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Portrait ofMark Bertram

Mark Bertram

Partner

CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang LLP
Cannon Place
78 Cannon Street
London
EC4N 6AF
United Kingdom
Languages English, French

Mark is a Corporate partner with 25 years' experience advising businesses on their merger and acquisition structuring, international joint ventures, capital raising and exit strategies. 

Mark is listed as a Key Figure in 3 categories of the Legal 500 – M&A; Upper Mid Market and Premium Deals £250m +; Private Equity; Technology, Media and Telecoms.

Mark is a regular contributor to various legal publications. He has presented to the American Bar Association and contributed the UK chapter of the ABA's International Manual on 'Negotiated Acquisitions 

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“Mark Bertram's ‘cool, calm and collected’ demeanour is highly regarded by clients, who turn to him for a range of M&A, finance and wider governance matters. He offers considerable strengths in the technology and media sector.”

Chambers 2017

"The firm’s dedicated marketing services team pulls in the multi-disciplinary expertise of corporate head Mark Bertram>"

Legal 500, 2016

"Mark Bertram’s team wins praise for its 'understanding of the television production sector, which leads it to provide nuanced advice, tailored to the sector’s market and appetite for risk'."

Legal 500, 2015

"Mark has been recognised by Thomson Reuters in its London Super Lawyers lists (2013 – 2015)"

Super Lawyers 2015

"Mark Bertram is 'easy to work with and helpful in finding solutions', and is active in the publishing sector."

Legal 500, 2014

Relevant experience

  • BT Group on its joint venture with Warner Bros Discovery Inc (WBD) to create a new UK premium sports offering and the transfer of the operating business of BT Sport to WBD.
  • MoneySupermarket.com Group on its acquisition of  consumer cashback provider Maple Syrup Media (Quidco) for up to GBP 101m. 
  • News Corp on its sale of global video advertising group Unruly Media to Tremor International. 
  • Warner Music Group in relation to the USD 250m acquisition of the musical works and publishing rights to David Bowie's music catalogue from the David Bowie estate.
  • Merkle, leading data-driven CXM division of Dentsu, on its acquisition of LiveArea, a global customer experience and commerce agency, from Nasdaq quoted PFS Web Inc.
  • Burda GmbH on its acquisitions from Exponent PE of Immediate Media, the UK based publishing group, and of BBC Good Foods from BBC Studios.
  • Dentsu Aegis Network on its successful acquisitions of international creative and talent agencies B2B International, Whitespace, Tempero and Gleam Futures, content marketing group John Brown Media and outdoor solutions provider Liveposter.
  • Ministry of Sound group of the sale of MoS Recordings, music label and A&R business to Sony Music.
  • Iliffe Media in relation to the GBP 220m sale of Local World to Trinity Mirror and its acquisition of KM Media Group and 13 regional titles from Johnston Press.
  • Attenda, IT managed services business, on its sale by Darwin PE to Ensono.
  • Tesco Plc on its disposals of Tesco Broadband and Blinkbox to TalkTalk Telecom and of Blinkbox Music.
  • dunnhumby, on its acquisition of Sociomantic Labs, the Berlin based global ad technology group.
  • MoneySavingExpert.com on its sale to MoneySupermarket plc for GBP 87m.
  • TSX listed Tuscany International on its acquisition of Paris based Caroil SAS, with operations in Columbia and Central Africa, from Maurel & Prom for USD 200m. 
  • Chrysalis PLC on its GBP 107m recommended sale to BMG Rights Management.
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Publications

  • Author of Aspatore's book 'Negotiating the Complexities of UK M&A Law'
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Education

  • LL.M 1987, Warwick University, Warwickshire
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Feed

20/07/2022
CMS advises BT on joint venture with Warner Bros. Discovery to create new...
International law firm CMS has advised BT Group (BT) on its agreement with Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (Warner Bros. Discovery) to form a 50:50 joint venture company to create a new premium sports offering...
03/01/2022
The transparency register in the 4th AML directive in the United Kingdom
1. What is the current legal basis of the Transparency Register? To what extent has the Directive been implemented? The relevant provisions are implemented in the UK through the Persons with Significant...
Comparable
16/12/2021
Legal guide for company directors and CEOs in the UK
ESG obligations for Directors and CEOs 1. Do existing directors’ duties contain obligations that apply to matters that could be categorised as an ESG consideration, e.g. the environment, employee...
25/05/2021
CMS advises Acton Capital on Series A funding for kids’ audio platform...
International law firm CMS has advised leading growth-stage venture capital firm Acton Capital as lead investor on the $17 million Series A funding for Yoto Limited, creator of Yoto Player, the young...
09/06/2020
Impact of COVID-19 on European M&A activity
The CMS Corporate/M&A Group teamed up with investment bank Credit Suisse to analyse the financial and legal implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on M&A transactions in Western Europe
27/05/2020
CMS Expert Guide for Directors of Companies
Even before the COVID-19 global pandemic, directors of companies were under greater scrutiny than ever, with increasing concerns being expressed over governance and even the fundamental purpose of commercial...
03/02/2020
CMS advises on sale of UK digital wedding planning brand Hitched
International law firm CMS has advised Immediate Media and its German parent company Burda GmbH on the disposal of Hitched, a leading digital wedding planning brand in the UK, to The Knot World­wide. Launched...
12/08/2019
CMS advises Pilatus on strategic pharma acquisition by Orifarm Group
International law firm CMS has advised the founders and management of Pilatus Group, a UK-based company specialising in comparator sourcing for clinical trials, on its acquisition by European phar­ma­ceut­ic­als...
17/07/2019
CMS advises Acton Capital on Series C investment into leading photo and...
International law firm CMS has advised leading growth venture capital firm Acton Capital as lead investor on the £9m Series C funding round for MPB Group Ltd. Existing investors Mobeus and Beringea also...
24/09/2018
CMS advises Global on its entry into Out-of-Home sector with dual purchase...
International law firm CMS has advised Global, the Media & Entertainment group founded by Ashley Tabor OBE, on its simultaneous purchase of two key outdoor advertising assets – Primesight and Outdoor...
15/01/2018
CMS advises technology client what3words on investment and collaboration...
International law firm CMS has advised technology client, what3words, on the successful investment of a significant stake in the company by German carmaker, Daimler. what3words is an innovator in addressing...
12/01/2017
Olswang advises Hubert Burda Media on acquisition of the UKs Immediate...
This article was produced by Olswang LLP, which joined with CMS on 1 May 2017. International technology, media and telecoms law firm Olswang has advised Munich-based technology and media company Hubert...