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Harbottle & Lewis has advised the shareholders of Decoded Limited on its acquisition by FI Group Holdings Ltd, the parent company of First Intuition, one of the UK’s leading professional education providers, and backed by Apiary Capital.
Founded over 15 years ago, Decoded has established itself as one of the world’s leading data and AI capability training businesses, helping organisations build practical AI, data and digital capability. The acquisition brings together two businesses with closely aligned cultures and values, creating a combined offering that enables employers to access financial, data and AI capability training under one roof.
Managing associate Katerina Capras together with associate Elizabeth Compton led on the transaction, supported by associates David Jones and Alexander Vinogradov-Wouters.
On working with Harbottle & Lewis, Decoded founder and CEO Richard Peters commented:
“Completing a transaction of this significance requires advisers who genuinely understand both the commercial and human dimensions of a deal. Tony Littner and the team at Harbottle & Lewis have advised Decoded pretty much since the beginning and were able to provide exactly that. Their support was invaluable in helping us reach this milestone.”
Co-managing partner Tony Littner added:
“I met Richard and the team nearly 15 years ago towards the start of their journey. We advised the company on their initial investment from Mercuri and we have supported them ever since. We feel proud and privileged to have been able to help them on the acquisition and this is a great example of what we love doing as a firm – working with talented entrepreneurs and interesting businesses from inception of an idea through to exit and beyond. We look forward to seeing what this next chapter brings.”
Tony advises on a wide range of corporate transactions, including investments and venture capital deals, buying and selling businesses and shareholder arrangements. Tony is widely recognised as one of the leading venture capital lawyers in the UK and is a trusted adviser to entrepreneurial businesses and to the investors in such businesses, with a particular focus on the technology, media and entertainment sectors.
Tony frequently advises emerging companies and the founders behind such companies on their full lifecycle from inception of an idea through to funding rounds, exit and beyond as well as the venture capital funds and investors that invest in such high growth businesses.
Tony is recognised as a "Leading Partner" by The Legal 500 and ranked by Chambers in venture capital work.
She has experience in advising on mergers and acquisitions, shareholder arrangements, early-stage fundraisings, share incentive schemes and joint ventures, with particular expertise in the media, entertainment and technology sectors and the wider creative industries.
She also has a particular interest in working with charities, social enterprises and philanthropic individuals and organisations and has extensive experience advising on charity formation, governance, regulatory compliance and corporate transactions involving charities and not-for-profit entities.
Katerina is recognised as a "Leading Associate" for M&A in The Legal 500 2025 as well as a "Key Lawyer" (The Legal 500 2025) and "Associate to Watch" (Chambers UK 2025) for her charities and not-for-profit work. She has been described as having “fierce attention to detail and vast knowledge, combined with a good dose of pragmatism.”
She is a member of the Charity Law Association.
She frequently advises on mergers and acquisitions, reorganisations, fundraisings and shareholder arrangements. Elizabeth also has a particular interest in working with charities and not-for-profit organisations.
Elizabeth joined Harbottle & Lewis in May 2024. Before joining, she trained at Macfarlanes and qualified into their corporate and M&A team in September 2022 where she focused on domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions and private equity transactions for private equity houses, large corporates and management teams.
David has particular expertise in acting on joint ventures and corporate acquisitions, usually with a significant overseas element, often involving substantial real assets.
He joined Harbottle & Lewis from Foot Anstey in October 2024. His previous experience included acting for private equity backed consolidators and b2b media companies, including a number of repeat acquisitions and group re-organisations.
He advises on M&A and venture capital transactions, with a particular focus on supporting founders and high-growth companies, from early stage through to exit. He assists on equity fundraisings, group reorganisations, and shareholder arrangements.
Before joining Harbottle & Lewis in March 2026, Alex trained and qualified at MBM Commercial where he advised early-stage tech and life sciences companies, venture capital funds, and private equity houses.
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