Rob Sharpe

Since joining Kirkland, Rob has been involved in the following matters:

• 17Capital on the strategic partnership with Oaktree under which it will sell a majority stake to Oaktree
• AppLearn International on its sale to Permira-backed Nexthink
• Apax on the acquisition of Zellis
• Apex on the c. £1.51 billion recommended all cash acquisition of Sanne Group plc
• Blackstone on the acquisition of a majority stake in VFS Global, a global leader in visa outsourcing services
• Coller Capital on the strategic minority investment from Hunter Point Capital
• GBL on the acquisition of Affidea, a leading provider of medical diagnostic services in Europe 
• Nordic Capital on the acquisition of Ascot Lloyd, an independent UK financial and planning advisor 
• PAI Partners on the strategic minority investment in its business by Dyal Capital

Prior to joining Kirkland, Rob worked on the following matters:

• Advised a UK power company on the sale of its non-renewables businesses
• Advised on the sale of a series of ports businesses across Europe and the Middle East
• Advised on the international structuring of a major crypto-focussed FinTech organization
• Advised on the acquisition of high profile UK book store chains
• Advised on an auction sale of various UK and EU insurance price comparison websites
• Advised on the establishment of a new insurance platform involving the acquisition of underwriting assets from another insurer
• Advised a major US-headquartered bank on a significant transfer pricing dispute
• Advised a UK real estate group on settlement negotiations with HMRC concerning historic tax-structured arrangements
• Advised a major bank on a series of disputes with HMRC concerning VAT grouping eligibility
• Advised on several corporate reorganisations for a major US-headquartered beverage company
• Advised a mining company on a series of tax disputes in Tanzania
• Advised a number of major corporates on EU and UK law challenges to proposed sectoral taxes including the soft drinks industry levy, plastics packaging tax and others
• Advised a Premier League football club on a proposed reorganisation of its ownership structure; and on the corporate criminal offence of failure to prevent facilitation of tax evasion

Clifford Chance LLP, London

• Senior Associate, 2018–2021
• Associate, 2013–2018
• Trainee Solicitor, 2011–2013