Nikki Petken Partner | Corporate & Commercial Team

Expertise

I am a solutions-focused lawyer with extensive in-house experience, bringing a wealth of operational and commercial insight. My comprehensive background spans contract drafting and negotiations, litigation, and corporate governance, equipping me with the skills to navigate complex legal landscapes.

I have worked across a broad range of sectors and sizes of businesses in both private practice and in-house, with a particular focus on healthcare, sport, media, and broadcasting. This diverse experience has honed my ability to address sector-specific challenges and opportunities.

As a highly versatile and effective communicator, I excel at building strategic partnerships within businesses. My role as a trusted adviser has been spotlighted by my tenure on boards and executive management teams, where I provided critical updates on legal, risk, and compliance matters, and reported to boards as company secretary on key approval issues.

I have a proven track record of working with owner-managed and private equity-backed businesses, leveraging my expertise to drive success and mitigate risks.

One of my significant achievements includes navigating a global business through COVID-19 as its in-house lawyer. This involved implementing an overhead cost strategy across the group, managing the furlough scheme, accessing government assistance across various jurisdictions, securing additional third-party financing and renegotiating property, supplier, and key customer contracts impacted by the pandemic. It was incredibly fulfilling to complete this and ensure the best future for the business and its staff.

Key Experience

• Implemented material group company activities including a new management equity plan for senior management, buyouts of minority interests, and establishment of new businesses in Fiji and Ireland.
• Facilitated key commercial initiatives for businesses whilst in-house, including the lease of 50,000 sq. ft. premises in White City’s media complex for a state-of-the-art Production Centre and the rollout of a new unifying group brand across a global business.
• Led high-value contractual negotiations ensuring the retention of multiple key clients, securing new clients and transformative revenue streams across all verticals and geographies.
• Legal management of acquisitions in the healthcare and media sectors and management of the integration of businesses post-acquisition.