Partner

Elliot Cowan

Languages

English

Social media

Elliot is a partner in the Corporate/M&A team at CMS, specialising in international M&A. He has extensive experience advising on complex, multi-jurisdictional transactions, leveraging CMS's global platform of offices across more than 50 countries to deliver seamless cross-border execution.

He acts for a wide range of clients, from large acquisitive multinationals to owner-managed businesses, with particular depth in the technology sector (most notably acquiring consultancy/people-based businesses), and is active in private equity transactions and growth-stage fundraisings.

Elliot is renowned for being a commercial and pragmatic lawyer, cutting through the detail to find practical solutions to often intractable problems.

Relevant experience

A global pre-eminent technology consultancy on multiple cross-border acquisitions.
One of the world’s leading providers of building materials solutions on the sale of a business division across 12 jurisdictions.
Behavox, a compliance and security software company, on its acquisition of Mosaic Data, an AI powered Fintech.
Instanda, a digital insurance platform, on its USD 45m Series B fundraising led by Toscafund and on its USD 20m fundraising led by CommerzVentures.
Exosens, a global leader in amplification, detection and imaging technologies on the acquisition of Centronic, a UK-based company specialising in radiation detectors and devices.
The 50% shareholders of the SushiSamba Group on the sale of their shares to Shamal Holdings, their 50% joint venture partner.
ParentPay Group, a leading provider of education technology, on its equity investment by Montagu Private Equity.
Apron, a business payments fintech on its USD 30m Series B fundraising led by Zina Growth.
Hazy, a pioneer in synthetic data technology on its sale to SAS, a global leader in data and AI.
The shareholders of Ariel AI, an artificial intelligence start-up focusing on augmented reality, on its sale to Snapchat.
Freeline, a biotechnology company focused on developing curative gene therapies for chronic systemic diseases, on its USD 120m Series C financing.
Dexters, London’s leading independent chartered surveyors and estate agents, on its investment from Oakley Capital.
Behavox, a compliance and security software company on its USD 100m equity investment from SoftBank.
ETL Systems, a global designer and manufacturer of leading radio frequency distribution equipment, and its management shareholders on the investment in its business by CBPE Capital.
What3words, a digital mapping start-up, on its Series C investment from Daimler, and on various media for equity transactions.

Education

2008 – Legal Practice Course, BPP London
2007 – Graduate Diploma in Law, BPP London
2005 – Politics and Parliamentary Studies, Leeds University

Practice Areas

Corporate Mergers & Acquisitions Venture Capital

sectors

Private Equity TMT - Technology, Media & Telecommunications Technology Digital Assets & Crypto Aerospace & Defence

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Elliot Cowan

Languages

Social media

Relevant experience

Education

Practice Areas

sectors

Insights by Elliot

UK Defence Investment Plan: £298bn spending commitment signals major opportunities for British manufacturers

Security Clearance in Defence Sector

The UK’s Defence Industrial Strategy 2025 and other key developments

Shaping a new offsets policy for UK defence procurement