Expertise
Brian is a partner in the Corporate M&A Group.
Brian has spent nearly twenty years advising international companies, in both the UK and Ireland, on corporate law matters including public and private company M&A, private equity transactions, equity fundraisings, reorganisations, joint ventures, refinancings and general commercial matters.
Having previously worked in a large international law firm in London, Brian has particular expertise in cross-border M&A and private equity. Brian has experience across a range of sectors acting for both buyers and sellers. Brian also counsels corporate clients on a broad range of governance and business-related matters, including directors' duties and responsibilities and general compliance matters.
Private Equity / Growth Equity
Brian has recently advised on a significant number of the most valuable and high profile transactions undertaken in the Irish market, including advising:
- Winthrop Technologies, Europe’s leading dedicated turnkey data centre delivery provider, and its shareholders, on its strategic partnership with funds managed by Blackstone Tactical Opportunities and affiliated funds.
- Panelto Foods, a leading Irish producer of par-baked breads, and its shareholders on the sale of the business to the European Bakery Group, a pan-European bakery platform backed by European private equity fund, 3i;
- Modular Automation, a leading Irish business in automation integration, and its shareholders on the sale of the business to Automated Industrial Robotics, a US based robotics company backed by US private equity fund, Ares Management;
- US private equity fund, Graham Partners on the acquisition of Taoglas, the Ireland based distributor of antennas, filters, cables, and connectors;
- European private equity fund Waterland, on its investment in MTM Engineering, the Irish headquartered cable installation company;
- Macquarie Asset Management in relation to its acquisition of Beauparc Utilities, the leading Irish and UK recycling and processing led waste-to-resource business;
- European private equity fund, Bregal Milestone, on its investment in Teamwork, a leading global Project Management SaaS solution focused company;
- Felicis Ventures, a US-based private equity firm, on its investment in Tines Security, an Ireland-based provider of cybersecurity automation solutions;
- Johnson Hana, Ireland's largest Alternative Legal Solutions Provider in connection with an equity investment (which included a primary and secondary component) by Allied Irish Banks plc;
- advising the founding shareholders of Reagecon Diagnostics Limited, the leading Irish manufacturer and distributor of physical and chemical standards, on the sale of the business to private equity backed Calibre Scientific;
- a number of US private equity funds on their investment in Wayflyer, the revenue-based financing and growth platform for e-commerce companies and one of Ireland's domestic "unicorns";
- UK private equity fund One Peak Partners, on its investment in the Irish headquartered international software company Brightflag;
- US private equity fund Lead Edge Capital on its investment in Irish headquartered global payroll software developer Immedis; and
- European private equity fund, Bregal Milestone, on the sale of Arkphire, one of Ireland’s leading IT consulting and managed-services company.
Strategic M&A
Alongside his private equity practice, Brian advises a range of domestic and international corporate clients on their corporate and transactional activity in Ireland, a selection of which include advising:
- Baader, the German headquartered manufacturer of innovative machinery for the food processing industry on the acquisition of Emydex, a leading provider of manufacturing execution system software for the food processing sector worldwide;
- SonarSource SA, leading Clean Code solution provider, on its acquisition of Headway Software Technologies; Limited, trading as Structure101, a Waterford-based pioneer in code structure analysis.
- Ricoh, the international manufacturer and distributor office equipment, on the acquisition of PFH Technology Group, the Ireland based IT infrastructure, implementation and management services company;
- Unmind, a UK-based platform for the mental health of employees, on the acquisition of Frankie Health, and Irish based healthcare solutions company providing wellbeing services for companies employees;
- Bauer Media AB, the German multimedia conglomerate, on its acquisition of RedFM, one of Ireland’s leading regional radio stations;
- Waystone on its agreement to acquire the entire issued share capital of Centaur Group, a global fund administration and fiduciary services provider with offices in Ireland, the UK, Luxembourg, USA, Canada, Cayman Islands and Bermuda;
- IQ-EQ, a portfolio company of European private equity fund Astorg, on its acquisition of the Global Fund Management unit of Davy Stockbrokers;
- Waystone, the leading provider of institutional governance, risk, and compliance services to the asset management industry, on the sale of a majority stake to European private equity fund, Montagu;
- Vertex (NASDAQ) on its acquisiton of Taxamao, an Irish based provider of cloud-based tax and payment automation for global e-commerce and marketplaces; and
- Opel on the disposal of Opel’s Irish operations to the Gowan group, which operates the Peugeot and Honda motor brands in Ireland.
In addition, Brian advises international corporate clients on their corporate and transactional activity in Ireland including Koch, Nomad Foods, Nordson, Saint-Gobain, Secret Escapes. Brian also acts as corporate counsel to a number of Ireland’s leading private companies including Abtran, Liffey Meats, Mergon, Netwatch, Oasis, Sedgwick Ireland and Waystone.
"Brian McCloskey is dynamic, clever, charming and utterly persuasive. This makes him the guy you want in your corner while all the other lawyers squabble over the meaningless minutiae of deals. He sees the bigger picture."
Commercial, Corporate and M&A: The European Legal 500 2024
"Brian is a fantastic lawyer with a really strong ability to get a broad team together and excellent results for the client."
Corporate/M&A: Chambers Global and Europe 2024
"He is experienced and has a calm bedside manner.";
Corporate/M&A: Chambers Global and Europe 2024
"Brian McCloskey is a pleasure to deal with and a trusted adviser."
Corporate/M&A: Chambers Global and Europe 2024
“Brian McCloskey’s team provided invaluable support on a challenging and time critical auction sale. Brian is responsive, a great communicator and a pleasure to work with. I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending him.”
Commercial, Corporate and M&A: The European Legal 500 2022
Brian McCloskey is a well-regarded M&A lawyer.
Corporate/M&A: Chambers Global and Europe 2022
"Brian McCloskey was excellent, available at all times to provide advice, strong in negotiation and very good at managing the process and his team".
Commercial, Corporate and M&A: The European Legal 500 2021
Brian McCloskey provides "sound commercial advice".
Corporate/M&A: Chambers Global and Europe 2021
Brian McCloskey is "extremely hard-working and responsive".
Corporate/M&A: Chambers Global and Europe 2021
Brian McCloskey is named a next generation partner.
Commercial, Corporate and M&A: The European Legal 500 2020
Brian McCloskey has "excellent market knowledge and an effective negotiation style".
Corporate/M&A: Chambers Global and Europe 2020
Clients describe Brian him as "super responsive" and praise his project management capabilities.
Corporate/M&A: Chambers Global and Europe 2020
Brian McCloskey is named a ‘Rising Star’
Corporate and M&A: IFLR1000 2020
Law Society of Ireland, admitted as a solicitor
University College Dublin, BCL
University of Melbourne, Australia