London based private equity fund predominantly focusing on the consumer and retail sectors was looking to acquire a minority shareholding from the founders of the UK-based luxury streetwear & sportswear brand, allowing the founders to cash-in on their success short-term, as well as provide a long-term corporate expertise in order to take the company to the next stage of its growth.

The transaction involved what appeared to be a customary suite of legal, financial and tax due diligence, however, the underwriting process uncovered wider than anticipated geographical spread of the company's operations, resulting in additional tax and employment risks, and a number of IP challenges on both, the claimant and respondent sides.

Utilising Icen Risk's European presence and the IP expertise, we were able to internally analyse the newly discovered risks and provide meaningful cover around the issues which ordinarily would be excluded, given the lack of external due diligence and/or known issues.