People

Overview

Costa Smith advises on a wide range of corporate matters, with a particular focus on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and private equity transactions in the technology, infrastructure and energy sectors. The transactions on which Costa advises are often complex and cross-border in nature.

Costa was recognised as a "Recommended Lawyer" in The Legal 500 UK 2025 (TMT: Technology, Media and Telecoms).

Costa has also gained experience during secondments at both a global insurance company and the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) (General Counsel's Division).

Admissions & Affiliations

  • Qualified Solicitor, England & Wales, 2011
  • Legal Practice Course, BPP Law School 2009
  • Master of Laws, International & European Law, Universiteit van Amsterdam 2008
  • Bachelor of Laws, Chinese Law, University of Nottingham 2007

Experience

Energy, Infrastructure and Real Assets

  • A consortium of Arcus Infrastructure Partners and GLIL Infrastructure Partners on the leveraged buyout of Smart Meter Assets 1 Ltd, an energy infrastructure provider, from Brookfield Infrastructure Partners by way of an auction sale*
  • KKH Property Investors on its €205m forward sale of Sol HTL (which owns a 200-room Madrid hotel operated under the EDITION brand of Marriott International) to Archer Hotel Capital (a vehicle jointly owned by GIC and APG Asset Management)*
  • An infrastructure fund in its club bid for MapleCo, a smart-metering firm, sold by a consortium of SSE, OMERS and OTPP by way of an auction sale*
  • Dalmore Capital on its £1.9bn acquisition of Cadent Gas (as part of a consortium including Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets, China Investment Corporation, the Qatar Investment Authority, Allianz Capital Partners and Hermes Investment Management)*
  • Red Sea Ports International Limited on the establishment of a joint venture entity with the Public Investment Fund in the United Kingdom
  • Wood Group and Siemens Energy on the UK corporate aspects of the sale of their joint venture, Ethos Energy, to One Equity Partners
  • X-Elio, a global sustainable energy developer managed by joint venture between KKR and Brookfield, on certain asset investment opportunities*
  • Noble Corporation, a global offshore drilling contractor, on its US$375m divestment of five jack-up drilling rigs to Shelf Drilling
  • Connect Fibre, a digital infrastructure service provider, on the majority investment by Foresight Group
  • West Indian Ocean Cable Company on financing activity to support its business expansion, including with respect to data centre deployment in the African continent
  • Dalmore Capital on the divestment of its interests in the Civis PFI/PPP Infrastructure Fund to joint venture partner PGGM (the asset manager of the Dutch healthcare pension scheme PFZW)*
  • Redefine Properties on its €1.2bn acquisition of a portfolio of real estate assets in Poland by way of the purchase of a 75% stake in Dutch property vehicle Echo Prime Properties*
  • The majority shareholders of Mabey, an international bridge and engineering services specialist, on sale of Mabey Inc to Sunbelt Rentals*
  • Arcus Infrastructure Partners on the leveraged buyout of Foresight Metering Management Limited, a smart meter infrastructure provider, from the Foresight Group by way of an auction sale*
  • Dalmore Capital on its £1.4bn acquisition of John Laing Infrastructure Fund (as part of a joint venture with Equitix Investment Management)*
  • The shareholders of McNicholas on the sale of McNicholas, a multi-utility engineering services provider, to the Kier Group*
  • Hanson UK in respect of the divestment of a UK cement plant*
  • HarbourVest Partners, Columbia Capital, Innova Capital, M/C Partners and other shareholders of GTS, a Central and Eastern European infrastructure-based telecommunications service provider, on the €546m sale of GTS to Deutsche Telekom AG*
  • Cairn Homes Plc, an Irish homebuilder, on its €440m initial public offering (IPO) on the main market of the London Stock Exchange*

Technology

  • The founder shareholders of Rimes, leading provider of EDM (enterprise data management) as a service and investment platform solutions, in respect of the sale of Rimes to Five Arrows, the Alternative Assets Arm of Rothschild & Co.
  • Azimo, the global digital cross-border payments service, on its sale to Papaya Global, the global people management platform
  • The United Kingdom Cabinet Office on the £380m sale (in joint venture with Capita Plc) of Axelos Limited, a global examination and certification provider, to PeopleCert International*
  • Timico Group (a portfolio company of Horizon Capital LLP) on the acquisition of Atos IT Outsourcing UK Limited from Atos*
  • Endless LLP on the sale of Trustmarque to Capita Plc*
  • Endless LLP on the sale of Liberata to Outsourcing Inc., the Tokyo Stock Exchange listed global outsourcing group*
  • Bessemer Venture Partners on its successful investment in United Kingdom cloud-based call-centre software provider NewVoiceMedia Ltd*
  • Shareholders of Palladium Group on the divestment of the EMEA business of Palladium Group by way of a management buyout*

Financial Services

  • AWJ Investments Ltd, a special purpose open-ended fund, in respect of its exit through the sale of its flagship holding in AWJ Investments LLC to Kitopi, a leading tech-powered, multi-brand restaurant.
  • Shareholders of Global Processing Services (GPS) in respect of a US$300m investment in GPS from Advent International and Viking Global Investors
  • CFFI Ventures on its series of co-investments in United Kingdom clearing bank ClearBank*
  • Sovereign Capital on the sale of Cordium, a global compliance and regulatory consultancy service, to European Capital*
  • The founders and management of Allen International in the sale of Allen International (a leading design consultancy in the financial services sector) to Accenture plc*
  • Sango Capital Management in respect of the structuring of its second Africa-focused fund*
  • AXA Real Estate Investment Managers in the establishment of a UK-focused real estate investment fund*
  • ABRY Partners on the acquisition of a majority interest in UK employee benefits company Thomsons Online Benefits*
  • AmWINS Group, Inc., a global insurance broker, in the recommended takeover, by way of a scheme of arrangement, of THB Plc*
  • Darwin Strategic Limited in relation to an investment from Henderson Global Investors*
  • Shareholders of The Innovation Enterprise Limited, a media brand servicing the financial sector, in respect of the sale of The Innovation Enterprise Limited to CFO Publishing, a U.S.-based media business*
  • Shareholders of sQuidcard in respect of the restructuring of sQuidcard and the subsequent merger with Applied Card Technologies, two consumer companies specialising in contact-less payment technology*

* Prior to joining Baker Botts


Awards and Community

“Recommended Lawyer” - The Legal 500 UK 2025: “Costa Smith has been incredibly responsive, providing hugely invaluable advice that has been both accurate and informative; allowing us to make well-informed decisions. He is also extremely professional, diligent, and a delight to work with.”