James Inness

JAMES INNESS has over 20 years of experience representing issuers, underwriters, and major shareholders on primary and secondary equity capital markets transactions. He is a leading adviser to a wide range of clients listed on the London Stock Exchange in relation to securities offerings, major transactions, and corporate governance. James also has extensive experience advising on securities offerings in other international markets.

James continues to receive recognition from leading industry ranking publications. He is ranked in Chambers UK 2026 for Capital Markets: Equity, where sources comment that “James’ commerciality shines.” In Chambers UK 2025, he was described as “an exceptional lawyer” who is “extremely commercially minded.” He is also ranked as a Leading Partner for Equity Capital Markets: Mid-Large Cap in Legal 500 UK 2026.

Recent examples of James’ work include advising:

• Verisure, the leading provider of professionally monitored security services in Europe and Latin America, on its €13.7 billion IPO on Nasdaq Stockholm.
•  Strategy on its €620 million inaugural euro-denominated preferred stock IPO.
• Zilch Technology on various fund-raising and corporate transactions and related preparation.
• Citi and Morgan Stanley on Metlen’s £6 billion primary listing on the London Stock Exchange.
• Checkout.com on corporate governance matters and various share offerings.
• Diversified Energy Company on its:

o Redomiciliation from the UK to the U.S., by way of a court-approved scheme of arrangement, and its subsequent move to the ESICC Category of Official List of the FCA.
o US$123.3 million cash placing to partially finance the acquisition of Maverick Natural Resources.
o Additional listing of shares on the New York Stock Exchange.
o US$163 million cash placing and retail offer to partially finance the acquisition of certain upstream assets and related infrastructure in its Central Region from Tanos Energy Holdings II.
o US$225 million capital raise by way of a cash box placing.
o Transfer from the AIM Market to the Main Market (Premium Segment) of the London Stock Exchange and its US$86 million placing.

• Cobalt Holdings on its proposed IPO on the London Stock Exchange.
• Varkey Group on the investment by a consortium led by Brookfield Asset Management to invest in GEMS Education.

• WE Soda on its proposed IPO on the London Stock Exchange.
• TI Fluid Systems plc, the global supplier of thermal solutions and fluid systems for vehicle manufacturers, in its:
  o £1.039 billion recommended takeover offer by ABC Technologies Acquisitions Limited.
  o £1.3 billion IPO on the London Stock Exchange.
• Darktrace in its:
  o  US$5.3 billion recommended takeover offer by Thoma Bravo.
  o £1.7 billion IPO on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange.
• The sponsors and underwriters on TUI’s multi-billion euro rights issues and recapitalizations (IFLR Equity Deal of the Year 2024)
•  J.P. Morgan as sponsor on Ascential’s concurrent class 1 disposals of Digital Commerce and WGSN.
• Savvy Gaming Group on its US$1 billion investment in Embracer Group AB, a prominent games and e-sports company.
•  Nordgold on its proposed IPO on the London Stock Exchange.
• Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, and others in connection with the direct listing of Wise, Europe’s first direct listing by a technology company.
• Morgan Stanley and other banks in connection with the £351 million open offer by Mitchells & Butlers.
• Morgan Stanley and Danske Bank on the DKK37 billion rights issue by Tryg A/S, the largest-ever equity raise by a Scandinavian-listed company.
• The underwriters in the US$25.6 billion IPO and listing of Saudi Aramco on the Saudi Stock Exchange (Tadawul).
• The underwriters on the US$6.5 billion dual-listed initial public offering on the London Stock Exchange and Astana International Exchange by Kaspi.kz, one of the largest payment and fintech companies in Kazakhstan.
• Thomas Cook Group in connection with its strategic review, refinancing the proposed sale of its airline and, ultimately, its attempted recapitalization
• The underwriters in connection with Synthomer plc’s £204 million rights issue on the London Stock Exchange in connection with its £654 million acquisition of Omnova Solutions, Inc.
• The underwriters in connection with the £2.4 billion IPO of Avast, the world’s largest consumer antivirus software supplier, on the London Stock Exchange.
• The founders of Dubizzle on the sale of their shareholdings in Dubizzle, the largest online classifieds platform in the Middle East.
• FMC Technologies, Inc., the subsea oil services group, on its merger with Technip SA and listing on the NYSE and Euronext Paris.

*The above matters were handled prior to joining Sidley.