Freeths advises on Halian Group sale

Leading law firm Freeths has played a pivotal role in advising Twenty20 Capital and Stuart Fry, the sellers of Halian Group, on its strategic sale to NES Fircroft, a global leader in workforce solutions. Halian Group has established itself as a prominent provider of IT and digital transformation services, alongside workforce solutions and managed services, with operations that span Europe, the Middle East, and the United States. The company, which has flourished under the backing of Twenty20 Capital following a management buyout, has successfully executed a buy-and-build strategy, enhancing its expertise in critical areas such as cyber security, cloud and infrastructure, data and AI, software engineering, and project and change delivery.

The acquisition is expected to significantly benefit NES Fircroft, enabling it to advance its business strategy by accelerating digital growth and broadening its international technology capabilities. The team from Freeths, led by Corporate Partner Dahren Naidoo and recently promoted Corporate Director Fiona Woodhead, was instrumental in facilitating this complex transaction. They were ably supported by Banking & Finance Director Michelle Wilkinson, Corporate Managing Associate Megan Atack, and Corporate Senior Associate Farrell Tang.

In commenting on the transaction, Fiona Woodhead stated: “This transaction highlights the value created by Twenty20 Capital’s support and the international growth Halian has achieved under Stuart Fry’s leadership. Deals such as this demonstrate the Freeths Corporate team’s ability to deliver complex international transactions while providing commercially focused, practical advice throughout the process.” David Watkins at Twenty20 Capital praised Freeths for their involvement, noting: “Freeths provided consistently high quality, commercial advice throughout the sale process. The team demonstrated a deep understanding of the business and the international aspects of the transaction, working seamlessly with all parties to deliver the deal efficiently. Their responsiveness and clear, pragmatic approach made them a trusted adviser at every stage.”