Corporate and tax lawyers based in the Bristol office of international legal practice Osborne Clarke have advised on the first acquisition made by a fast-growing niche financial crime risk and compliance consultancy.
The team worked with Plenitude, a portfolio company of Growth Capital Partners (GCP), on its takeover of financial risk solution provider Contineo.
Plenitude, which was founded in 2012 and has offices in London, Hong Kong and Paris, said the acquisition of Contineo would enhance its specialist technical advisory and data analytics services and drive more efficient and effective financial crime risk management solutions for its clients.
Plenitude also said adding London-based Contineo’s Financial Crime Compliance (FCC) tech advisory services would boost its growth strategy, supporting its ambition to be the leading specialist tech advisor for innovative and AI-enabled FCC technology solutions. 
London-based private equity firm GCP is a long-standing client of Osborne Clarke, which has advised it on numerous matters, including its investment in Plenitude two years ago.
The Osborne Clarke team advising on the latest deal was led by Bristol-based corporate partner Chris Yeo, pictured, along with Hannah Stevens and Gemma Boucher (also corporate) and Jonny Squires (tax).
Also involved were Shauna Poole (corporate), Ian Solomon (commercial) and Lara Fatemi and Dan Charie (employment).
Plenitude founder and CEO Alan Paterson said: “The decision to bring the businesses together felt absolutely right from a strategic standpoint, enabling us to meet the evolving needs of our clients and accelerating the build out of our tech advisory and data analytics practice.”
Osborne Clarke, which employs 800 people in its Bristol office, is widely recognised as a leading European law firm for companies operating in the technology, media and comms sector, working with global businesses to fast-growth start-ups and market challengers.
