EXPERIENCE

Mark had extensive experience in corporate finance and securities transactions. Offerings in which he was involved ranged from traditional offerings of equity and debt securities (including high yield debt and investment grade Yankee bonds) to offerings of perpetual and long-dated hybrid securities for financial institutions. Mark was involved in global capital markets transactions and other securities offerings for issuers in a number of countries in Europe, Asia and Africa, as well as in the United States. He represented issuers listing securities on stock exchanges in the United States, the European Union, Switzerland, South Africa and Hong Kong. For issuers of high yield debt, in addition to offerings, he was involved in restructurings, refinancings and other liability management transactions.

Mark advised a range of listed companies in connection with reporting and other obligations under the securities laws, establishment of corporate compliance programs, compliance with corporate governance standards under the securities laws and stock exchange rules, and risk oversight and risk management matters. He advised companies in connection with SEC and other U.S. regulatory investigations, and stock exchange proceedings.

In the cross-border M&A arena, Mark was involved in cross-border tender offers, exchange offers and going private transactions. He also acted for sponsors in connection with leveraged acquisitions.

A number of his capital markets and securities matters were novel and/or innovative, including the first direct listing by a Chinese company on the NYSE; the first issuance by a South African company of high yield debt and the first leveraged acquisition in South Africa using offshore high yield debt; the first issuance by a reinsurance company of stock settled hybrid securities; the first issuance by a reinsurance company of hybrid securities with a principal write-off feature; the first dual listed company to be registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission and listed on the London Stock Exchange; and the CHF 3.0 billion investment by Berkshire Hathaway in Swiss Reinsurance Company Ltd using a novel Convertible Perpetual Capital Instrument.

Mark authored a significant number of the firm’s client alerts on disclosure matters and other securities and capital markets topics, as well as corporate governance issues. He was a frequent contributor to professional journals and other publications. Mark regularly served as a panelist for presentations and seminars on a range of capital markets and other securities law topics. Mark was a founding member of the firm’s ESG practice and one of the firm’s two points of contact on UK and EU regulatory matters.

Mark received his B.A. from Bowdoin College in 1978 (magna cum laude), his M.A. from the University of Virginia in 1979 and his J.D. from Washington College of Law, American University, in 1982, where he was editor-in-chief of the Law Review. Mark is admitted to the Bars of the State of New York and the District of Columbia.