Fergus Bolster is "strategic in his approach, very responsive and gives clear advice".
Corporate/M&A: Chambers Global and Europe
Expertise
Fergus Bolster is a partner in the firm's Corporate M&A Group, where he focuses primarily on mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructurings and reorganisations (including corporate re-domiciliation and demerger transactions), financing transactions, the application of securities laws and corporate governance matters.
Fergus represents public and private companies, financial investors, State bodies and investment banks, transacting in a variety of industries and sectors, including technology, energy and healthcare. He has extensive experience advising international clients on cross-border acquisitions of Irish companies, migrations, joint ventures and capital markets transactions, including public listings of Irish companies on US and other non-Irish exchanges.
Fergus counsels corporate clients on a broad range of governance and business-related matters, including directors' duties and responsibilities, ESG, disclosure obligations and compliance matters. This advice is often provided to boards and individual directors in situations where the satisfaction of their fiduciary duties may be subject to public or enhanced scrutiny.
Fergus has advised:
- NYSE listed Aon plc on its US$13.4 billion acquisition of NFP.
- NYSE listed MariaDB plc on its recommended public takeover by K1.
- Spanish listed Cellnex Telecom S.A. on its announced transaction to sell its Irish business to Phoenix Towers international for €971 million.
- Orion Infrastructure Capital on the provision of a structured equity facility of up to US$110 million to NYSE listed Carbon Revolution plc.
- Mainstream Renewable Power on a cross-border restructuring of approximately US$1.5 billion in liabilities.
- An ad hoc crossover group of lenders on a US$1.9 billion financial restructuring of NYSE listed Mallinckrodt plc, which was implemented through a combined use of the US Chapter 11 bankruptcy process and an Irish examinership restructuring process.
- MariaDB plc on its business combination with Angel Pond Holdings Corporation and initial public listing on the NYSE in a deal valuing the combined entity at US$672 million.
- Circle Internet Financial Limited on its announced transaction to go public on the NYSE through a business combination with Concord Acquisition Corp in a deal valuing the combined entity at US$9 billion.
- ProKidney LP on its business combination with Social Capital Suvretta Holdings Corp. III and initial public listing on Nasdaq in a deal valuing the combined entity at US$2.64 billion.
- The principal ad hoc group representing bond holders on a US$5.3 billion debt-for-equity swap, refinancing and re-listing of Mallinckrodt plc on the NYSE, which was implemented through a combined use of the US Chapter 11 bankruptcy process and an Irish examinership restructuring process.
- NYSE listed STERIS plc on its US$3.6 billion acquisition of Cantel Medical Group and related US$1.35 billion senior notes securities’ offering.
- Weatherford International plc on its US$1.15 billion public listing on Nasdaq.
- Fastball Holdings LLC on the US$4.2bn sale of its stake in the FanDuel Group to Flutter Entertainment plc.
- Aon, the global consulting and professional services firm, on its US$38 billion corporate re-domiciliation from the UK to Ireland, and the listing of its new Irish registered holding company, Aon plc, on the NYSE.
- Weatherford International plc, the Irish registered, NYSE listed parent of the Weatherford group of companies, on one of the largest and most complex cross-border corporate restructurings in Irish corporate history. In a highly innovative legal structure, the transaction, which involved a US$7.4 billion debt-for-equity swap and refinancing, was implemented through the first ever combined use of the US Chapter 11 bankruptcy process and an Irish examinership restructuring process.
- The Irish Strategic Investment Fund, on its investment in the Irish based AMCS Group, the world’s leading supplier of integrated software and vehicle technology for the resource management, waste collection and recycling industry.
- The Ireland Strategic Investment Fund on a secondary block sale of a significant percentage of its stake in Greencoat Renewables plc.
- Cimpress on its US$3.1 billion corporate re-domiciliation from The Netherlands to Ireland, and the listing of its new Irish registered holding company, Cimpress plc, on Nasdaq.
- STERIS, a leading provider of infection prevention and other procedural products and services, on its US$10.5 billion corporate re-domiciliation from the UK to Ireland, and the listing of its new Irish registered holding company, STERIS plc, on the NYSE.
- Fidante Capital, as lead manager, on the admission of Yew Grove REIT plc to the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange and the Euronext Growth market of Euronext Dublin and its related €75 million placing of new ordinary shares.
- The Ireland Strategic Investment Fund, the cornerstone investor in Greencoat Renewables plc, on the floatation of Greencoat on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange and the Euronext Growth market of Euronext Dublin.
- Weatherford International plc on over US$7.5 billion in listed equity, debt and hybrid securities offerings.
- Worldview Capital on its hostile takeover of London and Dublin listed Petroceltic International plc (being the first successful hostile takeover of an Irish public company).
- Weatherford on its US$17.2 billion corporate re-domiciliation from Switzerland to Ireland, and the listing of its new Irish registered holding company, Weatherford International plc, on the NYSE.
“Fergus Bolster is named a Highly Regarded Individual.”
Corporate and M&A: IFLR1000 2024
“Fergus provides consistent and timely advice that is practical.”
Corporate/M&A: Chambers Global and Europe 2024
“Fergus Bolster is a highly sophisticated, but also user-friendly, M&A and general corporate lawyer. Fergus deeply engages with his matters but also interfaces with high quality associates, as appropriate.”
Commercial, Corporate and M&A: Legal 500 2024
“Extremely proactive and managed the deal with excellence, contributing innovative solutions in a complex transaction and demonstrating great negotiation skills.”
Corporate and M&A: IFLR1000 2022
Leading Lawyer - Highly Regarded for Corporate and M&A
IFLR1000 2018 to 2024
Leading Lawyer - Highly Regarded for Capital Markets: Equity
IFLR1000 2018 to 2024
Leading Lawyer - 13 Year Ranked
Corporate/M&A: Chambers Global and Europe
“A very strong corporate team with deep local knowledge. Standout corporate partners include Fergus Bolster…”
Corporate and M&A: IFLR1000 2021
“Fergus Bolster often acts on deals involving entities from the USA. Sources highlight his knowledge of public company law, and one client appreciates that he is ‘strategic in his approach, very responsive and gives very clear advice’.”
Corporate/M&A: Chambers Global and Europe 2019
“Very responsive and pragmatic.”
Corporate and M&A: IFLR1000 2019
Recommended Capital Markets.
Legal 500 2019 to 2024
Recommended Commercial, Corporate & M&A.
Legal 500 2019 to 2024
Fergus earned his Bachelor of Civil Law (B.C.L. (Hons.)) from University College Cork and, before practicing law, interned as a Legal Stagiaire in the International Law Division of the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin.