
馃帶 HSF Podcast: Deal Talk EP7: Standstills, strategy and Takeovers Panel scrutiny
Published on August 4, 2026
In this episode of Defining Matters, partners Kam Jamshidi and Simon Walker unpack one of the most important and frequently negotiated provisions in public M&A transactions: standstills.
Using notable Takeovers Panel decisions, including Diatreme/Metallica and International All Sports, Kam and Simon explore the commercial and legal tensions that arise between bidders seeking flexibility and targets seeking protection.
Key topics include:
- The role and purpose of standstills in public M&A
- How bidders and targets approach key negotiating points
- The importance of due diligence access and information-sharing
- What recent Takeovers Panel decisions mean for dealmakers
- Why parties should not expect the Panel to rewrite a bargain once it has been struck
A great discussion on the negotiation, strategy and risk considerations shaping today's public M&A transactions.
https://www.buzzsprout.com/173978/episodes/19595677-deal-talk-ep7-standstills-strategy-and-takeovers-panel-scrutiny.mp3
