Mark Thorne is a partner and Head of the Banking and Capital Markets team. He served as Managing Partner of the Firm from 2004 to 2020 and has broad experience across Banking and Capital Markets, Corporate, Mergers and Acquisitions, Corporate Finance and Financial Services.
His corporate and corporate finance practice includes experience in public and private acquisitions, joint ventures, partnerships and restructurings. In the finance area his emphasis is on local and cross-border NPL acquisition and financing, asset and structured finance, repackaging, capital markets and complex fund financings.
Mark's representative transactions include advising:
- BDO Ireland in relation to Development Capital Fund II LP, a development capital private equity fund.
- Heitmann on the structuring and financing of its acquisition of the Circle Collection a portfolio of over 200 residential units in Ireland.
- A leading international fund promoter on subscription facilities and other financings across a range of Irish, Luxembourg, Cayman and US funds.
- FBD Holdings Plc and FBD Insurance Plc in relation to a range of capital markets, financial, commercial and corporate matters.
- Associated Newspapers (DMG Media) in relation to arrange of commercial and corporate matters.
- Merrion Group Holdings on the sale of the group to Cantor Fitzgerald Ireland.
- Brookfield Asset Management on its acquisition of a stake in LCH Group.
- A European Credit Institution on its potential acquisition of a portfolio of Irish loans and associated retail credit firm operations.
- A global private equity fund in its bid for an Irish Credit Institution.
- BNP Paribas on its acquisition of the Fund Administration and Custody business of Credit Suisse with total assets under administration of in excess of USD 150 billion.
- A client on the establishment and negotiation of a logistics, transport and shipping agency joint venture with a Global Shipping Company and its subsequent sale.
- A client on the establishment and negotiation of a joint venture logistics and customs clearance business operating in Dublin Port.
- A leading distressed asset buyer on its acquisition of a €120m portfolio of commercial real estate-backed loans and its subsequent refinancing.
- On the purchase/sale of a number of performing and non-performing Irish loan books – including acting for the purchaser in relation to the due diligence, acquisition and financing of the "Project Kildare" portfolio of Irish real estate-backed loans (nominal value c. €675m) from EBS/AIB.
- The purchaser of the “Project Royal” portfolio of UK commercial real estate loans (nominal value c. GBP 1bn) from Lloyd’s Banking Group and the related financing of the acquisition with senior bank debt and subordinated notes listed on the Irish Stock Exchange.
- The purchaser of a €430m senior loan backed by a portfolio of bonds issued by the former Lehman Brothers Collateralised Debt Obligation – Excalibur.
- FBD Holdings plc on its USD 120m joint venture arrangements with Farmer Business Developments relating to FBD's Irish and Spanish property and leisure assets.
- FBD Holdings on the sale of its regulated corporate insurance broking subsidiary, FBD Brokers Limited, to JLT.
- A global regulated insurance and risk management group in its European restructuring.
- The board of a listed Irish insurance company in a takeover approach.
- The board of a regulated Irish Collective Investment Fund in the successful defence of a hostile takeover.
- The shareholders on the sale of one of Ireland’s leading nursing home business.
- A leading international bank on the integration of its Irish Authorised Fund Administration Businesses.
- Lone Star on multiple cross-border distressed debt acquisitions, sale and joint venture acquisitions and financings and securitisation of assets in Korea, Japan, Germany, UK and Ireland.
