David Higgins

Partner Mergers & Acquisitions Private Equity

Kirkland & Ellis International LLP

david.higgins@kirkland.com

M +44 77 4173 0100

Practices

Overview

A great leader on transactions. He is a fantastic adviser who is commercial in how he thinks and very good at coming up with ways to get to an ultimate deal. - Chambers UK, 2022

David is a partner in Kirkland’s corporate practice and a member of the Firm's Executive Committee. He advises private equity funds and other financial investor clients on all types of cross border leveraged M&A including public and private acquisitions, carve-outs, take privates, consortium deals, distressed acquisitions and disposals.

David regularly acts for BC Partners, Blackstone, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, Cinven, GIC (Singapore’s Sovereign Wealth Fund), Hellman & Friedman, Partners Group and The Carlyle Group.

External Recognition

Chambers UK (2022): Band 1 for UK-wide Private Equity: Buyouts where he is described as “widely acclaimed as a foremost talent in the UK private equity market.”
The Legal 500 UK (2022): Listed as a “Leading Individual” for Private equity: transactions – high value deals
IFLR1000 UK (2022): Listed as a “Market Leader” for Private Equity; Mergers & Acquisitions
Financial News and Private Equity News (2021, 2022): Listed in the “Most Influential Lawyers” list
Financial News and Private Equity News (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022): Named as one of “Europe’s 50 Most Influential People in Private Equity”

Experience

Francisco Partners on its acquisition of Kobalt

GIC on its investment in Unither

Oakley Fund IV on the sale of a majority stake in Contabo to KKR

Apex Fund Management:

on the acquisition of the Maitland fund services business
on the acquisition of the FundRock Group

Nordic Capital:

on the acquisition of Ascot Lloyd
on the equity and co-investment aspects of its recommended cash offer for Advanz Pharma
and other stakeholders on the partial sale and co-investment in eResearchTechnology, Inc.

Thoma Bravo:

and its portfolio company Veriforce on the acquisition of CHAS
on its strategic growth investment in Circle Cardiovascular Imaging
on the strategic investment in Condeco
on the £3.1 billion recommended cash offer for Sophos

Partners Group on the acquisition of Forterro

CPP Investments:

on the acquisition of a stake in Universal Investment
and Motive Partners on the $1.4 billion investment in FNZ
in connection with Sportradar’s IPO
on its investment in Visma and the subsequent acquisitions of two additional minority stakes
and its consortium partners on the acquisition of Galileo Global Education

GIC on the acquisition of an additional stake in Belron

BC Partners:

on the sale of Elysium Healthcare
on the extension of their investment in Springer Nature, a Fund IX asset
on the sale of CeramTec
on the sale of Pharmathen to Partners Group
on the acquisition of a significant stake in Valtech
on its acquisition of Keesing from Ergon Capital and Mediahuis
on its investment in IMA
on its investment in Advanced
and its portfolio company, United Group, on the acquisition of Tele2 Croatia from Tele2 Group
on its €2bn acquisition of a majority stake in United Group from KKR

Array Technologies on the acquisition of STI Norland

Blackstone:

backed Hipgnosis Song Management on the acquisition of Justin Timberlake’s entire catalogue of more than 200 songs
backed next generation media company on the acquisition of Moonbug Entertainment Ltd
on its $1 billion partnership with Hipgnosis Song Management
on the acquisition of a majority stake in VFS Global
on a combined $800 million investment in the combination of APi Group Corp. and Chubb Fire & Security Business
and Brown Bidco Limited on the $4.73 billion recommended take private of Signature Aviation
on the £4.77 billion recommended cash offer for Merlin Entertainments plc
on the acquisition of Murka
on its bid for Sportradar from EQT

Antin Infrastructure Partners:

on the acquisition of Wildstone
on CityFibre’s £1.125 billion capital raise
on its reinvestment in Eurofiber, including the sale of a minority stake to PGGM

Apex on the c. £1.51 billion recommended all cash acquisition of Sanne Group plc

Crystal Almond Holdings Limited on the sale of Wind Hellas to United Group

GIC on its investment to acquire an aggregate shareholding in Belron

Sun European Partners on the sale of Dreams to Tempur Sealy International

Alpine Investors and its portfolio company Alpine Software Group on the acquisition of Sendible

L Catterton on its agreement to acquire a majority stake in BIRKENSTOCK Group

Peak Rock Capital on its acquisition of AMB S.p.A

The Carlyle Group:

on its acquisition of Jagex
on the $500 million acquisition of EnerMech Group from Lime Rock

Rhône Capital:

on its acquisition of a minority stake in illycaffè
on its acquisition of a stake in Maxam from Advent

GTCR and Corza Health on the acquisition of TachoSil® Fibrin Sealant Patch from Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited

Metaswitch Networks, a portfolio company of Francisco Partners, on its sale to Microsoft Corporation

CPP Investments and its consortium partners on the acquisition of Galileo Global Education

The bidding consortium led by Advent, Cinven and the RAG-Stiftung on the acquisition of the elevator division of thyssenkrupp AG

The consortium consisting of Apax, Warburg Pincus, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan on the $3.4 billion take private of Inmarsat

Francisco Partners in the DKK3.7 billion acquisition of EG

Corsair Capital, as part of a consortium, on the £3.182 billion acquisition of a 59.2% stake in Itinere Infraestructuras

Rowan Companies plc in its US$12 billion combination with Ensco plc in an all-stock transaction

Pamplona Capital Management on the sale of Partner in Pet Food to Cinven

Hellman & Friedman on its c.US$6 billion bid to acquire claims manager Sedgwick from KKR

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, London

Partner (2001–2018)
Co-head of the Global Financial Investors sector group (2010–2016)

Credentials

Admissions & Qualifications

1994, Admitted to Practice as a Solicitor of England and Wales

Education

The University of Law, ChesterLaw Society Finals1991
Exeter UniversityLL.B.Hons1990

Practices

Representative Matters

Prior Experience

Credentials

Admissions & Qualifications

Education