Charles Russell Speechlys deepens transactional, advisory and regulatory expertise with double Partner hire

Charles Russell Speechlys today announces the appointment of Mark Dewar as Partner in the Commercial team, and Greg Stonefield, Partner in the Corporate team, both based in London.

Mark joins from DLA Piper, where he served as Partner and Head of its Commercial Contracts practice, as well as a member of its Global Commercial Contracts Team. He has in recent years also been involved with DLA Piper’s ESG practice.

Mark’s practice focuses on consumer products, their regulation and risk at all points in the supply chain, including internationally, and he regularly advises on complex and international supply chain contracts for business-to-business and business-to-consumer goods and services. His clients operate across a range of industries, including food and beverage, financial services (including payments), life sciences, industrials and renewable energy. Mark also advises suppliers to the automotive, sport, aviation and TMT sectors.

Greg joins from Eversheds Sutherland, where he was International Corporate Finance Partner, and prior to that spent almost 30 years combined at King & Wood Mallesons, Mayer Brown, White & Case and Linklaters. Greg specialises in corporate finance and assisting clients with domestic and international M&A, equity capital markets transactions, IPOs and listings, international reorganisations, joint ventures, private equity transactions and corporate advisory work.

Greg also has a strong international practice, having worked with clients on matters associated with Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and the UK. His sector expertise is broad and includes real estate, oil and gas, mining and metals and telecoms, and he advises a wide range of clients including large financial institutions, listed entities, private companies and family offices.

David Collins, Partner who is responsible for the Firm’s Business Advisory & Transaction Services Division, which includes the Corporate, Commercial, Banking and Finance, Corporate Tax and Incentives, Financial Services and Funds, Employment and Immigration teams, comments: 

Mark and Greg are highly regarded practitioners in their respective fields, and exciting additions to the Firm. Both have significant international experience in many of the overseas jurisdictions that are key focuses for our Firm, and practices that align with our Firm’s core industry and market segments.

"Today’s appointments are very much in line with our strategic priorities as we continue to grow. Mark and Greg’s deep international and sector experience will enhance the support we offer to our clients and foster further collaboration and connectivity across groups, divisions and offices. We wish them both a very warm welcome.

Mark Dewar adds:

I am very much looking forward to joining the team. The Firm is active in a great many of the markets and sectors that I work regularly in, especially in the Tech and Consumer worlds, and there is good synergy between its client base and my own. I look forward to identifying opportunities for collaboration with new colleagues at the Firm and have no doubt that its networks will be of great benefit to my practice and clients.

Greg Stonefield adds:

I am delighted to be joining Charles Russell Speechlys’ Corporate team. The Firm has a clear collaborative culture, is active across markets and industries that closely align with my own areas of focus, and has a strong record of advising clients across personal, transactional, contentious and regulatory matters. The team here has worked on some really interesting deals over the past year and I’m very much looking forward to getting involved.

The appointments of Greg and Mark follow a number of recent hires internationally into the Firm’s Business Advisory and Transaction Services Division. In January, Tun Zaw Mra joined the Firm’s Corporate team as a Partner. Charlotte Hill and Racheal Muldoon joined the Firm’s Financial Services Regulation & Funds team in London, in December and January respectively. And in February, Gaven Cheong joined the Firm’s Funds team in Hong Kong.