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Benjamin Lee

Benjamin Lee

Partner

London

Partner and Global Practice Group Leader – Corporate Transactions

T: +44 (0) 20 3400 4260

M: +44 (0) 7919 484930

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Biography

Benjamin leads the Corporate Transactions practice in London and brings nearly three decades of experience with a corporate practice based on domestic and international public and private M&A, private equity and boardroom advisory work. He focusses on mergers and acquisitions, disposals and public takeovers, and advises investors, selling shareholders and management teams on private equity and growth capital transactions.

Ben has extensive experience in advising public companies on M&A and governance and shareholder activism issues as well as strong experience in the financial services, real estate and retail and consumer sectors. Benjamin regularly advises boards and investors on strategic issues and matters.

Ben is ranked by Chambers and Partners UK for mid-market M&A.

 

Benjamin has strong commercial judgement and strong leadership.

Chambers & Partners 2025 - Corporate/M&A: £100-800 million | Band 2

Benjamin is very calm under pressure, looks for innovative solutions and adds a sense of humour into what is often tense discussions.

Chambers & Partners 2024 - Corporate/M&A: £100-800 million | Band 2

Getting deals done

Getting deals done

Is corporate deal-making on the brink of a long-awaited surge?

Our report examines the appetite for M&A from both a buy-side and sell-side perspective. We explore key M&A drivers and barriers and looks at ways that business leaders can bridge the gap between intention and action.

Discover our report Discover our report

Admissions

  • England and Wales

Related Capabilities

  • M&A & Corporate Finance

  • Private Equity

  • Start-Up & Venture Capital Practice

  • Retail & Consumer Products

  • Sports, Media & Entertainment

  • Betting & Gaming

  • Corporate

  • Finance

  • Real Estate

  • Regulation, Compliance & Advisory

  • UK Public Company

  • ESG Governance, Compliance and Reporting

  • Healthcare & Life Sciences

  • Collegiate Sports

  • Olympic & National Governing Bodies

  • Professional Sports Team Representation

  • Contract, Endorsement & Celebrity Representation

  • Anti-Doping

  • Sports & Event Venue Real Estate Infrastructure & Operation

  • Naming Rights & Sponsorship

  • Sports & Entertainment M&A

  • Sports, Media & Entertainment Litigation

  • Entertainment Industry

  • Sports & Event Financing

  • Financial Institutions

Experience

  • Dundee Precious Metals Inc. on its cash and shares offer for Adriatic Metals plc. The transaction values the entire issued share capital of Adriatic at approximately USD1.3 billion.
  • Thesis Holdings Limited on its acquisition of Evelyn Partners Fund Solutions Limited from Evelyn Partners Group Limited. Thesis operates a UK-based authorized corporate director business, managing 170 funds with over £40 billion of assets. Evelyn Partners Fund Solutions Limited is the fund solutions business of the Evelyn Partners group, and has assets under governance of £10.6bn (as of 31 December 2024).
  • Ventiga Capital Partners, a UK-based private equity firm with a track record of investing in the European technology sector, on its strategic partnership with the Omnevo Group lead by Omnevo GmbH in Germany.
  • Playtech plc, the market leader in the gambling and financial trading industries, on multiple transactions including  its acquisition of approximately 70.6 per cent of the issued share capital of Snaitech S.p.A, a leading operator in the Italian gaming and betting market which is listed on the Milan Stock Exchange (the aggregate enterprise value of the transaction was €846m), and the sale of Snaitech S.p.A. to Flutter Entertainment Holdings Ireland Limited, a subsidiary of Flutter Entertainment plc, for a total enterprise value of EUR€2.3 billion in cash.
  • BCA Marketplace plc, a premium listed automotive business that operates across the post-factory value chain through the purchase and remarketing of vehicles throughout the UK and Europe, in connection with a £1.9bn offer made by TDR Capital LLP.
  • Thesis Group, a UK financial services group, on the disposal of its private client discretionary portfolio management services business by way of hive out to a new company, and then share sale, to Sanlam UK.
  • BT Group plc on the carve out from BT and sale of non-core division, BT Fleet Solutions, and a long term outsourcing arrangement to continue management of BT’s own fleet worth with, Aurelius Group, a pan-European investment group.
  • Vaalon Capital, a private equity and advisory firm, on its minority investment in MyMoneyMantra, an Indian Fintech company.
  • The Foschini Group on its acquisitions of ladieswear businesses, Phase Eight, Hobbs, Whistles, and White Stuff.
  • The shareholders of BestX/State Street Corporation on the disposal of the company to State Street Corporation. BestX’s clients include 60-plus banks and investment firms with more than $17tn in assets under management. Its transaction cost analysis service is designed to help users secure the best trades for end-investors.

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Awards
Oct 16, 2025

Chambers 2026 UK guide ranks BCLP in 36 practice areas and recognises 76 individual lawyers

In the 2026 edition of Chambers UK BCLP received 36 practice area rankings and 76 individual lawyer recognitions. This year, the firm is recognized in six new practice areas and improved to a Band 1 ranking for Commercial Contracts, as well as a Band 2 ranking for Hotels and Leisure.  
Insights
Sep 30, 2025

UK Corporate Briefing October 2025

Welcome to the Corporate Briefing, where we review the latest developments in UK corporate law that you need to know about. In this month’s issue we discuss: Notification requirements for share buybacks The FCA is consulting on changes to the Listing Rules regarding the notification requirements for share buybacks. LSE publishes 2026 Dividend Procedure Timetable The London Stock Exchange plc has published its dividend procedure timetable for 2026. Market soundings at corporate finance firms The FCA has published the latest edition of Market Watch no.83. In this edition the FCA focus on the Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) - market soundings regime and share their observations following a review of the systems and control at corporate finance firms over the last five years.
Insights
Sep 02, 2025

UK Corporate Briefing September 2025

Summary Welcome to the Corporate Briefing, where we review the latest developments in UK corporate law that you need to know about. In this month’s issue we discuss: Mandatory identity verification for directors, LLP members, PSCs and others From 18 November 2025, new rules are being phased in which will require directors, LLP members, PSCs (people with significant control) and others to verify their identify at Companies House. Failure to do so will be a criminal offence. Removal of company registers - ECCTA Companies House has confirmed that companies will no longer need to keep their own local registers of officers and PSCs.  Move to GOV.UK One Login for access to Companies House WebFiling accounts From 13 October 2025 companies will need to use GOV.UK One Login to sign in to their Companies House WebFiling account. This article explains what companies can do now to prepare for this. Late payments The government publishes a package of measures to assist small businesses in tackling the long-standing issue of late payments.
Insights
Aug 01, 2025

UK Corporate Briefing August 2025

Welcome to the Corporate Briefing, where we review the latest developments in UK corporate law that you need to know about. In this month’s issue we discuss: Takeover Panel consultation and new practice statements The proposed amendments to the Takeover Code clarify how the mandatory offer requirements apply to a company with a dual class share structure when a shareholder’s percentage of voting is increased on certain trigger events. New rules for the public offers and admissions to trading regime The FCA has published the final rules for admissions to trading on a regulated market or a multilateral trading facility (“MTF”). The new rules will come into force on 19 January 2026 with transitional provisions. Draft regulations for new reporting requirements on payment practices and performance The government has published draft reporting requirements for large companies on payment practices and performance which will apply for financial years beginning on or after 1 January 2026. NSI: exclusion of reorganisations and proposed changes to sensitive areas The government is proposing to exclude certain internal reorganisations and appointments of insolvency office-holders from the NSI regime and is consulting on changes to the sensitive areas that are subject to mandatory notification. FCA Primary Market Bulletin 56 This edition of the FCA newsletter for primary market participants looks at, among other things, its use of data and technology to monitor directors’ dealings. Digitisation Taskforce – final report July 2025 The latest report sets out key steps for removing paper share certificates and improving the current intermediated system of share ownership so investors can more effectively exercise their rights. Updated guidance – filing accounts with Companies House In the future all accounts must be filed at Companies House using commercial software. The web and paper filing options will be discontinued. Listed companies and filing information with the National Storage Mechanism (NSM) From 3 November 2025 the FCA will require more comprehensive legal entity identifier ("LEI”) reporting for issuers and other persons submitting regulated information. The aim is to enhance the functionality of the NSM by making it easier to find information about issuers.
Insights
Jul 01, 2025

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Welcome to the Corporate Briefing, where we review the latest developments in UK corporate law that you need to know about. In this month’s issue we discuss: Upper Tribunal ruling in the case of Craig Donaldson and David Arden (Metro Bank) The Upper Tribunal has upheld the FCA’s decision that the CEO and CFO of Metro Bank were knowingly concerned in the Bank’s breach of the Listing Rules. The decision serves as a reminder of the importance for listed company directors to ensure that any market disclosures made by a listed company are accurate, not misleading or deceptive, and do not omit anything likely to affect the import of the information that is disclosed.  New Stewardship Code 2026 The FRC has published a revised UK Stewardship Code, effective from 1 January 2026 which aims to support long-term sustainable value creation while significantly reducing the reporting burden for signatories. Revised GC100 and Investor Group Directors’ Remuneration Reporting Guidance 2025 To reflect regulatory changes and evolving best practice, the directors’ remuneration reporting guidance, designed to assist companies and investors in interpreting the UK rules on directors’ remuneration policies, has been updated. FCA policy statement on enforcement investigations The FCA publishes its final policy statement on enforcement investigations after receiving strong stakeholder feedback. PISCES: Stamp Duty and Stamp Duty Reserve Tax exemptions Transfer of PISCES shares will be exempt from all stamp duties. Court of Appeal orders buy-out in favour of minority shareholder This case highlights the core requirement of honesty at the heart of a director’s duties to his or her company – and serves as a reminder of the effectiveness of the buy-out remedy for unfair prejudice for a shareholder that wants to exit.
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Jun 03, 2025

UK Corporate Briefing June 2025

Welcome to the Corporate Briefing, where we review the latest developments in UK corporate law that you need to know about. In this month’s issue we discuss: Draft regulations on the protection of personal information The government has published draft regulations which will extend the types of personal information an individual can request that Companies House makes unavailable on the public register. PISCES Sandbox – final regulations The government has published legislation to establish PISCES – an innovative new type of stock market for private companies.
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May 06, 2025

UK Corporate Briefing May 2025

Welcome to the Corporate Briefing, where we review the latest developments in UK corporate law that you need to know about. In this month’s issue we discuss: Court considers requirement for deed of adherence under articles of association In this case, the court considered the requirement – in a set of articles of association – that a deed of adherence be executed as a condition of the directors’ approval of a share transfer. The buyer had executed the deed provided – but one of the other shareholders hadn’t. Court of Appeal considers meaning of leaver provisions In the case, the court considered the meaning of “continue in that capacity” in some leaver provisions – which affected when a transfer notice was served and, in turn, the price payable for shares.

Related Insights

Awards
Oct 16, 2025
Chambers 2026 UK guide ranks BCLP in 36 practice areas and recognises 76 individual lawyers
In the 2026 edition of Chambers UK BCLP received 36 practice area rankings and 76 individual lawyer recognitions. This year, the firm is recognized in six new practice areas and improved to a Band 1 ranking for Commercial Contracts, as well as a Band 2 ranking for Hotels and Leisure.  
News
Oct 09, 2025
BCLP advised BT Group on the sale of BT Radianz to Transaction Network Services
Insights
Sep 30, 2025
UK Corporate Briefing October 2025
Welcome to the Corporate Briefing, where we review the latest developments in UK corporate law that you need to know about. In this month’s issue we discuss: Notification requirements for share buybacks The FCA is consulting on changes to the Listing Rules regarding the notification requirements for share buybacks. LSE publishes 2026 Dividend Procedure Timetable The London Stock Exchange plc has published its dividend procedure timetable for 2026. Market soundings at corporate finance firms The FCA has published the latest edition of Market Watch no.83. In this edition the FCA focus on the Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) - market soundings regime and share their observations following a review of the systems and control at corporate finance firms over the last five years.
Insights
Sep 02, 2025
UK Corporate Briefing September 2025
Summary Welcome to the Corporate Briefing, where we review the latest developments in UK corporate law that you need to know about. In this month’s issue we discuss: Mandatory identity verification for directors, LLP members, PSCs and others From 18 November 2025, new rules are being phased in which will require directors, LLP members, PSCs (people with significant control) and others to verify their identify at Companies House. Failure to do so will be a criminal offence. Removal of company registers - ECCTA Companies House has confirmed that companies will no longer need to keep their own local registers of officers and PSCs.  Move to GOV.UK One Login for access to Companies House WebFiling accounts From 13 October 2025 companies will need to use GOV.UK One Login to sign in to their Companies House WebFiling account. This article explains what companies can do now to prepare for this. Late payments The government publishes a package of measures to assist small businesses in tackling the long-standing issue of late payments.
Insights
Aug 01, 2025
UK Corporate Briefing August 2025
Welcome to the Corporate Briefing, where we review the latest developments in UK corporate law that you need to know about. In this month’s issue we discuss: Takeover Panel consultation and new practice statements The proposed amendments to the Takeover Code clarify how the mandatory offer requirements apply to a company with a dual class share structure when a shareholder’s percentage of voting is increased on certain trigger events. New rules for the public offers and admissions to trading regime The FCA has published the final rules for admissions to trading on a regulated market or a multilateral trading facility (“MTF”). The new rules will come into force on 19 January 2026 with transitional provisions. Draft regulations for new reporting requirements on payment practices and performance The government has published draft reporting requirements for large companies on payment practices and performance which will apply for financial years beginning on or after 1 January 2026. NSI: exclusion of reorganisations and proposed changes to sensitive areas The government is proposing to exclude certain internal reorganisations and appointments of insolvency office-holders from the NSI regime and is consulting on changes to the sensitive areas that are subject to mandatory notification. FCA Primary Market Bulletin 56 This edition of the FCA newsletter for primary market participants looks at, among other things, its use of data and technology to monitor directors’ dealings. Digitisation Taskforce – final report July 2025 The latest report sets out key steps for removing paper share certificates and improving the current intermediated system of share ownership so investors can more effectively exercise their rights. Updated guidance – filing accounts with Companies House In the future all accounts must be filed at Companies House using commercial software. The web and paper filing options will be discontinued. Listed companies and filing information with the National Storage Mechanism (NSM) From 3 November 2025 the FCA will require more comprehensive legal entity identifier ("LEI”) reporting for issuers and other persons submitting regulated information. The aim is to enhance the functionality of the NSM by making it easier to find information about issuers.
Insights
Jul 01, 2025
UK Corporate Briefing July 2025
Welcome to the Corporate Briefing, where we review the latest developments in UK corporate law that you need to know about. In this month’s issue we discuss: Upper Tribunal ruling in the case of Craig Donaldson and David Arden (Metro Bank) The Upper Tribunal has upheld the FCA’s decision that the CEO and CFO of Metro Bank were knowingly concerned in the Bank’s breach of the Listing Rules. The decision serves as a reminder of the importance for listed company directors to ensure that any market disclosures made by a listed company are accurate, not misleading or deceptive, and do not omit anything likely to affect the import of the information that is disclosed.  New Stewardship Code 2026 The FRC has published a revised UK Stewardship Code, effective from 1 January 2026 which aims to support long-term sustainable value creation while significantly reducing the reporting burden for signatories. Revised GC100 and Investor Group Directors’ Remuneration Reporting Guidance 2025 To reflect regulatory changes and evolving best practice, the directors’ remuneration reporting guidance, designed to assist companies and investors in interpreting the UK rules on directors’ remuneration policies, has been updated. FCA policy statement on enforcement investigations The FCA publishes its final policy statement on enforcement investigations after receiving strong stakeholder feedback. PISCES: Stamp Duty and Stamp Duty Reserve Tax exemptions Transfer of PISCES shares will be exempt from all stamp duties. Court of Appeal orders buy-out in favour of minority shareholder This case highlights the core requirement of honesty at the heart of a director’s duties to his or her company – and serves as a reminder of the effectiveness of the buy-out remedy for unfair prejudice for a shareholder that wants to exit.
News
Jun 13, 2025
BCLP advised Dundee Precious Metals on cash and shares offer for Adriatic Metals
Insights
Jun 03, 2025
UK Corporate Briefing June 2025
Welcome to the Corporate Briefing, where we review the latest developments in UK corporate law that you need to know about. In this month’s issue we discuss: Draft regulations on the protection of personal information The government has published draft regulations which will extend the types of personal information an individual can request that Companies House makes unavailable on the public register. PISCES Sandbox – final regulations The government has published legislation to establish PISCES – an innovative new type of stock market for private companies.
Insights
May 06, 2025
UK Corporate Briefing May 2025
Welcome to the Corporate Briefing, where we review the latest developments in UK corporate law that you need to know about. In this month’s issue we discuss: Court considers requirement for deed of adherence under articles of association In this case, the court considered the requirement – in a set of articles of association – that a deed of adherence be executed as a condition of the directors’ approval of a share transfer. The buyer had executed the deed provided – but one of the other shareholders hadn’t. Court of Appeal considers meaning of leaver provisions In the case, the court considered the meaning of “continue in that capacity” in some leaver provisions – which affected when a transfer notice was served and, in turn, the price payable for shares.