Deal Announcement: Corporate & Commercial

Healys LLP are pleased to have supported on the acquisition of Westminster Policy Partners Limited (WPI Strategy) by Public Policy Holding Company, Inc.

The transaction sees WPI Strategy join Pagefield Group, the London-based strategic communications subsidiary of PPHC, further strengthening the group’s economics-led advisory and policy strategy capabilities across the UK and Europe.

Founded in 2014, WPI Strategy is a leading public affairs and economics consultancy specialising in research-driven advocacy and evidence-based policy analysis. The acquisition forms part of PPHC’s continued strategy of targeted growth through complementary businesses, expanding its integrated communications and policy advisory platform.

Our team was delighted to act as solicitors on the transaction. Deals like this are never delivered in isolation and this one was no exception. It was a genuinely collaborative effort involving multiple advisers and stakeholders working together across time zones to bring the transaction to completion.

Alongside the legal teams on both sides, we worked closely with the corporate financier, accountants and bookkeepers to help progress the deal efficiently. CEO of D5 Capital, Rupert Ashe, said:

“It was excellent to work alongside David Gordon and Jamie Lasaki at Healys on the WPI Strategy sale. They are a brilliant team, managing a complex transaction on time and on budget. The deal was structured to take advantage of available tax reliefs for the Vendors and they navigated the challenges of a sophisticated earn-out structure and the issue of dual-listed NASDAQ/LSE shares in the acquirer. We have done a variety of M&As with Healys and they always deliver."

It was also very much a cross-firm effort at Healys, led by corporate partner David Gordon and support deal lead Jamie Lasaki with support from colleagues across our Employment team from Lucy Demmon, and Property team from Ruby Sira-Shah, together with invaluable assistance from our trainee Stephanie Kushanu and our administration and support teams behind the scenes.

A pleasure to work with such a collaborative group of professionals on this transaction and congratulations to all involved on reaching completion.

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