Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer recognised at the IFLR Europe Awards 2026

Leading global law firm Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer has been recognised at the IFLR Europe Awards 2026 for its role advising on two winning deals, underscoring the strength and breadth of its transactional capabilities across the UK and continental Europe.

The firm advised on the following winning deals:

• Impact Deal – High Yield: advising London-listed South African mining group Petra Diamonds on its refinancing package and rights issue. The team was led by London corporate partners Mark Bardell, Sarah Ries-Coward and Shaun Williamson, and London finance partners Gabrielle Wong and Kevin Pullen.

The judges praised the deal as a standout for its innovation and impact, combining high yield, bank debt and equity-linked instruments into a single, highly orchestrated cross-border solution.

• Impact Deal – European M&A: advising Tokyo-based T&D Holdings as part of a consortium on the acquisition of a majority stake in Viridium Group from Cinven. The team was led by Düsseldorf corporate partner Dr Christian Johnen and Frankfurt financial services regulatory partner Dr Timo Bühler.

The judges recognised the deal’s highly innovative nature as the first-ever consortium acquisition in the German insurance market, combining complex regulatory approvals with a novel structure that transitioned acquisition financing into capital markets execution under intense competitive bidding conditions.

The following individuals were shortlisted:

• Women Dealmakers Hall of Fame – Amy Geddes.
• Rising Star UK – Arijeet Mukherjee.

The firm was also shortlisted in a further three categories:

• Deals of the Year – Cinven exit / Viridium Group (Private Capital); and Haweswater Aqueduct Resilience Programme (HARP) and LusoLAV high-speed rail project (Project Finance).
• Teams of the Year – Financial Services Regulatory – Global; M&A; and Project Finance.
• Specialist Awards – Net Zero Transition award.

These accolades highlight the firm’s continued commitment to delivering innovative, exceptional advice on complex, high-profile transactions, and reinforce its position at the forefront of the European legal market.