Robbie O'Driscoll is a partner in A&L Goodbody's Finance department and Head of the London office. He advises Irish and international borrowers, sponsors, banks and direct lenders on a broad range of finance transactions. He has particular expertise in acquisition finance (public and private), real estate finance (investment and development) and corporate lending. He also advises on fund finance, restructurings and the acquisition and disposal of loan portfolios.
Robbie previously worked for a leading US firm in London and also spent nine months on secondment with an international bank.
Areas of Expertise
Finance/General Finance/Private Equity/Real Estate
Experience Advising:
- Activate Capital as mezzanine lender on a €384m financing to Marlet for the delivery of 1,100 new apartments in Dublin.
- Exponent on the financings of its acquisitions of Ethos Engineering, H&MV Engineering and Chanelle Pharma.
- AIB and the other lenders on the financing of the acquisition by Kerry Co-Operative of Kerry Dairy Ireland from Kerry Group PLC.
- Dalata Hotel Group on its €600m refinancing (comprising a €100m green term loan, a €375m multicurrency revolving credit facility and the group’s inaugural €125m private placement notes issuance).
- Henderson Park on the takeover of Green REIT plc and the subsequent financing of the Green REIT portfolio of assets.
- Morgan Stanley on the financing aspects of the €63bn takeover of Allergen by Abbvie.
- Activate Capital on its €101m financing to Marlet for the development of the Shipping Office.
- NatWest in connection with the €300m revolving credit facility provided to Gas Networks Ireland.
- The lenders on various leveraged facilities for the acquisition of Irish targets, including the acquisitions of: (i) Beauparc Utilities by Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets, (ii) Fenergo by Astorg and Bridgepoint, (iii) Centric Health by Five Arrows, (iv) IFG Group plc by Epiris, (v) Waterwipes by 3i Group, (vii) Learnosity by Leeds Equity Partners and (vii) Winthrop Engineering by Blackstone.
- Various Irish corporates (including Ryanair, Pinewood Laboratories, IPUT, Devenish Nutrition and Mercury Engineering) on their financing arrangements.
Market Recommendations
"Robbie O’Driscoll was excellent throughout the number of transactions we completed – always available, maintained calm and did all that was necessary to get transactions completed." (Legal 500 2024)
"Very commercial, practical and experienced. Also very approachable and strong in his field." (IFLR1000 2022)
"Extremely knowledgeable, solutions-oriented and commercially minded, while being technically excellent." (IFLR1000 2022)
"Very knowledgeable, understands complex issues and always provides commercial solutions." (Legal 500 2021)
Education
- Solicitor, Law Society of Ireland
- LLM, University of Cambridge
- BCL, University College Cork
Robbie O’Driscoll
Partner,
Finance
London