Kem Ihenacho is the Global Vice Chair of the Private Equity Practice. He is an M&A lawyer with more than 20 years of experience, focusing on UK and international private equity, infrastructure, and M&A transactions.
Mr. Ihenacho is recognized as a leader in his field by numerous publications. He is listed in the 2015 Lawyer Magazine's Hot 100 list as a private equity star, and Chambers Global 2017 recognized him as an Africa Expert, stating: "He's highly commercial, very experienced and knows the markets inside out." He is also recognized as Mentor of the Year – Private Practice by Legal Week’s 2020 British Legal Awards.
Mr. Ihenacho has sat on the legal advisory boards of various private equity industry bodies.
Mr. Ihenacho’s representative transactions include advising:
Digital Realty Trust
- On its strategic investment in AtlasEdge, a European edge data center provider
Francisco Partners and BluJay Solutions
- On the sale of BluJay to E2open Parent Holdings, Inc. for a mix of cash and shares at an enterprise value of US$1.7 billion
Partners Group
- International Schools Partnership (ISP), a leading international group of K-12 schools, in relation to the investment by Partners Group and OMERS in ISP, valuing ISP at an enterprise value of €1.9 billion
TPG
- TPG’s global impact investing platform, The Rise Fund, on their US$200 million minority investment in the mobile money business of LSE premium listed company, Airtel Africa PLC
- TPG and other selling shareholders in relation to the sale of the Prezzo group, the Italian casual dining restaurants, to a subsidiary of Cain International
KKR
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On its US$1.1 billion acquisition of Kobalt Capital’s Music Rights Portfolio
- On its acquisition of Prometic Bioseparations, a company engaged in the research of bioseparations and subsidiary of Liminal BioSciences
- On its €50 million investment in Univercells, an innovative bioprocessing provider focused on increasing the availability of affordable biologics to address global health challenges
Bay Grove Capital and its portfolio company Lineage Logistics
- On the acquisition of Kloosterboer Group BV, Europe’s largest independent integrated platform for temperature-controlled storage, logistics and value-added services
- On the acquisition of Partner Logistics, a leading European automated warehouse business
- On the acquisition of Yearsley Group, a leading UK temperature controlled logistics service provider and frozen food distributor
William Demant Invest A/S
- In connection with its acquisition of Vision RT, a UK-based 3D surface imaging technology company developing products and solutions for surface guided radiation therapy
Leonard Green & Partners
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On its acquisition of Pure Gym
CVC
- CVC Capital Partners and Blackstone on the merger of Paysafe with Foley Trasimene Acquisition Corp. II, a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) founded and led by Bill Foley
- CVC Capital Partners on the acquisition of 90.01% of Ethniki Insurance, Greece’s largest insurer, from the National Bank of Greece
- CVC Capital Partners on the sale of a 30% stake in Domestic & General Group, a UK-based provider of warranty and product protection services, to Abu Dhabi Investment Authority
- CVC Capital Partners’ Growth Fund on its strategic investment in OMADA A/S, a global leader of Identity Governance and Administration software and services
- In connection with the £2.4 billion IPO of Avast, the world’s largest consumer antivirus software supplier, listed on the London Stock Exchange
- Leading a consortium with Blackstone on the £2.96 billion offer for Paysafe Group plc
- CVC and portfolio company ASM on its joint venture with WPP and the Smollan Group
The Carlyle Group
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In relation to its investment in Diamond Bank
TA Associates
- On its equity investment in Inspired Education, a UK-based provider of educational services
- On the sale of a significant minority stake in Interswitch to Visa. Interswitch, headquartered in Nigeria, is one of the largest Africa-focused digital payments providers
Energy Capital Partners
- In relation to the acquisition of UK thermal generation assets from Engie
GIC
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In consortium with HgCapital, ICG, and Montagu Private Equity on its acquisition of a 40% stake in Visma
Onex Corporation
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On its acquisition of Survitec Group
- Onex and Survitec on the acquisition of Wilhelmsen Maritime Solutions
Aon
- On the disposal of its insurance business in Southern Africa to Capital Works
Helios Investment Partners
- Helios Investment Partners, TA Associates, and minority shareholders on the sale of a significant minority stake in Interswitch to Visa. Interswitch, headquartered in Nigeria, is one of the largest Africa-focused digital payments providers
- On the acquisition of a minority interest in Interswitch
- On its joint venture with Vitol on the acquisition of Oando’s downstream Business
- In relation to its investment in Vivo Energy
- On the acquisition of Axella (Oando Gas & Power)
- On its investment in renewable energy business Starsight
Wagamama
- Wagamama, Duke Street, Hutton Collins, and the other selling shareholders in connection with the acquisition by The Restaurant Group plc of Wagamama