Richard Gray

Lead adviser to the shareholders in Chain Reaction Cycles Limited, the global online retailer of bicycle components and accessories on its merger with fellow online retailer, Wiggle. Recently acted for the former CRC shareholders in the sale of CRC Wiggle to Signa Sports United to create one of the largest online bike retailers in the world. As part of the transaction SSU began trading on the NYSE following a business combination with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC,) Yucaipa Acquisition Corporation,in which the former CRC shareholders received shares.

Advised the management shareholders on the sale by them and by Hg Capital of Relay Software Limited, the largest producer of insurance software to insurers and brokers in Ireland, to the US Applied Systems Group, the largest provider of broker management systems in the world.

Advised Queen’s University Belfast for more than 15 years on a range of commercial and corporate matters, including milestone projects, such as the contracts for the transfer of Nursing and Midwifery education in Northern Ireland to the University, the establishment of the Agri Food and Biosciences Institute, the joint venture with INTO, the development of the Northern Ireland Advanced Composites Centre and the University’s joint venture with the China Medical University to establish a joint campus in Shenyang.

Assisted a number of significant clients in the preparation and implementation of competition compliance programmes, including competition audits and staff briefings and mock dawn raids.

Lead adviser to the shareholders in Lagan Group Holdings Limited in its sale of the materials business to Breedon Group Plc in a deal reported at over £450M.

Lead adviser to Eakin Healthcare Group on its acquisition of Armstrong Medical Limited.He led a large multidisciplinary team in advising Eakin on this transaction which was completed within a compressed time frame. The impact of the COVID pandemic and potential impact of Brexit were particular areas of focus

Lead adviser to leading Northern Ireland corporate, SHS Group Limited on its purchase of 3V Natural Foods Limited (owner of the Meridian nut butter range and Rocks Organic Cordial). Also lead adviser to SHS Group Limited on its acquisition of Standard Brands Limited, owners of the Zip and Sunny Jim firelighter brands, from Graphite Capital. He has advsied leading FMCG group SHS on all of its acquistions over the last 15 years.

Lead advsier to the shareholders in Neueda Limited on the sale of the company to Version One Software Limited.

Lead advsier to Lagan Investments on its acquisition of FTS Holdings, the ultimate parent company of Frame-Tech Structures Limited. Also advises Lagan Investements on an ongoing basis about a range of issues around group structure.

Lead advsier to the shareholder of Insure NI Limited, parent company of Autoline Insurance on the sale of the company to Prestige Insurance Holdings Limited, owners of Abbey Insurers.

Lead advsier top the shareholders in James Leckey Design Limited in the sale of the company to Sunrise Medical Corporation. The company designhs and manufactures mobility aids for children and adults with mobility issues

Lead advsier to Nasdaq listed Mellanox Tech on its acquisition of Titan IC. Titan IC is involved in developing technology for real time internet traffic inspection for adnavce cyber security and dat analytics.