Richard Haywood

I'm a partner in the Corporate group. I enjoy acting as trusted adviser to clients in relation to commercial matters generally. I specialise in M.A. and joint ventures and am relationship partner for BP and H.J. Heinz. I also work with Amec and Carron Energy.

Tel: +44 (0)870 733 0593

Email: richard_haywood@wragge.com

Best brains in …

Joint ventures – I believe that the relationship has to be stronger at the end of the negotiation of the terms of the joint venture than at the beginning. I have been doing M&A for major corporates for over 20 years.

Highlight of your career so far?

Acting for BP in relation to its joint venture with DuPont and British Sugar relating to the building of the first large scale plant in the UK to produce ethanol from wheat. It felt like history in the making.

Most challenging job you've ever done?

Working with David Hamlett in acting for Powergen in acquiring the Yorkshire Energy CHP business. We worked until Christmas Eve and reconvened on Boxing Day. We exchanged contracts at five minutes to midnight on 31 December and I arrived at the New Year's party I was due to attend at about 3am.

What about outside the UK?

Working with ten of our European best friend firms in relation to the reorganisation of the European operations of one our major US clients.

Give an example of your great client service?

Thinking - and having the privilege of being given the opportunity to think - about the commercial challenges that face clients and what the best answer might be… in the shower, in the car, on the train or on the plane. Getting paid for it can be a bonus at times.

As an example I acted for a client who was buying from a vendor who had to complete the deal by midnight on 31 March. The deal was not ready to complete then but I designed a structure that enabled the vendors to meet their deadline without exposing my clients to risk - engendering the goodwill of the vendors for the rest of the negotiation.

When have you ever given a client a real competitive edge?

I work hard to understand the commercial drivers and what matters and what doesn't in each assignment. I also work hard to understand the other side's position and look for win-wins.

What's your single greatest contribution to Wragge & Co's corporate responsibility?

I have been involved with NSPCC for around 15 years raising over £1 million. Working with the NSPCC people is a great experience and very humbling.

What's been written or said about you that you're most proud of?

Not exactly proud but whenone of the legal directories said I was 'solid as a rock' I got a lot of stick about it … you can imagine!