James Grimwood

James Grimwood is a partner in Goodwin’s Private Equity group. He has extensive experience advising on a wide range of corporate and private equity work, including a wide variety of M&A, leveraged buyouts, minority investments, venture transactions, carve outs, joint ventures, and corporate reorganizations. He represents financial institutions, corporates, founders and management teams on transactions of all types and sizes, both domestically and cross-border. He has a wealth of experience handling transactions across a number of different sectors, including technology and communications, media, energy, leisure, healthcare, and education.

Prior to joining Goodwin in 2020, James was a partner at CMS, where he headed the firm’s Global Private Equity group.

James’s representative experience includes advising on the following:

• Envato, a leading online platform for creative assets and tools, on its agreement to sell its entire issued share capital to Shutterstock
• H.I.G. Capital
  • on the acquisition by one of its affiliates of the entire issued share capital of Axis Europe, a leading UK provider of property maintenance services
  • on its acquisition of Sleepeezee, a UK-based producer of bespoke and luxury beds and mattresses, and its combination with existing portfolio company, Silentnight, with the new group collectively marketed as The Sleep Group
  • on its acquisition of CLC Group, a leading UK provider of property and asset refurbishment
• Alvarium on its combination with Cartesian Growth Corporation, Tiedemann Advisors, and TIG Advisors to form ALTi Global, Inc. in a deSPAC transaction creating a leading independent, global wealth and asset manager providing entrepreneurs, multi-generational families and institutions with fiduciary capabilities as well as alternative investment strategies and strategic advisory services
• Mayfair Equity Partners on a number of transactions including:
  • on its acquisition of TrustedHousesitters, a category-defining, subscription-based pet-sitting and travel community, from Rockpool Investments
  • its portfolio company, Nasstar, on its bolt-on acquisition of Colibri, a technology consultancy company with operations in the UK and Romania
  • its portfolio company, Pixo, provider of industry-leading virtual production and visual effects, on its sale to Sony
  • its sale of Talon Outdoor, provider of marketing and outdoor advertising services, to Equistone Partners Europe
  • its investment in LoopMe, developer of a brand advertising mobile platform
  • its US$41 million growth investment in eGym, a leading global fitness technology developer
  • its investment in Tangle Teezer, a global haircare brand, valuing the company at more than £70 million
  • its portfolio company, Parcel2Go, and its shareholders in its agreement with EQT Private Equity in which EQT will acquire a majority stake in Parcel2Go. Parcel2Go has grown to be the category leader, providing marketplace services to all major UK carriers, offering collection and delivery services throughout the UK, Europe, and countries across the world
  • its acquisition of Stork Topco Limited and its subsidiaries through which Seraphine Limited, a maternity clothing retailer and designer operates
  • its sale of SuperAwesome, developer of tools to create safer digital experiences for younger audiences, to Epic Games
  • the buyout of atHome Group, the market leading online real estate and auto classifieds business in Luxembourg*
  • the buyout of Parcel2Go, the UK’s largest price comparison website for parcel delivery services*
  • a minority investment, as part of a Series C fundraise, for Ultrahaptics, a leader in mid-air haptics technology*
  • the buyout of Hotels & More, together with a series of follow-on acquisitions to form Tour Partners Group, an inbound tour operator for group and individual tours*
  • its investment in Talon Outdoor, the out-of-home specialist media agency*
  • its minority investment in OVO, the UK’s largest independent energy supplier*
• Antin Infrastructure Partners
  • its investment in RAW Charging, an electric vehicle charging system retailer, distributor and installer and supplier of electric vehicle charging infrastructure
  • its acquisition of Pulsant, a nationwide provider of data centre and cloud infrastructure in the UK
  • its investments in both Hesley and Kisimul, businesses in the social infrastructure sector which provide acute special educational needs to children and young adults*
• LDC on a number of transactions including:
  • its acquisition of ETS, the primary service and technology provider to the DSB, the global numbering agency for over-the-counter derivatives
  • its acquisition of Wifinity, a Gigabit Internet Service Provider, with products and services connecting over 6 million people a year
  • its investment into Beekman Associates, a developer and provider of the data-driven marketing procurement platform RightSpend
  • its minority investment in Croud, a leading global digital marketing agency*
  • the buyout of Onecom, a business telecommunications provider*
  • advising both LDC and management on the exit of FC Business Intelligence, a global conference events provider, to Thomson Reuters*
• AURELIUS on a number of transactions including:
  • the sale of the online pharmacy division of its portfolio company, LloydsPharmacy group, to Pharmacy2U Ltd
  • its acquisition of GKN Wheels & Structures, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of off-highway wheels
  • its acquisition of Bertram Books, a global multi-channel bookseller*
• Cinven on its acquisition of Partner in Pet Food (PPF), a leading European pet food manufacturer*
• Inflexion on a number of buyouts including:
• Xtrac, a manufacturer of high performance transmission systems*
• Atcore, a travel technology business*
• Risk Capital Partners on a number of transactions including:
  • the buyout, and subsequent disposal to Bridgepoint Development Capital of cruise.co, an online cruise holiday company*
  • the buyout from Thomas Cook, and subsequent disposal to LDC, of travel business Neilson Active Holidays*
• A number of family office investors on a range of transactions, including the buyout of OEG Offshore and the disposal of part interest in Seaway Heavy Lifting Group to Subsea 7*
• The founders and management team on the sale of HolidayTaxis Group to Cinven backed HotelBeds*
• The owners of Medivet, the veterinary pet care business, on the minority investment by Inflexion*

*Denotes experience prior to joining Goodwin.

James is noted as a leader in private equity by major UK legal directories such as Chambers and The Legal 500. According to The Legal 500, James is “that very rare lawyer who is extremely and fiercely commercial as well as…pragmatic and sharp on the law.” Chambers describes James as “deeply knowledgeable in private equity, with the ability to advise on complex M&A, buyouts and strategic investments.” With clients also stating "James is a consummate professional. He is highly experienced and very commercial." James has also been named in The Lawyer Hot100 list.