WBD’s PE team enjoys ‘one of strongest years’

A leading international law firm has reported that “2024 was one of the strongest years” in its private equity practice, advising on transactions worth more than £800 million across multiple industries.

Womble Bond Dickinson (WBD) played a “major role” in getting a number of high-profile deals “across the line”, including global asset manager ICG’s investment in estate and letting agency group Lomond, supporting its ambitious M&A growth strategy. 

The firm advised on Lomond’s acquisitions of estate agents Kinleigh Folkard & Howard and Chase Evans in London, Miles & Barr in Kent, as well as Charters in Surrey and Hampshire, helping expand Lomond’s UK footprint to more than 60,000 properties.

Meanwhile, WBD advised on a range of investments across the retail, hospitality and leisure industries, including supporting private equity firm Piper on investments into Inside Travel Group and Martin Randall Travel, while also advising on a £15 million investment in pet food brand Pure Pet Food by Felix Capital and Mercia Ventures.

Other major deals included the sale of Cutwel to Inflexion, the buyout of MRO+ Solutions by NVM, and LDC’s investment in LendingMetrics and its £12 million investment into tech-enabled and ESG-focused water management consultancy Waterscan.

Simon Pilling, head of private equity at Womble Bond Dickinson, said: “There is no doubt that 2024 was one of the strongest years in recent memory for the private equity team in regards to getting deals across the line and supporting our clients to achieve further growth and return on their investments.

"The sheer number of deals, as well as the significance of many of them not only on the organisations involved, but the markets in which they operate, is incredibly encouraging. 

“We're proud to have played a major role in these transactions and we look forward to continuing this trajectory of growth in 2025."

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