Leon Daoud is a partner in the London office of Kirkland & Ellis International LLP. His practice focuses on advising sponsors, corporates, funds and financial institutions on a wide range of complex and multi-jurisdictional leveraged financing transactions. Leon also worked for an extended period in the leveraged finance team of Goldman Sachs.
Leon is recognised as a “Notable Practioner” by IFLR1000 (2022) for Banking.
Experience
Representative Matters
Advent International:
on its joint venture with LANXESS and joint-acquisition of DSM Engineering Materials
on its acquisition of artisanal food ingredients company IRCA
and Cobham on the recommended £2.57 billion cash offer for Ultra Electronics PLC
on its investment in the Hermes Group businesses in the UK and Germany
Blackstone:
on its acquisition of the Huws Gray group and the UK merchanting businesses of the Grafton Group
on its acquisition of Bourne Leisure, a leader in the UK domestic holiday market operating through three brands: Butlin’s, Haven and Warner Leisure Hotels
on the recommended £4.77 billion cash offer for Merlin Entertainments, a global leader in location-based, family entertainment
on its acquisition of National Exhibition Centre Group, a leading live events venue operator in the UK
CPP Investments:
and Motive Partners on the $1.4 billion investment in FNZ, a global wealth management platform
on the acquisition of an additional minority stake in Visma, a leading provider of business-critical software, in a transaction valuing the business at an enterprise value of $12.2 billion
FNZ Group on the agreed takeover of GBST, an ASX-listed financial software company
H.I.G. Capital and portfolio company Aspire Pharma on the acquisitions of Morningside Healthcare and Morningside Pharmaceuticals
Montagu Private Equity on the acquisition of the Education Software Solutions business of Capita plc. and on the agreement to invest in ParentPay
Summit Partners:
on the acquisition and subsequent sale of Viroclinics-DDL, a virology contract research organisation, to Cerba Healthcare
on the acquisition of 18 Week Support, a service provider offering high-quality clinical support services to NHS Trusts throughout the UK
on the acquisition of City & County Healthcare Group, the largest provider of community-based home and social care services in the UK
Triton:
and Atnahs Pharma on the acquisition of established hypertension medicines from AztraZeneca
on its acquisition of a majority stake in Atnahs, a specialty pharmaceutical business
on its acquisition of Sunweb Group, a leading European online travel operator
Warburg Pincus:
and Inmarsat on the $7.3 billion combination with Viasat, Inc.
and Allied Universal on the financing for a recommended £3.8 billion cash offer for G4S
on the co-investment in the combined group of Tilney Smith & Williamson, a leading wealth management and professional services business
on the investment in Polyplus, a developer of innovative and cost-effective technology used in gene and cell therapy
and Apax, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan on the $3.4 billion take private of Inmarsat, a British satellite communications group
on the sale of Accelya, a leading global provider of financial, commercial and analytics solutions to the airline and travel industry, to Vista Private Equity
Prior Experience
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, London
Senior Associate, 2016–2018
Associate, 2011–2016
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Credentials
Admissions & Qualifications
2011, Admitted to Practice as a Solicitor of England and Wales
Education
BPP Law School, LondonLegal Practice Course2007
King's College LondonLL.M. (Corporate and Commercial Law)2006
