a vehicle services provider.