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"
- Acted for Connells Limited, an estate agency subsidiary of Skipton Building Society, on the initially hostile and contested, but ultimately recommended, takeover of Countrywide Group plc
- Booker Group plc on GBP£3.7 billion merger with Tesco plc
- National Australia Bank and CYBG PLC on the demerger of CYBG (the parent company of Clydesdale Bank and Yorkshire Bank) on the demerger and listing of CYBG in London and Sydney
- Booker Group on various aspects of its acquisition of Makro UK (including the competition commission 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 USD$7.3 billion
- Man Group on the acquisition of FRM, a fund of hedge funds business with funds under management of approximately USD$8 billion
- Santander Private Equity on the disposal of its shareholding in Thames Water to China Investment Corporation
News and client work
Contact details
- Clifford Chance, London
- +442070061537
- Email me
- Practice area M&A corporate
- 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
- Member of the City of London Law Society 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