Ram Narayan

Since joining Kirkland, Ram's representative matters have included:

India

• Partners Group (SIX:PGHN) in the establishment of an investment platform in Singapore focusing on Indian real estate assets with the Xander Group acting as operator
• GLP, a leading global provider of logistics facilities and technology solutions with over US$50 billion in AUM, on its entry into a strategic partnership with IndoSpace, a leading industrial real estate platform in India, as well as on certain co-investments including in IndoSpace Core, a joint venture between IndoSpace and CPPIB focused on acquiring and developing modern logistics facilities in India
• A U.S. credit fund in connection with establishing an oil & gas joint venture for downstream investment in Indian assets

South-east Asia

• Azentio Software, a Singapore-headquartered software products business owned by funds advised by Apax, on its binding agreement to acquire certain software assets from Path Solutions, a provider of core banking software
• Sea Limited (NYSE: SE), a leading global consumer internet company, in the acquisition by its digital entertainment arm, Garena, of Phoenix Labs, an acclaimed independent games development company founded in Vancouver

China

• TH International Limited (Tims China), the master franchisee and operator of Tim Hortons coffee shops in China, on its business combination with Silver Crest Acquisition Corporation (NASDAQ: SLCR), a publicly-traded special purpose acquisition company. The transaction values the combined business at approximately US$1.4 billion. This transaction was named “Deals of the Year 2022” by China Business Law Journal
• Bain Capital on its leveraged buy-out of VXI Global Solutions, a leading provider of Business Process Outsourcing services to businesses around the world, from the Carlyle Group 
• Sequoia China Infrastructure Fund on its investment in GDS Holdings Limited (NASDAQ: GDS; HKSE: 9698), a developer and operator of high-performance data centers in China, through the purchase of $200 million 0.25% convertible senior notes due 2029. Sequoia China Infrastructure Fund and GDS also entered into a strategic cooperation agreement to pursue future collaboration 
• TH International Limited (Tims China), the exclusive master franchise of Tim Hortons coffee shops for Restaurant Brands International Inc. (TSX: QSR) (NYSE: QSR) in China, on a convertible note financing by a leading global asset manager
• Sino-Ocean Prime Office Partners I LP, a US$1.4 billion fund formed by Sino-Ocean Capital, on the acquisition of Ocean Office Park and Project Z6, two grade-A office projects located in the central business district of Beijing
• The Carlyle Group on its acquisition of a minority stake in Ambio Holdings, Inc., a global peptide API CDMO, from MVM Partners, a specialist healthcare fund
• Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets on its establishment of a real estate investment platform with Greystar and APG, focusing on assets in China
• A regional fund in connection with an equity investment in a Hong Kong development project of a major Chinese real estate development company

Other Asia-Pacific Transactions

• VisasQ Inc. (TYO: 4490), a leading knowledge platform in Japan, in its acquisition of Coleman Research Group, Inc., a US-based expert network service firm 

Others

• Poema Global Holdings Corp. (NASDAQ: PPGH), a special purpose acquisition company affiliated with Princeville Capital, on its business combination with Gogoro Inc., a global technology leader in battery swapping ecosystems that enable sustainable mobility solutions for cities 
• Artisan Acquisition Corp. (NASDAQ: ARTAU), a special purpose acquisition company founded by renowned Hong Kong cultural entrepreneur Adrian Cheng, on its business combination with Prenetics Group Limited, a global leader in genomic and diagnostic testing. This transaction was named “Deals of the Year 2022” by China Business Law Journal
• Magnum Opus Acquisition Limited (NYSE: OPA), a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company, on its proposed business combination with Forbes Global Media Holdings Inc., the iconic business information brand

Prior to joining Kirkland, Ram’s representative matters included:

India

• JP Morgan on the sale of its mutual fund business in India to Edelweiss Financial Services Limited
• Goldman Sachs on its acquisition of Benchmark Asset Management Company Private Limited and Benchmark Trustee Company Private Limited in India
• Goldman Sachs on its US$150 million investment in Piramal Realty
• Goldman Sachs on its on-market acquisition of a 6.47% equity interest in NSE-listed Max India Ltd. from Warburg Pincus
• BAML as financial advisor, in connection with AIA’s increase of its shareholding from 26% to 49% in the Tata AIA Life Insurance Company
• BAML as financial advisor, in connection with ERGO’s increase of its shareholding from 26% to 49% in HDFC ERGO
• Tata Motors Limited on its first registered rights offering to U.S. ADS holders

South-east Asia

• Alibaba Group on its acquisition of Lazada Group, with operations in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines
• JobStreet Corporation Berhad on the sale of certain of its businesses in Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam and Hong Kong to SEEK Limited

China

• A consortium of investors, comprising the Carlyle Group, CITIC Capital Partners, China Everbright Limited and FountainVest Partners, on the US$3.7 billion going-private of Focus Media Holding Ltd., involving acquisition facilities in the amount of US$1.5 billion
• Telstra Corporation on the sale of an equity interest in Autohome Inc. to Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China
• China Mengniu Dairy on its US$1.7 billion facility arrangement relating to its acquisition of Yashili International

Sullivan & Cromwell (Hong Kong, Melbourne and New York), 2009–2018