Matthew Cole

Background

About Matthew Cole

Matt Cole is Head of Corporate at DLA Piper Ireland advising Irish, UK and international clients on public and private M&A and Equity Capital Markets transactions as well as listed companies on their ongoing compliance obligations. Noted for his practical, no-nonsense style and commercial attitude Matt has led some of the most complex and high profile M&A and private equity transactions in Ireland in recent years. He has particular experience in insurance, video game, real estate and energy M&A.Matt is one of Ireland’s most experienced ECM practitioners having led the IPOs of a number of high profile companies listed in Ireland. He leads DLA Piper’s Irish ECM practice and has two decades of experience advising corporate issuers and major investment banks on a wide range of transactions including IPOs, right issues and equity placings in Dublin, London and internationally.He is a regular speaker on M&A, ECM and corporate governance issues and author of the Irish chapters of 'Mergers & Acquisitions: International Series'(Second Edition) Sweet & Maxwell 2016,'The Initial Public Offerings Law Review'(3rd Edition) Law Business Research 2019 and Initial Public Offerings (3rd Edition) GLG 2019.Experience includes advising:PIB Insurance on all aspects of their entry into the Irish market including the acquisitions of Optis Insurance, Creane and Creane, Campion Insurance, Munster Insurance, Aquinex, Oliver Murphy Insurance, Fingal Insurance, Sullivan Insurances and Alan Tierney & Partners.Keywords Studios plc on the £2.1bn take-private by EQT.A major private equity backed consolidator on the acquisition of Ireland’s largest insurance broker.Ogier on its merger with Leman Solicitors.Activision Blizzard on its takeover of King Entertainment.Xylem Inc on its acquisition and subsequent disposal of smart street light and meter developer SELC.A US West Coast private equity firm on the acquisition of an Irish care homes business.The management of Global Shares on its sale to JPMorgan.Navitas Semiconductor Limited on its merger with Live Oak Acquisition Corp II, the first de-SPAC transaction involving an Irish target.A major Irish housebuilder on its IPO on the Irish and London Stock Exchanges and subsequent secondary issuance and the underwriters on the IPO of another major Irish housebuilder.Two of the four listed Irish REITs on their IPOs.Slate on the take-private of Yew Grove REIT.Contact: matthew.cole@dlapiper.com