David Pudge specialises in domestic and cross-border M&A, public takeovers, stock exchange matters and general corporate advice. He acts for a broad range of clients and in particular large corporates and financial services groups.
David is also Head of Retail within our Consumer Goods and Retail sector group. David is the Chairman of the City of London Law Society's Company Law Committee and a contributing author to "A Practitioners' Guide to the UK Takeover Code"
- French Connection Group plc on its formal sale process and subsequent recommended takeover by MIP Holdings Ltd
- Indivior plc on its US$100m share buyback programme
- C&C Group plc on its rights issue to raise approximately GB£151 million
- Connells Limited, an estate agency subsidiary of Skipton Building Society, on the initially hostile and contested, but ultimately recommended, takeover of Countrywide Group plc
- Jupiter Fund Management plc on the acquisition of Merian Global Investors Limited for GB£370 million
- Booker Group plc on its GB£3.7 billion merger with Tesco plc
- L&G on the sale of its general insurance business
- CYBG PLC on its recommended takeover of Virgin Money Holdings (UK) plc, the UK's largest bank merger since the financial crisis
- National Australia Bank and CYBG PLC on the demerger of CYBG (the parent company of Clydesdale Bank and Yorkshire Bank) on the demerger and listnig of CYBG in London and Sydney
- Booker Group on various aspects of the acquisition of Makro UK (including the competition commissoin review of the acquisition) and on the acquisition of Londis and Budgens
- RBS on the sale of the RBS Aviation Capital aircraft leasing business to a consortium lead by Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation for US$7.3 billion and on the separate disposal of its European rail leasing business
- Man Group on the acquisition of FRM, a fund of hedge funds business with funds under management of approximately US$8 billion
- Banco Santander on its recommended takeover of Abbey National plc
News and client work
Contact details
- Clifford Chance, London
- +44 207006 1537
- Email me
- Sector Banks, Consumer goods & retail, Industrials, Insurance, Transport & logistics
Career and qualifications
- Exeter University (LLB) 1986
- Joined Clifford Chance 1988
- Admitted as a solicitor in England & Wales 1990
- Seconded to Stikeman, Elliott in Toronto and Montreal 1994-1995
- Partner since 1997
Professional bodies
- Chairman of the City of London Law Society Company Law Committee
- Member of the Law Society's Company Law Committee
Awards and citations
- David is regularly listed by the major directories as recommended for M&A and corporate governance work.
- David led the team that won the Legal Business Corporate Team of the Year award in 2017 for the demerger of CYBG PLC from National Australia Bank.
- David Pudge "offers practical, commercial advice and with an eye at all times to the strategic implications."
Chambers UK - David Pudge has been recognised by clients for his "outstanding knowledge and proportionality".
Legal 500 UK