Robert Lister

• Acting for various multinational clients, including asset managers, investment banks, private equity firms, hedge funds, investment managers, portfolio companies, sports leagues and B2C and B2B businesses across a range of sectors on global data privacy strategies and compliance programmes, including undertaking gap/risk assessments, stress testing existing compliance steps, and drafting and implementing GDPR-related agreements, notices, policies and procedures
• Acting for various UK, US and other international clients on assessing, handling, responding to and reporting data breaches and other security incidents
• Advising on complex international data transfer strategies, as well as implementing compliant transfer mechanisms
• Advising on website creation and drafting related disclaimers, terms of use and privacy and cookie notices as well as compliant consent mechanisms
• Assessing vendor management procedures for numerous multinational clients, and drafting and negotiating data processing and transfer agreements, including with major IT service providers
• Undertaking data protection, IT and intellectual property due diligence relating to international buy and sell-side corporate transactions across a wide range of sectors, including life sciences and clinical trials, retail, SaaS providers and IT service providers
• Advising a major pharmaceutical company on the licensing and later sale of its proprietary software for further development, including drafting the primary transaction documentation and related sponsorship and license agreements
• Acting for a variety of clients on promotion and marketing matters, including promotions and labelling, as well as trademarks, copyright, licensing and distribution issues
• Advised Astorg on:
  • the demerger of Fastmarkets from Delinian, formerly known as Euromoney Institutional Investor plc.
  • its acquisition of the Fastmarkets business division of Euromoney Institutional Investor, as part of a £1.61 billion acquisition and take-private of the financial publisher of Euromoney by Astorg and Epiris
• Advised Wallbrook, a leading global ESG advisory firm, on a merger with Anthesis (the sustainable performance activator and largest group of dedicated sustainability professionals globally)
• Acted for Matrix, a market-leading workforce technology and services platform, and portfolio company of Bridgepoint Development Capital, on its acquisition of employment screening business, Security Watchdog, from business process services group Capita
• Advised Crosspoint Capital Partners as lead investor in a €65 million Series A follow-on funding round for Ireland-based Everseen, a leading provider of AI-powered computer vision and hyper automation solutions
• Advised Bridgepoint on:
  • its acquisition of SK AeroSafety Group, a global leader in aviation safety component maintenance, repair and overhaul services
  • its acquisition Achilles, a supply chain risk and performance management business
  • its investment in Matrix SCM, a leading managed service provider for the outsourced hiring and management of temporary local government staff in the UK
• Advised New Mountain Capital and Datavant on the acquisition of Convenet, a health technology infrastructure company
• Acted for Audax Group on its acquisition of Laird Connectivity, a provider of telecommunications solutions, from Advent International
• Advised Envision Pharma Group, a portfolio company of GHO Capital Partners, on its acquisition of OKRA.ai, an award-winning technology company active in the provision of AI solutions for the healthcare industry
• Acted for NielsenIQ, a portfolio company of Advent International, in connection with its entry into a definitive agreement to combine with GfK SE
• Advised 3i Group plc on:
  • its investment in Digital Barriers, a leading provider of IoVT (Internet of Video Things), surveillance and security products
  • the acquisition with GartenHaus of Outdoor Toys, one of the UK’s leading online retailers of outdoor garden toys
  • the acquisition of Audley Travel, a provider of tailor-made experiential holidays
• Advised funds affiliated with BPEA EQT (formerly, Baring Private Equity Asia) on:
  • the $1.2 billion acquisition of the Healthcare Services business of Hinduja Global Solutions Limited
  • the merger of Vistra and Tricor, creating a $6.5 billion global fund and corporate services platform
  • the $2.76 billion acquisition of Tricor Group, Asia's leading business expansion specialist whose corporate mission is to facilitate globalisation in Asia
  • the acquisition of IGT Solutions, formerly InterGlobe Technologies, a provider based in India of software services, from an affiliate of Apollo Global Management
  • its definitive agreement to sell the surgical business of Lumenis Ltd. to Boston Scientific Corp.
• Acting for TSG Consumer Partners on its acquisition of:
  • Cadogan Tate, a premium moving and storage business, specialising in fine art
  • a minority stake in BrewDog, a Scottish craft beer company
  • a minority stake in Revolution Beauty
• Advised Athyrium on its convertible loan note investment in uMotif, the patient data capture and decentralized clinical trials platform
• Advised Livingbridge, one of the UK’s leading mid-market private equity investors, on its investment in RealVNC, a leading vendor of remote access and remote support software
• Acting for GIC in connection with its acquisition of a 40% interest in The Oxford Science Park from Magdalen College, Oxford and on a strategic joint venture between GIC and Magdalen College aimed at accelerating major development of the Science Park
• Advised Partners Group on its €1.6 billion acquisition of Pharmathen, a European pharmaceutical company, from BC Partners
• Acting for American Industrial Partners on its acquisition of Domtar Corporation’s Personal Care business, a manufacturer and marketer of adult incontinence and infant diapers and related products
• Acting for Humble Group AB, a Swedish food-tech and FMCG-group, on its up to SEK 1.38 billion acquisition of Solent Global Limited, a leading international supplier of healthy foods and personal care products
• Advised Inflexion and other shareholders (including the management team) on the sale of Reed & Mackay, a premium corporate travel management and events business, to TripActions, a U.S.-headquartered business travel and spend management platform
• Acting for ERM, the world’s largest pure-play sustainability consultancy, and the ERM Partner shareholders, on the sale of ERM to KKR, a leading global investment firm
• Acting for GHO Capital Partners on its acquisition (alongside the existing Envision management team and employees) of a majority stake in Envision Pharma Group, a leading technology-enabled scientific communications company
• Advised Advent International on its $2.7 billion agreement to acquire Nielsen Global Connect, a unit of Nielsen Holdings plc
• Represented TPG Capital on the acquisition of Kooora, a Middle East digital sports publisher, by is portfolio company FootballCo
• Advised Integrated Media Company (IMC), a TPG platform dedicated to the new media ecosystem, on the acquisition of a majority stake in Goal from the DAZN Group
• Advised Arsenal Capital Partners on the proposed acquisition by its portfolio company Value Demonstration Holdings LLC of Cello Health plc, an AIM-listed global healthcare-focused advisory group
• Advised K2 Insurance Services, a portfolio company of Lee Equity Partners, the U.S. private equity firm, on its acquisition of Pioneer Underwriters, a London-headquartered underwriting services organisation
• Advised the Asset Management & Investor Services Divisions of Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corporation on its acquisition of Point Nine Limited, an industry leader in outsourced operations, processing and reporting for post-trade execution
• Acting for Ensono, a leading hybrid IT services provider on the acquisition of:
  • leading UK-based hybrid IT services provider Attenda
  • Inframon, a UK-based cloud transformation company
• Acting for CCMP on its £600 million sale of PureGym, the largest UK gym chain by membership
• Acting for Bain Capital on its acquisition of:
  • NGA UK, a UK payroll and HR Business from NGA Human Resources
  • Benefex, an HR technology business
• Acting for Pulsant and Oak Hill on the acquisition of LayerV, a specialist public cloud solution integration company

*Experience prior to joining Ropes & Gray

• Regularly advising various well-established consumer brands on policies, notices, contracts, consent mechanisms and other compliance documentation relating to laws implementing the Data Protection Directive, ePrivacy Directive and eCommerce Directive*
• Advising on and drafting web site terms of use and privacy, cookie, BYOD and data retention policies*
• Acting for a German snack company on a high-value share and asset purchase of a UK snack manufacturer*
• Acting for an international gaming company in a successful, high-profile trade mark litigation against leading sport betting companies*
• Advising international clients, particularly in the food and drink sector, on UK and EU trade mark, design and labelling issues, including drafting clearance reports, advising on opposition and infringement issues, responding to examiner observations, conducting oppositions before the UK IPO and drafting and negotiating licence and settlement/co-existence agreements*
• Acting for a major sportswear brand in the drafting and negotiation of sponsorship agreements with various top-level professional football teams and ruby events*
• Managing a global trade mark licensing project in respect of an extensive portfolio of well-known whisky brands*