Ziyad Nassif

A cross-practice team from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer ('Freshfields') has advised Flutter Entertainment plc ('Flutter') on its additional listing of ordinary shares on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE"), which commenced on 29 January 2024. Flutter is the world’s largest online sports betting and iGaming operator based on revenue, operating some of the world’s most distinctive online sports betting and iGaming brands such as FanDuel, Sky Betting & Gaming, Sportsbet, PokerStars, Paddy Power, Sisal, tombola, Betfair, TVG, Junglee Games and Adjarabet. It is expected that the additional listing will enable increased share ownership by investors in the United States, Flutter's largest market. Freshfields has a strong track record of advising on these complex cross-border additional listing processes, with the same team having advised Ferguson plc and Indivior PLC on their additional listings on NYSE and NASDAQ, respectively. The Freshfields team was led by partners Oliver Lazenby, Rhys Evans and Ziyad Nassif, and associates Rob Foley and Marton Mohacsi. Partners David Mendel and Lori Goodman and senior associates Regina Erie, Jeffrey Anand and Andrew Herman advised on employment matters. Partner Peter Clements and associate Matthew Everett advised on tax matters.

Jan 29

1 min

Freshfields advises RELX Group (RELX), the global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers, on the sale of Gamer Network Limited (GNL) by Reed Exhibitions Limited (REL), a specialist events business and subsidiary of RELX. The sale of GNL will allow REL to remain focused on growing its events business. The deal will also pave the way for GNL to grow its network of award-winning websites, video and social channels that reaches tens of millions of gamers by tapping into the American market as a subsidiary of IGN Entertainment, Inc and a part of the Ziff Davis group. The Freshfields team was led by partner Ziyad Nassif with support from associates Jennifer Okoye and Marton Mohacsi. Intellectual property and data protection advice was provided by partner Giles Pratt, senior associates Zofia Aszendorf and Emily Rich, and associates Francesca Teng and TK Egenti. Employment and benefits advice was provided by partner Alice Greenwell and associate Blaise Nsenguwera. Tax advice was provided by partner Paul Davison and associates Farhana Chowdhury and Nilsu Acikada.

May 29

1 min

Global law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer (‘Freshfields’) is advising RELX on the acquisition by its LexisNexis Legal & Professional division of Henchman, a legal tech start-up based in Ghent, Belgium which enriches data from document management systems (DMSs) for faster document drafting.  Acquiring Henchman will enable LexisNexis to offer personalised generative AI solutions to customers worldwide. The transaction is expected to close early in the second half of 2024 subject to customary regulatory consents. The Freshfields team was led by partners Vincent Macq and Ziyad Nassif, principal associate Sander Dullaert, and associate Ine Deblaere, with IP and AI-related advice provided by partner Giles Pratt and senior associate Zofia Aszendorf.

Jun 4

1 min

Global law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer (‘Freshfields’) is advising Deliveroo plc on its proposed return of up to £250 million to shareholders by way of a tender offer. On 10 August 2023, Deliveroo announced its intention to return £250 million to shareholders (in addition to the £50 million return announced in March 2023), bringing the total capital return to shareholders announced in 2023 to £300 million, equivalent to approximately 30 per cent of net cash at the start of 2023. The return of value represents the structural surplus of cash in the business following Deliveroo’s review of its capital structure, growth opportunities and required cash balances, both now and in the future.  The tender offer is conditional on the approval of shareholders. The Freshfields team is being led by partner Ziyad Nassif and senior associate Katie Stenstrom together with partner Paul Davison on tax matters, partner Alice Greenwell and counsel Lauren Evans on employment and benefits matters, and counsel Ethan Magid on US securities laws matters. Deliveroo is an award-winning delivery service founded in 2013 by William Shu and Greg Orlowski. Deliveroo works with approximately 182,000 best-loved restaurants and grocery partners, as well as around 135,000 riders to provide the best food delivery experience in the world. Deliveroo is headquartered in London, with offices around the globe. Deliveroo operates across 10 markets, including Belgium, France, Hong Kong, Italy, Ireland, Kuwait, Qatar, Singapore, United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.

Sep 29

1 min

A cross-border UK and US team from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer (‘Freshfields’) has advised Indivior PLC (“Indivior”) on its additional listing on the NASDAQ Global Select Market, which launched on 12 June 2023. Following the additional listing, Indivior will retain its premium listing on the London Stock Exchange and inclusion in the FTSE 250 index, and its ordinary shares will trade on both exchanges under the ticker symbol "INDV." Indivior is a global pharmaceutical company working to help change patients’ lives by pioneering life-transforming treatment for substance use disorders and other serious mental illness. It is expected that the additional listing will facilitate increased share ownership by biopharma investors in the United States, Indivior’s largest market. Indivior is the latest UK-listed issuer seeking access to the US capital markets via a full share listing (as distinct from an ADR), which has become a discernible trend in recent times. Freshfields has an unrivalled track record of implementing these complex cross-border listings, with the same team having advised Ferguson plc on its additional NYSE listing in 2021/22 and currently advising Flutter Entertainment plc on its proposed additional US listing. The Freshfields London team was led by partners Oliver Lazenby and Ziyad Nassif and associates Rob Foley and Marton Mohacsi. The Freshfields US team was led by partner Michael Levitt and counsel Tracy Zhang. Partners Alice Greenwell and Paul Davison advised on employment and tax matters, respectively.

Jun 13

1 min