James Gracey

Associate

伦敦

James is a corporate associate specialising in M&A and joint ventures, with a focus on the energy, energy transition and financial services sectors.

D +44 20 7809 2607 M +44 7702 142 259

email | LinkedIn | vCard

Awards and Recognition

"There is genuine engagement and interest in our business, which drives a genuinely collaborative approach."

The Legal 500 - 2025

"The Stephenson Harwood team are commercially minded while displaying problem-solving and commitment in driving the project forward. They are very helpful and supportive in thinking through problems."

Chambers UK - 2025

"The Stephenson Harwood team is thorough and responsive while clearly holding great experience at closing transactions."

Chambers UK - 2025

Biography

Language - English
Jurisdiction - England & Wales

James is a corporate associate at Stephenson Harwood, where he specialises in M&A, joint ventures, corporate reorganisations and equity fundraisings. He works with UK and international corporates, financial sponsors and management teams, with a particular focus on the energy, energy transition and financial services sectors. His experience includes a secondment with The Ardonagh Group, a leading insurance broker, and an international posting in the firm's Singapore corporate team, broadening his insight into cross-border dealmaking.

James provides strategic, end-to-end support on complex transactions, helping clients structure, negotiate and deliver deals with confidence. From early-stage planning to execution and post-deal integration, he ensures clients are guided with clarity and commercially-focused advice. His work with organisations such as the TfL Pension Fund, DeepOcean and Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. reflects his ability to navigate high-value, business-critical acquisitions and investments across multiple sectors and jurisdictions.

Clients value James for his pragmatic style, sector knowledge and unwavering focus on outcomes. He brings calm, commercial judgement to fast-moving and high-stakes environments, helping clients move forward with certainty. As a trusted adviser, James works closely with clients to unlock opportunities, manage risk and deliver successful results.

Experience

TfL Pension Fund - acquisition of a UK onshore wind farm

Advised the Transport for London Pension Fund, a £14.1 billion pension scheme, on the acquisition of a UK onshore wind farm from CVC DIF, a Dutch infrastructure investor.
DeepOcean - acquisition of a subsea energy services provider

Advised DeepOcean, a leading Norwegian ocean services provider and portfolio company of Triton Partners, on the acquisition of Shelf Subsea, a subsea services provider with operations across Southeast Asia and the Middle East.
Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. - acquisition of a specialist insurance broker

Advised Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., an American global insurance brokerage firm, on its £250 million acquisition of specialist insurance broker The Bollington Wilson Group.

The Ardonagh Group – acquisition from KKR

Advised The Ardonagh Group, a leading global insurance broker, on its acquisition of Oxford Insurance Group, a $250 million gross written premium business, from a portfolio company of KKR.
Arcola Energy – disposal to Ballard Power Systems

Advised the sellers of Arcola Energy, a specialist in hydrogen fuel cell powertrain and vehicle systems integration, on the $40 million sale to Canadian-listed Ballard Power Systems.
Highview Power – investment by Sumitomo

Advised Highview Power, a leader in long-duration energy storage solutions, on a multi-million dollar investment by Sumitomo Heavy Industries.
Semperian – acquisition from Itochu Corporation

Advised Semperian PPP Investment Partners Group, an infrastructure investment fund, on the acquisition of a stake in an energy-from-waste power station from Itochu Corporation.