Adrian Duncan
Overview
Adrian Duncan is a corporate partner in the Private Equity Group in the London office of Kirkland & Ellis International LLP. His practice focuses on advising private equity sponsors and other asset management clients on all types of M&A transactions across a variety of business sectors. Adrian has a particular focus on European growth equity deals, asset management M&A and GP stakes transactions.
Adrian is a member of the Firm’s industry-leading GP strategic transactions group and has spent time on secondment at Charterhouse Capital Partners.
Adrian is also listed in Law.com’s “Private Equity Rising Stars” (2025), which recognises the best up-and-coming private equity lawyers in Europe aged under 40.
Experience
Representative Matters
Asset Management M&A and GP Stakes
- Onex Partners V on the $7 billion sale of Convex to Onex Corporation and AIG
- Hayfin on three separate strategic GP stake sales to each of Mubadala, Axa IM Prime and Samsung Life Insurance
- Hilco on the sale of a majority stake to ORIX USA
- Proprium Capital Partners, a privately held real estate-focused principal investing firm, on the sale of a 75% stake to Legal & General plc
- Clearlake Capital Group on its acquisition of MV Credit, a pan-European private credit specialist, from Natixis Investment Managers, a global multi-strategy asset manager
- Arctos Partners and the management team of Hayfin in connection with Arctos’ majority investment in Hayfin
- Actis on its sale to General Atlantic
- EQT on the €6.8 billion acquisition of Baring Private Equity Asia
- IK Partners on the sale of a controlling interest in the firm to Wendel
- Energy Capital Partners in its approximately $1 billion combination with Bridgepoint Group plc (LSE: BPT)
- 17Capital on the strategic partnership with Oaktree under which it will sell a majority stake to Oaktree
- EQT on its c. $1.8 billion combination with Exeter Property Group
- EQT Exeter on its acquisition of Bear Logi, a logistics real estate asset management firm
- Montana Capital Partners on its sale to PGIM, the global asset management business of Prudential Financial, Inc
- Dyal Capital Partners on the sale of Arcmont Asset Management
- Chorus Capital on a minority sale to Armen Partners
Private Equity Buyouts and Corporate M&A
- TA-backed RLDatix on the merger of RLDatix Life Sciences with MediSpend
- Five Arrows, the alternative assets arm of Rothschild & Co.:
- on the spin-out and merger of RLDatix’s life sciences division with MediSpend
- on its investment in RLDatix alongside TA Associates and Nordic Capital
- Valeas Capital Partners on the acquisition of a majority stake in Suntera Global
- Summit Partners:
- on the acquisition of 18 Week Support and various add-on acquisitions
- on the sale of Viroclinics-DDL to Cerba Healthcare
- on its investment in City and County Healthcare
- in connection with a growth investment in Invicti Security
- TA Associates:
- on its investment in Advantive
- on its investment in Riskonnect
- on its investment in Camms
- on its investment in Aptean
- Francisco Partners:
- on its capital raise and minority stake sale in the EG Group
- on the acquisition of GL Education
- on its investment in Kobalt
- EQT:
- on the £4.5 billion acquisition of Dechra Pharmaceuticals
- on the CHF 10.2 billion acquisition of Nestle Skin Health
- on the acquisition of IVC Evidensia
- on the acquisition of VetStrategy
- EQT Credit on its investment in and the restructuring and recapitalization of ACPS Automotive
- Galderma Group on a private placement round of approximately $1 billion for newly issued shares
- Galderma Group on the structuring and implementation of its IPO on the SIX Swiss Exchange
- Thoma Bravo on the £3.1 billion recommended cash offer for Sophos, a global leader in next-generation cybersecurity solutions
- Brookfield on its £3 billion consortium bid to acquire Intu Properties plc
- Alpine Investors and its portfolio company Alpine Software Group on the acquisition of Sendible
- Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan on the sale of Burton’s Biscuit Company to Ferrero
- Turn / River on its acquisition of Tufin
- H.I.G. Capital:
- on the sale of Buck to Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.
- and its portfolio company, Aspire Pharma, on the acquisition of 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
- Rhône Capital on its acquisition of a minority stake in illycaffè
- Apex Fund Management, a Genstar portfolio company, on its acquisition of the FundRock Group
- Warburg Pincus on its co-investment in the combined group of Tilney Smith & Williamson
- TPG on its c. €300 million acquisition of Spanish Real Estate Investment Trust, Témpore Properties
- TPG on the joint venture acquisition with Round Hill Capital of a student and residential housing platform in Lisbon, Portugal
- Canaccord Genuity on its acquisition of Thomas Miller Wealth Management, the UK-based wealth management business of Thomas Miller Investments, and its Isle of Man private client wealth management business
- Sageview Capital and its portfolio company Crimson Hexagon on its reverse triangular merger with Brandwatch
- TDR Capital on various matters relating to its investment in David Lloyd
- Warburg Pincus on its investment in Reorg Research
- Vista Equity Partners on its investment in Integral Ad Science
- TDR Capital Partners on its investment in French restaurant chain Buffalo Grill
- Toys’R’Us on the sale of its stores in Germany, Austria and Switzerland to toy retailer Smyths
- American Securities, LLC on the UK aspects of its acquisition of Prince Minerals from Palladium Equity Partners
- TDR Capital on various matters relating to its investment in Algeco Scotsman, a world leader in modular space and secure storage solutions
- Phoenix Equity Partners on the sale of Riviera Travel to Silverfleet Capital Partners*
- The acquisition of Argus Media by General Atlantic*
- The acquisition of the Smyk Group by Bridgepoint*
- Phoenix Equity Partners on the sale of Vivid Toy Group to Privet Capital*
- Charterhouse Capital Partners on the acquisition of MEC3 from Riverside Private Equity*
- Patron Capital on the sale of the Badby Healthcare Group to BC Partners*
- Patron Capital on the sale of the Gracewell Healthcare Group to Health Care REIT (NYSE: HCN) and its ongoing partnership with Sunrise Senior Living*
- Intermediate Capital Group and its portfolio company, ATPI, on the acquisition of the Griffin Global Group from Inflexion Private Equity*
- The acquisition of NewSmith Asset Management by Man Group plc*
- Bridgepoint and its portfolio company, WiggleCRC group, on the acquisition of Bike24 from Riverside Private Equity*
- Bridgepoint Development Capital on the acquisition of the Phlexglobal Group from Inflexion Private Equity*
- The acquisition of the LGC Science Group and management’s new equity arrangements with KKR*
- The acquisition of the RAC Group and management’s new equity arrangements with CVC and GIC*
- The acquisition of Premium Credit and management’s new equity arrangements with Cinven*
- The acquisition of the Lowell Group and management’s new equity arrangements with Permira*
- VPS, a portfolio company of PAI Partners on the bolt-on acquisitions of Camwatch and Redfields*
- The acquisition of NewSmith Asset Management by Man Group plc*
*Prior to joining Kirkland
Prior Experience
Travers Smith LLP, London
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Associate, 2014–2017
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Trainee Solicitor, 2012–2014
Charterhouse Capital Partners, London
- Secondment, 2016
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Credentials
Admissions & Qualifications
- 2014, Admitted to practice as a Solicitor of England and Wales
Education
- BPP Law School, LondonLegal Practice Course2012
- University of BristolLL.B., LawHons.2011
Vice Chancellor’s Scholarship