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Ashan Arif

Partner

Ashan Arif

Partner

“With clear, concise and timely advice and management, Ashan and his team helped us navigate complex arrangements and seamlessly bridged the gap between the legal and commercial issues”

BMW Legal Affairs UK & Ireland (AJ-UK)

Ashan Arif is head of corporate and commercial team and Director of forburyTECH, a tech start-up advisory of Clarkslegal.

Ashan provides corporate, company and banking advice to a wide range of businesses including start-ups, owner-managed businesses, SMEs and large listed corporates.

His expertise includes mergers & acquisitions, private equity, corporate, investments, restructurings, asset and business transfers, joint ventures, commercial agreements, banking, finance, alternative finance, fund raisings, general company and corporate matters.

Ashan acts for clients from across a range of sectors with a particular focus on the technology, media & entertainment, motor and hotel industries.

Experience

Start ups, university spin-outs and early stage

Ashan advises start-ups, mainly in the technology sector, university spin-outs and early stage companies, finding ways to help grow the business quickly and efficiently through Clarkslegal’s relationships with investors and financiers.

Mergers, acquisitions and disposals

Ashan regularly advises clients on mergers, acquisitions and disposals, including management buy-outs and buy-ins, advising clients from a commercial and strategic perspective, as well as legal, getting involved in transactions as early as possible.

Fundraising – angels, private equity, venture capital

Ashan has extensive experience and understanding of raising equity finance, from angel investment, private equity or venture capital.

Owner managers

Ashan regularly acts for exiting owner managers and shareholders of SMEs on the sale of their company.

Banking and finance

Advises clients on debt finance and related security documentation, whether as part of a corporate transaction or a stand-alone financing. This includes advising on loan agreements, debentures, charges, guarantees and other forms of security as well as satisfying the lender’s requirements, and Islamic Finance.

Reorganisations and demergers

Ashan works closely with the client’s accountants and tax advisers during the reorganisation of a company, group of companies or a specific part of their business.

Business divorce

Ashan has advised numerous clients on successfully settling shareholder disputes aiming to preserve the integrity of the ongoing business.

Shareholders’ agreements and joint ventures

Ashan regularly advises on shareholders’ agreements and joint venture arrangements, helping clients to understand the importance of documenting key issues governing the relationships of the parties.

What our clients say

“Ash offers really good advice and is very good at explaining options as well as the best way to structure a deal. He simplifies what needs to happen and makes it happen.”

Chambers 2024

“Ash is a very competent all-round corporate lawyer.”

Chambers 2024

“Ash is calm and responsive, and instils confidence with a broad knowledge of commercial law and sensitivity to safeguarding. He’s a pleasure to deal with.”

Chambers 2024

Read, listen and watch our latest insights

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  • 14 January 2020
  • Corporate and M&A

The Rewards and Risks of the ‘Subject to Contract’ Label

Following the recent decision in Farrar v Rylatt , it is clear that use of the phrase ‘subject to contract’ continues to create work for lawyers in commercial situations and relationships.

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  • 13 August 2019
  • Corporate and M&A

Fiduciary duties to company shareholders

Earlier this year I discussed the importance of good corporate governance following the decision in Stobart Group v Tinkler. Paramount to good corporate governance is the adherence to the directors’ duties, whether contractual or fiduciary. Given the inherent lack of tangibility of any duties with a fiduciary persuasion, directors can often be found wanting when trying to quantify and qualify the positions where such duties might be owed to their shareholders.

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  • 08 July 2019
  • Corporate and M&A

Taking and enforcement of charges over shares in English companies

An overriding question for the charge at the outset with any charge over shares will be the marketability of the charged shares in the event of enforcement.

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  • 01 July 2019
  • Corporate and M&A

Clarkslegal supports Turkish food importer to buy wholesaler

We are pleased to complete the acquisition of a wholesale and distribution business for a client which further bolsters existing turnover and operations in different geographical areas.

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  • 09 April 2019
  • Corporate and M&A

Importance of good corporate governance

Director’s duties are paramount to good corporate governance, as outlined by the go-to definition produced by the Cadbury Committee in 1992: “Corporate governance is the system by which companies are directed and controlled. Boards of directors are responsible for the governance of their companies. The responsibilities of the board include setting the company’s strategic aims, providing the leadership to put them into effect, supervising the management of the business and reporting to shareholders on their stewardship.”

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  • 03 January 2019
  • Corporate and M&A

Powers of Attorney and Corporate Transactions

The recent Judgment of the High Court in Katara Hospitality (a company incorporated in Qatar) v (1) Gerard Guez and (2) Jacqueline Rose EWHC 3063 (“Katara Hospitality”) highlights the importance of ensuring the proper and valid execution of an instrument and also serves as a timely reminder of the importance of ensuring that the scope of an instrument is expressly set out if it is to be successfully relied upon.