James is a Partner in the Firm’s London Corporate team. He advises private equity firms and corporate clients on all types of significant transactions including public and private acquisitions, carve-outs, take privates, consortium deals and strategic minority and hybrid investments. His clients have included market-leading private equity firms such as Apax, Blackstone, CVC, KKR and Silver Lake.
Prior to joining Simpson Thacher in 2019, James practiced at a top-tier Australian law firm in Sydney.
Read Full Biography...
Work Highlights
- Silver Lake-backed Software AG in the sale of StreamSets and webMethods to IBM for €2.13 billion
- CVC in its acquisition of M Group Services
- Blackstone on multiple engagements, including its takeover of Atlantia SpA, valuing the company at approximately $59 billion (in partnership with the Bennetton family); the £500 million take private acquisition of Industrials REIT Limited; the £500 million take private acquisition of Hansteen Holdings plc; its strategic investment in Currencies Direct; and its strategic investment in SuperBet in connection with its €1.3 billion refinancing
- Apax Partners on multiple engagements, including the €5.1 billion consortium acquisition of T-Mobile Netherlands, the €1.6 billion sale of Engineering Group to Bain and NB Renaissance, the €1.3 billion sale of idealista to EQT and subsequent €2.9 billion consortium sale of idealista to Cinven
- KKR on multiple engagements, including the disposal of a majority stake in A-Gas to TPG Rise Climate, the £1.75 billion take private acquisition of ContourGlobal plc, the £1.3 billion take private acquisition of SMS plc, the acquisition of Hyperoptic; and the acquisition of a majority stake in Wella, with an enterprise value of $4.3 billon
- BC Partners and GardaWorld in the unsolicited £3.7 billion takeover offer for G4S plc
Education
-
University of Technology, Sydney, 2015 LL.B. (Hons.)
First Class Honors
-
University of Technology, Sydney, 2015 Bachelor of Business
with Distinction
James is a Partner in the Firm’s London Corporate team. He advises private equity firms and corporate clients on all types of significant transactions including public and private acquisitions, carve-outs, take privates, consortium deals and strategic minority and hybrid investments. His clients have included market-leading private equity firms such as Apax, Blackstone, CVC, KKR and Silver Lake.
Prior to joining Simpson Thacher in 2019, James practiced at a top-tier Australian law firm in Sydney.
James’ experience includes the representation of:
- Silver Lake-backed Software AG in the sale of StreamSets and webMethods to IBM for €2.13 billion
- CVC in its acquisition of M Group Services
- Blackstone on multiple engagements, including its takeover of Atlantia SpA, valuing the company at approximately $59 billion (in partnership with the Bennetton family); the £500 million take private acquisition of Industrials REIT Limited; the £500 million take private acquisition of Hansteen Holdings plc; its strategic investment in Currencies Direct; and its strategic investment in SuperBet in connection with its €1.3 billion refinancing
- Apax Partners on multiple engagements, including the €5.1 billion consortium acquisition of T-Mobile Netherlands, the €1.6 billion sale of Engineering Group to Bain and NB Renaissance, the €1.3 billion sale of idealista to EQT and subsequent €2.9 billion consortium sale of idealista to Cinven
- KKR on multiple engagements, including the disposal of a majority stake in A-Gas to TPG Rise Climate, the £1.75 billion take private acquisition of ContourGlobal plc, the £1.3 billion take private acquisition of SMS plc, the acquisition of Hyperoptic; the combination of NielsenIQ and GfK SE; and the acquisition of a majority stake in Wella, with an enterprise value of $4.3 billon
- BC Partners and GardaWorld in the unsolicited £3.7 billion takeover offer for G4S plc
- Bridgepoint Group plc in its £907 million IPO on the London main market
- EQT Infrastructure in its $4.6 billion acquisition of First Student and First Transit from FirstGroup plc
- Melrose Industries PLC in its demerger of the GKN Automotive, GKN Powder Metallurgy and GKN Hydrogen businesses from the Melrose group into a new independent holding company, Dowlais Group plc
- CVC Capital Partners and The Jordan Company investment platform Bruin Capital on its investment in TGI Media