Roddy Martin

Partner, Global Head of Automotive, Co-Head of India Practice

London, India Group

Roddy has over 30 years' experience of advising on a wide variety of M&A transactions.

Roddy has considerable experience of advising on cross-border M&A deals, both inbound and outbound, notably those involving newly-industrialised economies, particularly India and China, with a focus on public takeovers, schemes of arrangement, sell-side and buy-side private auctions and bi-laterals, joint ventures, buyouts and minority participations.

Roddy is client relationship partner for a number of FTSE companies and international conglomerates.

He heads the firm's Automotive practice and is co-head of the firm's India practice.

"Pragmatic and highly eﬀective", Legal 500 UK

"Very pragmatic and helpful", Chambers Asia Pacific

Ranked individual, Chambers Global - Corporate/M&A (expertise based abroad) - India

Background

Roddy graduated from Southampton University in 1992 with a Bachelor of Laws with Honours. He completed the Law Society Finals with Honours in 1993. He qualiﬁed as a solicitor in England and Wales with Herbert Smith in 1995. He qualiﬁed as a solicitor in Hong Kong in 2006 where he worked between 2005 and 2007. Roddy joined Herbert Smith in 1993 and has been a partner since 2003.

Experience & expertise

Selected matters

Inchcape, the world’s largest independent automotive distributor, in relation to various matters, including its £1.3 billion cash and shares business combination with Derco, the largest independent automotive distributor in Latin America, and on its disposal of Inchcape Fleet Solutions to Toyota Financial Services
Wincanton on its £762 million recommended cash offer from GXO logistics effected by scheme of arrangement (following the earlier recommended £605 million cash offer from CEVA Logistics, a subsidiary of CMA CGM)
Airtel Africa on $550 million of investments into its mobile money platform, Airtel Mobile Commerce, from MasterCard, TPG, Qatar Holding and Chimera Investment which valued the mobile money business at $2.65 billion
TUI Travel on its £5.2 billion merger by scheme of arrangement with TUI AG to create one of the ﬁrst German incorporated, LSE listed, FTSE companies
PA Consulting Group on the controlling investment by scheme of arrangement from The Carlyle Group, valuing PA at $1 billion
Reliance Communications on its proposed $1.6 billion sale of its telecom towers business to Brookﬁeld Infrastructure
United Spirits on its £430 million disposal by auction sale of Whyte & Mackay to Emperador
United Breweries on the partial disposal of its interests in United Spirits to Diageo, with a deal value of £1.2 billion
the owners of Harrods (a Fayed family trust) on the £1.5 billion+ sale of Harrods Group to Qatar Holding, the investment arm of the Qatar Investment Authority
China National Oﬀshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) on its $18.5 billion merger proposal with Unocal Corporation
the seven global investment banks providing the equity bridge on Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co/Pessina's £11 billion takeover of Alliance Boots
British American Tobacco on its £15 billion merger with Rothmans International
Carnival Corporation on its £4.7 billion hostile takeover for P&O Princess Cruises and subsequent DLC arrangement