Kirkland & Ellis Advises Blue Water Energy on Closing of $861 Million Blue Water Energy Fund
Kirkland & Ellis International LLP represented Blue Water Energy LLP, an energy investment firm, in the closing of Blue Water Energy Fund I LP with total commitments of $861 million from global institutional investors, including pension funds, insurance companies and family offices. The fund, which held its first closing in September 2012, was oversubscribed and closed at its hard cap. It will focus on the energy sector, targeting core subsector areas including oilfield services, manufacturing, storage and logistics, and reserve development.
Blue Water Energy was founded by partners Jerker Johansson (former CEO of UBS investment bank), Tom Sikorski (former London head of First Reserve Corporation), and Graeme Sword (former partner and head of 3i Oil, Gas and Power) and is supported by six other investment professionals.
The global Kirkland team was led by partner Richard Watkins and associates Mateja Maher and Elizabeth Freeth.
"We are delighted to have assisted Blue Water Energy with their formation and congratulate them on the great success of this fundraising. In a challenging environment, their success is testament to the quality and attractiveness of the team and their strategy," said Mr. Watkins.
About Kirkland & Ellis
Kirkland & Ellis has one of the largest private funds practices in the world with nearly 100 attorneys focused on private funds across nine offices in six time zones. The Firm has represented nearly 350 unique private fund sponsors in raising more than $443 billion in new capital for approximately 670 funds since 1995, and regularly represents leading institutional investors in connection with their investments in private funds. In 2012, Kirkland represented more private equity fund managers that closed funds than any other law firm, according to data from Preqin.
Kirkland is a 1,600-attorney law firm representing global clients in complex private funds, corporate/M&A, restructuring and tax, litigation and dispute resolution/arbitration, and intellectual property and technology matters. The Firm has offices in London, Chicago, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Munich, New York, Palo Alto, San Francisco, Shanghai and Washington, D.C.
About Blue Water Energy
Blue Water Energy is a leading middle market energy private equity firm based in London. The firm primarily targets middle market private equity investments in the upstream and midstream/downstream energy value chain. The Blue Water Energy team employs a proactive hands-on approach by applying significant sector knowledge in collaboration with a network of industry partners.
