Overview
Roberto Bruno is a partner in the Global Finance and Capital Markets practices of Paul Hastings and is based in the firm’s London office. His practice focuses on representing corporates and investment banks in connection with cross-border, sophisticated and high-profile debt (including high yield) and equity capital markets transactions, whether SEC-registered or unregistered, as well as leveraged finance transactions across a broad range of industries.
Roberto also has significant experience with cross-border public and private merger and acquisition transactions as well as private equity transactions. In addition, he provides clients with tailored and strategic U.S. law advice on a broad range of legal issues, including available alternative structures for potential securities and M&A transactions, compliance with U.S. reporting obligations and the U.S. tender offer rules. Roberto works for a diverse client base on matters in Europe (primarily Italy), the United States and emerging markets.
Over several years in private practice, in addition to the matters specified below, Roberto has represented the issuer, the underwriters or the initial purchasers in financings for, among others, Aeffe, AXA, Banco Popolare, British American Tobacco, Cabot, Carrefour, Cineworld, DiaSorin, Enel, Eni, IWG, Lagfin (the controlling shareholder of Campari), Poste Italiane, Qlar Group (formerly known as Schenck Process Holding), Sappi, Gruppo SEA (Società Esercizi Aeroportuali), Smurfit Kappa, Space Holding, Sunrise Communications, TIM and The State Treasury of the Republic of Poland, among others.
Accolades
- Capital Markets: Equity – UK, IFLR1000 (2023, 2024 2025 and 2026)
- Debt Capital Markets, Legal 500 UK (2020)
- Equity Capital Markets, Legal 500 UK (2025)
Education
- Harvard Law School, LL.M., 1997
- London School of Economics and Political Science, LL.M., 1996
- Luiss Guido Carli University, LL.B. (summa cum laude), 1994
Representations
Leveraged Finance and High-Yield
- The initial purchasers and the lenders in significant high-yield debt and other leveraged financings in connection with, among others:
- Rossini’s (majority owned by CVC) public to private takeover of Recordati, one of Italy’s largest leveraged buyouts at the time, and its subsequent refinancings.
- The acquisition by EG Group, the convenience retailer group, of FuelCo in Australia, and Certified Oil, Fastrac, and Cumberland Farms in the United States, as well as its more recent amend and extend and full bond refinancing.
- PAI Partners’ acquisition of Pasubio, the Italian leather processing company, from CVC.
- The refinancing of EnQuest.
- The Issa brothers and TDR Capital’s acquisition of ASDA, the U.K. retailer, from Walmart.
- Permira’s acquisition of Golden Goose, the Italian luxury sneaker maker, from Carlyle.
- The creation of the SisalPay Group.
M&A
- Peugeot in its $50 billion merger with Fiat Chrysler to form Stellantis.
- Brembo and Campari in their respective redomiciliations from Italy to the Netherlands.
- Luxottica in its $49 billion combination with Essilor.
- Newcrest in its A$28.8 billion acquisition by Newmont.
Equity Capital Markets
- Shawbrook Bank in its £348 million Rule 144A/Regulation S IPO, the largest IPO by a U.K. based company on the London Stock Exchange since 2021 (excluding SPACs).
- Ferrari Group in its Rule 144A/Regulation S IPO and concurrent listing on Euronext Amsterdam.
- Ariston in its Rule 144A/Regulation S IPO and concurrent listing on Euronext Milan.
- Campari in its accelerated bookbuilt offering of ordinary shares and concurrent convertible bond offering as part of the financing of its acquisition of Courvoisier.
- Juventus FC in its capital increases in the form of a Regulation S rights offering and an accelerated bookbuild offering of ordinary shares.
- Grinta in connection with its accelerated bookbuilt offering of ordinary shares of Moncler.
Matters may have been handled prior to joining Paul Hastings.