Max Baird-Smith is partner and head of corporate/M&A.
Max advises on a broad mixture of strategic corporate and commercial transactions across a range of sectors, including consumer and retail, education, energy, financial services, infrastructure, media & telecommunications, natural resources, property and technology.
He has represented sovereign wealth funds, significant groups and private capital funds across his career and brings this experience to the firm’s family office and high-net-worth client base.
He has extensive experience handling complex cross-border matters, regularly working across Europe, the US, the Middle East and Africa.
Max speaks French and is qualified in England and Wales (solicitor) and a member of the French bar (non-practising). A partner since 2013, Max is a graduate of Oxford University and qualified at Slaughter and May in 2005.
Max is recommended in The Legal 500 UK 2025.
“Max Baird-Smith stands out for his razor-sharp intellect, vast experience, and deal-friendly approach, as well as his considerable charm and good humour.”
Max’s representative matters include advising:
Eon Productions Limited and the Broccoli family in relation to their joint venture with Amazon MGM Studios
Merck Mercuriadis, founder of Hipgnosis Song Management, in connection with Blackstone’s £1.3 billion takeover of Hipgnosis Songs Fund
A trading group on its joint venture with Tower Research Capital LLC
A family office on its co-investment in Storal with Graphite Capital
Sia Partners on various acquisitions in the consulting and technology sector
Cerno Capital Partners on its purchase of the business of Alvarium Investment Managers
Medtech in connection with its inspection services partnership with the Liberian Government
Vectura Group plc on the management buy-out of its oral manufacturing subsidiary, Skyepharma Production
Lactalis on the squeeze-out and delisting of its Croatian subsidiary, Dukat
EDF on its equity investment in Standard Microgrid, a leading solar microgrid developer based in Zambia
Chenavari Investment Managers on the disposal of its leasing subsidiary, Geolia Leasing Solutions
Carlisle Companies Incorporated on its acquisition of Draka Fileca SAS, a supplier of high-end cable solutions to the aerospace, space and defence sectors, from Prysmian Group
Bpifrance on the initial public offering of Verallia group (a global glass bottle manufacturer) on Euronext Paris, one of the largest recent IPOs on Euronext Paris
KKR on its strategic partnership with Tivoli Capital to develop Newton Offices’ new generation of offices in France
Cahiers du Cinema (UK) on the disposal of film magazine Cahiers du Cinema to a group of French investors
Vinci on the disposal of the London Olympic stadium operator
Crédit Agricole Assurances on the acquisition of Indigo car parks alongside Ardian (enterprise value €1.96 billion)
Crédit Agricole Assurances on the acquisition of a minority stake in the gas pipeline company TIGF (enterprise value €2.4 billion)
Crédit Agricole Assurances on the acquisition of a minority stake in motorway concession company, Atlandes
Stockdale Capital Partners on its acquisition of CEIT
DeA Capital on its disposal of a majority stake in Générale de Santé for €788 million
Bpifrance on the acquisition, alongside Apollo, of Verallia (enterprise value €2.945 billion)
Bpifrance on the disposal of the French activities of TDF (enterprise value €3.6 billion)
Bpifrance on the acquisition of a minority stake alongside Apax in INSEEC higher-education group
Safran on its space-launcher joint venture (Airbus Safran Launchers) with Airbus Group - this significant and complex joint venture created a European champion for space launchers
The French State on the merger of tank and armored vehicle manufacturers Nexter (company owned as to 100% by the French State) and Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (combined enterprise value of €2 billion)
VimpelCom on its sale of a 51 per cent controlling stake in Omnium Telecom Algeria (formerly known as Djezzy), held by its Global Telecom Holding (GTH) subsidiary, to the Algerian National Investment Fund (FNI) for US$2.6 billion
Matter handled prior to joining PHB
Partner PHB 2022 to present.
Partner Gide Loyrette Nouel (London) 2017 – 2021
Partner PHB 2016 – 2017
Partner BDGS Associes (Paris) 2013 – 2016
Associate Gide Loyrette Nouel (Paris) 2007- 2013
Associate Slaughter and May 2005 – 2007
Trainee Slaughter and May 2003 – 2005
Nottingham Trent Law School 2001 – 2002
College of Law 2000 – 2001
Oxford University (St Hugh’s College) 1997 – 2000 (BA History)
