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David RammPh.D.

Partner | Ph.D.
Partner | Ph.D.
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VCard
VCard

Areas of Focus

Overview

Dr. David Ramm is a partner in the London office and is a member of the Corporate Group. David advises on private equity, venture capital, and M&A transactions with a primary focus on the technology sector. David helps emerging companies raise significant capital throughout the fundraising cycle; grow their businesses through strategic commercial transactions, joint ventures, and licensing; and eventually mature to an exit stage.

David represents both growth stage companies and the investors that support them. He has spent over 20 years assisting highly creative and IP-rich businesses, particularly in the life sciences, healthcare, financial services, and security sectors, in corporate finance, M&A, and commercial transactions. Many of the transactions that David handles are cross-border and multi-jurisdictional in nature.

David's clients include large financial institutions and companies at the forefront of technological development, as well as exciting early stage and growth companies in the life sciences, healthcare, fintech, and security industries. As a former Ph.D. scientist and engineer, David brings a valuable perspective to the practice of law in the technology sector.

Career & Education

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    • University of Birmingham, Bachelor of Engineering, materials science & technology
    • University of Cambridge, Ph.D., materials science
    • College of Law, Guildford, Graduate Diploma in Law, Legal Practice Course
    • University of Bristol, Diploma in Intellectual Property Law
    • King's College London, Master’s Degree, war studies
    • University of Birmingham, Bachelor of Engineering, materials science & technology
    • University of Cambridge, Ph.D., materials science
    • College of Law, Guildford, Graduate Diploma in Law, Legal Practice Course
    • University of Bristol, Diploma in Intellectual Property Law
    • King's College London, Master’s Degree, war studies

    • Qualified Solicitor, England and Wales
    • Qualified Solicitor, England and Wales



Representative Matters

Mergers & Acquisitions

  • Advised Property Investor Network in relation to the sale of Property Investment Network Ltd. and Mastermind Principles Ltd to Genius Group Pte Ltd.
  • Advised Blue Duck Education in the sale of its EdTech maths education business to Westermann Group.
  • Advised Twizoo in the sale of its venture-backed online comparison business to Skyscanner.
  • Advised Codebashing in the sale of its cyber security training business to Checkmarx.
  • Advised Round Hill Capital on the purchase of student accommodation assets in four university cities.
  • Advised Citibank in connection with various transactions, including:
    • The sale of its UK Diners Club Card–issuing business.
    • The sale of its Benelux and French Diners Club Card - issuing businesses.
    • The $500 million sale of its English, Scottish, and Northern Irish non-performing mortgages business to Deutsche Bank.
    • The sale of its European merchant acquiring business to Euroconex (part of US Bank).
  • Advised sQuidcard, a prepaid card provider, on a £53 million merger with Applied Card Technologies, a transit card provider.
  • Advised United Technologies on the sale of a UK security service business to Securitas.
  • Advised Diners Club on the divestiture of its European Diners Club merchant acquiring business to Elavon.
  • Advised Carlyle Group on its bid for a credit card services provider in the UK and United States.
  • Led the legal team in connection with Citibank's sale of one of its Irish financial services businesses.

Private Equity

  • Acted for the founders of Global Processing Services, the leading global payment technology platform that powers leading fintechs, including Revolut, Curve, Starling Bank, Zilch, WELab Bank, and Paidy, in connection with:
    • A $300 million investment by Advent International and Viking Global Investors.
    • A £44 million funding by UK private equity house Dunedin and subsequent investment by VISA.
  • Advised RIMES, the global leader in managed data services and regulatory technology, in connection with a $350 million investment by EQT.
  • Advising CAPCO's management team on the $1.45 billion sale from CD&R to WIPRO.
  • Advised Pelican Energy Partners on a proposed equity investment in Gordon Technologies, a US based engineering firm.
  • Advised Searchlight Security, a darknet intelligence platform used by security and police services, in connection with the private equity buyout by Astra Capital Management.
  • Advised Samsung Ventures in connection with a strategic equity financing of Graphcore, an artificial intelligence semiconductor developer.
  • Advised Dell Ventures in connection with a corporate venture capital investment into Humio.
  • Advised Oxford Nanopore Technologies in connection with an investment in York University spin-out Veiovia, a business focused on combining genetic sequencing and blockchain proof of work.
  • Advised Unilever Ventures in connection with a corporate venture capital investment into TheNudeCo.
  • Advised BHP Ventures in connection with a corporate venture capital investment into a commodities trading and logistics platform.
  • Advised Carlyle Group in connection with a number of transactions, including investments in the Series A and B rounds and subsequent sale of Accucard, a credit card services provider.
  • Advised Pioneer Point Partners in connection with a €996 million bid for the 50-year concession to manage, operate, and maintain Aigües Ter Llobregat, the Catalonian water utility in Barcelona.
  • Advised ABRY Partners in connection with an investment in Thompson Online Benefits, as well as a subsequent exit.
  • Advised My-Wardrobe, a leading online high-end fashion retailer, in connection with Series A, Series B, Convertible Loan Note, and Loan Note financings.
  • Advised Stratophase in connection with multiple rounds of venture financing by East Hill, as well as the spin-off of its Covesion business.
  • Advised sQuidcard in connection with multiple venture financing rounds.
  • Advised the management of Jimmy Choo in the £185 million acquisition of Jimmy Choo by Towerbrook.
  • Advised HG Capital in its acquisition of a UK food retailer.
  • Led the team assisting GMT Communications Partners and Polytechnos in their investments in Xchangepoint and Packetexchange.

Life Sciences & Healthcare Transactions

  • Advised ViraCorp regarding collaboration with Lancaster University for development and financing of Covid-19 vaccine and antiviral coating technology.
  • Advised Serum Institute of Science, in connection with a global co-development, licensing and manufacturing partnership with U.S. vaccine developer Codagenix for development of COVID-19 Vaccine.
  • Advised AbbVie regarding its ongoing investment in Artios Pharma Limited.
  • Advised Serac Life Sciences in connection with a Series Seed and A investment rounds, which raised approximately £25 million.
  • Advised Skin & Me, a personaliZed skincare business, in connection with a Series A Investment by Octopus.
  • Advised Unity, a men’s healthcare business, regarding a Series A Investment by Venrex Investment Management.
  • Advised Oak Group on the sale of its healthcare diagnostic business to Vitalhub Corp.
  • Advised FutureNova on investments in multiple venture financing rounds for a medical devices company.
  • Advised Uvence in connection with a Seed investment round by Uvence, as well as a commercial agreement with Tissue and Cell Technologies Limited.
  • Advised Jellagen in connection with an equity financing and connected issues.
  • Advised Innoture in connection with an equity investment into a vaccine micro-patch developer.
  • Advised Equilibrium on various commercial and corporate issues.

FinTechs

  • Represented Glint Pay and its management team in relation to their corporate restructuring, as well as US and UK equity financings.
  • Advised Flex-e Card in connection with the sale of Flex-e Vouchers.
  • Advised Global Processing Services in connection with a £44 million financing by UK private equity house Dunedin, as well as a subsequent investment by VISA.
  • Acted for sQuidcard since its inception, including in its £53 million merger with transit card provider, Applied Card Technologies, as well as its expansion into Africa and the Middle East.
  • Advised Osper in connection with an investment transaction and sale of equity.
  • Advised Dabbl, a stock trading platform in connection with corporate, commercial and regulatory matters.
  • Advised Coventry Building Society and HSBC in connection with an investment in a mortgage broker platform.
  • Advised Starling Bank from inception, including in connection with a dispute with founders of Monzo, the protection of founder interest, and in a $48 million financing by McPike.

Stock Exchange Transactions

  • Advised BIDS Trading LP in a joint venture with Bats Europe, Europe’s largest stock exchange operator, as well as with the establishment of a new block-trading service for the European equity market.
  • Advised Astana International Financial Center (AIFC) during the establishment of the Astana International Exchange (AIX), as well as in negotiations with the Shanghai Stock Exchange and Nasdaq for investment and exchange platforms.
  • Advised BidFX in connection with an investment by Singapore Stock Exchange.
  • Advised Social Stock Exchange in a joint venture with ICAP-ISDX (now NEX Group), and in the establishment of a new market segment dedicated to companies accredited for positive social or environmental impact.
  • Advised Kirkman Limited in negotiating and drafting an agreement with Euronext for the provision of a stock exchange platform, market information, and the establishment of the first newly-recognized investment exchange since 1973.
  • Advised Angels Den in connection with the structuring of an angel network and crowd-funding platform.
  • Advised UK management in connection with US SPAC, Trebia Acquisition Corp and its $450 million US IPO on NYSE.
  • Advised Dabbl, a consumer-focused stock trading platform, in connection with multiple venture investment rounds, the acquisition of a regulated entity, and with connected regulatory and commercial issues.
  • Advised Syhus in connection with the establishment of an algorithmic trading platform for consumer users.

Blockchain & Cryptocurrency

  • Advised Oxford Nanopore/Veiovia in connection with a corporate venture investment by Oxford Nanopore Technologies in Veiovia, a spin-out from University of York focusing on combining blockchain and biological sequencing.
  • Advised qWallets in a Seed investment from angel investors, and in drafting agreements with customer service providers.