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Freshfields advises General Atlantic on the acquisition of a minority stake in Gymshark
Freshfields advises General Atlantic on the acquisition of a minority stake in Gymshark
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP (‘Freshfields’) has advised General Atlantic, a leading global growth equity firm on the acquisition of a stake of approximately 21 per cent in Gymshark, the fitness community and apparel brand in its first-ever fundraise, valuing the business at over £1bn.
This valuation sees Gymshark join an exclusive list of fewer than 25 British companies to have secured ‘Unicorn’ status since 2001, achieving the feat in just eight years. Gymshark is only the second British company to have reached this milestone without previous support from external investors.
The partnership is designed to facilitate further growth and international expansion, specifically into North America, where Gymshark has already established its largest customer base. The global sports apparel market generated around 181bn U.S. dollars in revenue in 2019 and is forecast to reach around 208bn U.S. dollars in 2025.
Closing of the transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals.
The Freshfields team was led by General Atlantic co-relationship partner Victoria Sigeti and senior associate Ahmad Khokher together with General Atlantic co-relationship partner Julian Pritchard. They were supported by partners May Smith, in relation to tax matters and Giles Pratt in relation to IP, IT and Tech matters. Partner Paul van den Berg provided antitrust advice. The Freshfields team were delighted to work with General Atlantic on another exciting growth equity transaction
ENDS
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About Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP is a global law firm with a long track record of successfully advising the world's leading national and multinational corporations and financial institutions on groundbreaking and business-critical challenges. Our team of more than 2,800 lawyers and other legal professionals delivers global results from our 27 offices worldwide. Our commitment, local and multinational expertise and business know-how means our clients can rely on us when it matters most.
https://www.beauhurst.com/blog/uk-startup-unicorns/
Crunchbase 2020
Statista, November 2019 - https://www.statista.com/statistics/254489/total-revenue-of-the-global-sports-apparel-market/
