Clifford Chance (CC) and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have secured the lead roles on the £1bn IPO of satellite operator Inmarsat. CC is advising the company, with private equity partner Matthew Layton and capital markets partner Adrian Cartwright leading the team. Freshfields corporate partners Simon Witty, Simon Marchant and Sarah Murphy are advising the sponsors and book-runners on the deal, which are made up of JP Morgan Cazenove, Morgan Stanley, Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch.