Tax issues on stake sales and investment into managers: structuring, pitfalls and steps to take now
About
Martha advises on complex commercial arrangements at the intersection of technology, data and intellectual property. She combines her technical expertise with deep sector experience, particularly across the financial services, technology, pharmaceuticals and life sciences industries.
Martha’s technology expertise spans the full technology lifecycle. Her work ranges from software development and licensing, cloud and SaaS contracting, digital transformation and technology procurement projects, through to cybersecurity readiness, incident response and the deployment of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence. She has particular expertise in large-scale outsourcing projects, regularly advising clients on business-critical IT outsourcing mandates as well as outsourced facilities management and hotel management arrangements.
In data protection and privacy matters, Martha advises on global compliance programmes, complex data sharing frameworks, international data transfers and data commercialisation strategies. She is certified as a member of the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP).
Her intellectual property work centres on the protection, licensing and commercialisation of IP rights, with a particular focus on trade mark and brand management, patent protection, copyright and database rights, complex IP-related collaborations, sponsorships and franchising.
Alongside her stand-alone commercial practice, Martha works closely with the firm’s corporate team to support complex and multi-jurisdictional M&A transactions, including separation planning and transitional services arrangements.
Experience
- Advising global luxury group Kering on the UK IP aspects of the €4bn sale of its beauty division to L’Oreal and long-term licensing arrangements for the Gucci, Bottega Veneta and Balenciaga brands.
- Acting for Banco de Sabadell S.A., a Spanish-listed multinational financial services company, on the £2.65bn sale of TSB Banking Group plc to Banco Santander, including advising on its critical IT outsourcing arrangements.
- Advising the Virgin Group on its brand licensing arrangements with a number of licensees, including Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Mobile and Virgin Holidays, and on the launch of its group-wide loyalty programme.
- Advising biotechnology company Stablepharma on its manufacturing, distribution and licensing arrangements relating to the development of its innovative fridge-free vaccine and pharmaceutical products.
- Advising Capital One Financial Corporation, a Fortune 500 financial holding company, on its acquisition of Velocity Black, a leading digital concierge company.
- Advising Merian Global Investors and Quilter Investors on their respective middle and back office outsourcings to Citibank, following the split of the Old Mutual business.
- Advising Hayfin Capital on its commercial shipping management arrangements following the acquisition of the Transocean Norge oil rig in a joint venture with Transocean.
- Advising Liontrust on its business-critical outsourced arrangements with BNY Mellon.