Taylor Wessing LLP has acted for Hyperion Insurance Group Ltd

Taylor Wessing acts on £120 million transaction between Hyperion Insurance Group Limited and 3i Group Plc

Taylor Wessing LLP has acted for Hyperion Insurance Group Limited, a leading international insurance group, on an investment agreement with listed private equity company 3i Group Plc.

3i will acquire a 27 per cent stake in the insurance group, which combines the insurance broking operation, Howden, and the underwriting businesses, CFC Underwriting and DUAL. The deal, which combines a private equity share, option and loan note investment and a new HSBC bank finance, valued Hyperion at in excess of £120million, and will enable the company's planned expansion into Asian and Middle Eastern markets.

Taylor Wessing advised Hyperion on the sale of existing shares to 3i, investment by 3i for new shares and loan notes and in respect of the banking facilities. This deal closely follows Taylor Wessing's recent advice to iimia MitonOptimal Plc, the AIM-traded company encompassing fund management, wealth management and corporate finance, on its £100m acquisition of fast-growing fund management company, Midas Capital Partners Limited.

Peter Kempe, Vanessa Graham, Hilary Marr, James Oliver and Oliver Loach (Financial Institutions & Markets) advised Hyperion on the corporate aspects of the deal, while Martin Yells, Nada Jarnaz and Ed Avens (Finance) dealt with the banking facility. Anthony Metcalfe-Gibson and Ann Casey (Tax) dealt with the option arrangements.