Pierre-Luc Arsenault

Asia Deals

• The Carlyle Group in its proposed acquisition of KFC Holdings Japan, Ltd. (9873.T), the operator of the Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) fast-food franchise in Japan, together with the related long term franchise arrangements with brand owner, Yum! Brands. This transaction was named “Best Private Equity Deal - North Asia” by FinanceAsia Achievement Awards 2024

• The Carlyle Group in the $1.8 billion sale of its stake in the strategic partnership that operates and manages McDonald's franchised businesses in China, Hong Kong and Macau to McDonald's Corp. (NYSE: MCD). This transaction was named “Best Private Equity Deal - China Offshore ” by FinanceAsia Achievement Awards 2024

• Bain Capital on its formation of a US$250 million manufacturing park joint venture for new economy infrastructure (“JV Platform”) with DJ New Ease Group. The JV Platform will focus on the development and operation of modern manufacturing parks in China’s core economic hubs. This transaction was named “Best Property Deal - China Offshore” by FinanceAsia Achievement Awards 2024 and “Joint Venture Acquisition of the Year – APAC” by IJ Investor Awards 2024

• Certain affiliates of Bain Capital on the US$3.16 billion take-private of Chindata Group Holdings Limited (NASDAQ: CD), a leading carrier-neutral hyperscale data center solution provider in Asia-Pacific emerging markets. This transaction was named “Best Private Equity Deal - China Offshore” by FinanceAsia Achievement Awards 2023, “Deals of the Year 2023” by China Business Law Journal and “Private Equity Deal of the Year” by IFLR Asia-Pacific Awards 2024

• Bain Capital on its acquisition of Porus Labs, a leading manufacturer of agricultural and specialty chemicals based in India

• Bain Capital, on its minority investment in EcoCeres, Inc., an advanced biorefinery platform with operations in China and Malaysia and a subsidiary of The Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited (Towngas) (HKSE: 0003)

• 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 

• Bain Capital on its approximate US$485 million acquisition of a 24.98% stake in IIFL Wealth Management (NSE: IIFLWAM), a company listed on the National Stock Exchange of India, from General Atlantic and Fairfax Financial. IIFL Wealth Management is one of the largest and fastest growing wealth and asset management firms in India 

• The Blackstone Group on its acquisition of all of the issued share capital of Interplex Holdings Pte. Ltd., which was indirectly owned by funds managed by Baring Private Equity Asia, in a transaction valued at approximately US$1.6 billion 

• A consortium of investors, comprising Centurium Capital, PW Medtech Group Limited (HKSE: 1358), CITIC Capital, Hillhouse Capital, Temasek and Marc Chan, in the take-private of China Biologic Products Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: CBPO), a leading fully integrated plasma-based biopharmaceutical company in China, at a valuation of approximately US$4.6 billion. This transaction was named "Pharmaceuticals, Medical and Biotech M&A Deal of the Year" by Mergermarket China M&A Awards 2021, “2021 Deals of the Year” by China Business Law Journal, “M&A Deal of the Year” by China Law & Practice Awards 2021 and “Private Equity Deal of the Year” by IFLR Asia-Pacific Awards 2022

• 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

• Bain Capital in its significant minority investment in Maxford Group, a leading surface treatment and material processing company with multiple processing facilities across Asia, and its related arrangements with CNI Group, the controlling shareholder of Maxford 

• Chindata Group Holdings Limited, a carrier-neutral hyperscale data center solution provider in Asia and a Bain portfolio company, in its US$621 million Nasdaq IPO under the symbol “CD”. Kirkland also represented Chindata in its concurrent private placements for an aggregate amount of US$135 million

• Cushman & Wakefield (NYSE: CWK), a leading global real estate services firm, in the formation of a new asset services company with Vanke Service

• Bain Capital in connection with its acquisition of Xiamen Qinhuai Technology Company Limited (ChinData), a leading operator of hyperscale data centers in China, from Wangsu Science & Technology Co. Ltd., as well as in connection with the combination of ChinData with Bain Capital’s existing Bridge Data Centres platform

• The Carlyle Group (NASDAQ: CG) in its acquisition of significant minority stake in and a subsequent subscription of shares from Ambio Holdings, Inc., a fast-growing global peptide active pharmaceutical ingredient contract development and manufacturing organization

• Nexus Point Management Limited in its acquisition of Burger King’s business in Taiwan and the related negotiation of a master franchise agreement

• MicroPort Scientific Corporation (HKSE: 853) in its US$190 million acquisition of the Cardiac Rhythm Management (CRM) business of NASDAQ-listed LivaNova PLC

• Bain Capital in connection with its US$1 billion (68.54 billion Indian rupees) investment in Axis Bank, the third largest private sector bank in India through a subscription of shares and warrants

• The Carlyle Group, CITIC Limited and CITIC Capital Holdings in the US$2.08 billion acquisition of the McDonald’s operations in China and Hong Kong and negotiation of a 20-year master franchise agreement ― the largest McDonald’s franchise in the world. This transaction was named “2017 M&A Deal of the Year” by Asia Legal Business and “2017 Private Equity Deal of the Year” by International Financial Law Review

• Advantage Partners in its sale of TeleGuam Holdings to Huntsman Family Investments

• The Carlyle Group on their leveraged buyout of VXI Global Solutions

• Consortium of Bain Capital and GIC in their acquisition of a minority interest in QuEST, a global engineering solutions provider

• KKR in its investment in Joulon, an integrated platform based in Dubai providing asset management services to the oil and gas industry globally

• Bain Capital in its US$1.275 billion sale of FCI Asia Pte Ltd to Amphenol Corporation

• Bain Capital Credit in its US$1.3 billion acquisition of a portfolio of debt and equity assets in Asia, Europe and the United States from JP Morgan's Global Special Opportunities Group

• KKR in its investment in Mandala Energy, a South East Asia focused oil and gas exploration and production company based in Singapore

• Advantage Partners in its proposed sale of TeleGuam Holdings to NYSE-listed PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia Tbk

• Capital International Private Equity Funds as the lead investor in a fundraising round by Didi Kuaidi, the leading taxi-hailing platform in China. The fundraising raised US$2.5 billion in total

• Arsenal Capital Partners and its portfolio company, IGM Resins, in the acquisition by IGM of Insight High Technology Group

• Blue Point Capital Partners in the sale of its portfolio company, Callison, to ARCADIS

• Bain Capital in its US$112 million acquisition of The Blackstone Group's minority equity stake in India-based Emcure Pharmaceuticals Limited

• The Special Committee of NYSE-listed WSP Holdings in the US$894 million aborted going private sale to a consortium led by H.D.S. Investments

• NASDAQ-listed Tudou Holdings in the US$1.1 billion stock-for-stock merger between Tudou and NYSE-listed Youku Inc. in a deal that created China's largest online video business. This transaction was named "2012 M&A Deal of the Year" by China Law & Practice and "2012 M&A Deal of the Year (Inbound & Domestic)" by China Business Law Journal

• FTV Capital in its growth equity investment in eBao Corporation

• The Kellogg Company in its joint venture with Wilmar International for the manufacture, sale and distribution of cereal and snacks in China

• Bain Capital in its US$266 million going-private leveraged buyout of China Fire & Security Group, a NASDAQ-listed leading total solution provider of industrial fire protections systems in China. This transaction was named "2012 Private Equity Deal of the Year" by China Law & Practice

• Koor Industries in its US$2.4 billion going-private sale of Makhteshim Agan Industries to China National Chemical Corporation. This transaction was named "2011 Deal of the Year (Outbound M&A)" by China Business Law Journal

• Advantage Partners in its leveraged acquisition of TeleGuam Holdings, the leading provider of telecommunications services for the island of Guam

• Bain Capital in its acquisition of ASIMCO Technologies Limited, the largest independent producer of diesel engine components in China, from a consortium led by Key Principal Partners

• Oaktree Capital Management in its consortium equity investment and subsequent exit from a private Chinese mining company

• Blue Point Capital Partners in its minority investment in Haya Retail, a Chinese equity joint venture

• Callison in its acquisition of a controlling stake in Haya Architects, a Chinese architectural cooperative joint venture

• Warburg Pincus in the restructuring of a debt and equity investment in a Chinese biochemical company

U.S. Deals

• 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

U.S. Deals

(matters handled prior to joining Kirkland)

• Virgin America, the U.S. domestic air carrier affiliated with the Virgin Group, in its restructuring and implementation of a new ownership structure

• The Blackstone Group in its leveraged buyout of Apria Healthcare for approximately US$1.6 billion

• PPL Corporation in the sale of its natural gas and propane business

• PPL Corporation in the sale of its Long Island generation business and its Maine hydroelectric generation business

• Peabody Energy in the spin-off of Patriot Coal from Peabody Energy and listing of Patriot Coal on the New York Stock Exchange

• PPL Corporation in the sales of its Latin American regulated electric delivery businesses in El Salvador, Bolivia and Chile

• Hellman & Friedman in its leveraged buyout of Kronos Inc. for approximately US$1.8 billion

• Silver Lake Partners in its acquisition of IPC Systems from Goldman Sachs Capital Partners and other shareholders

• The Blackstone Group in its acquisition of Equity Office Properties Trust for approximately US$39 billion

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, New York

• Associate, 2005–2009