Thomas Raftery
Overview
Thomas is a debt finance partner in the London office of Kirkland & Ellis International LLP. Thomas has banking and debt finance experience focusing on leveraged acquisitions, syndicated lending, cross-border financing and general banking.
Thomas acts for a wide range of private equity investors, funds and borrowers on transactions across a variety of different sectors and jurisdictions with particular emphasis on matters relating to leveraged finance and buyouts.
Experience
Representative Matters
Warburg Pincus on the investment in Aztec Group.
AA, TowerBrook Capital Partners and Warburg Pincus on Stonepeak’s investment in AA.
Advent International on its acquisition of a majority stake in luxury fashion brand Zimmermann.
IDEMIA, an identity and security technology-systems business and portfolio company of Advent International, on the successful amendment and extension of its cross-border syndicated TLB facilities.
Merlin Entertainments, a global leader in amusement park operations and location-based family entertainment, on a successful partial amendment and extension of its euro-denominated syndicated term loans.
Advent International on its joint venture with LANXESS and joint-acquisition of DSM Engineering Materials.
Advent International on its acquisition of artisanal food ingredients company IRCA.
Blackstone on its consortium acquisition of Autostrade per l'Italia.
Blackstone on its acquisition of a majority stake in VFS Global, a leading provider of visa outsourcing and technology services solutions for governments and diplomatic missions.
Blackstone on its acquisition of the Huws Gray group, a generalist builders’ merchanting business.
Blackstone on its acquisition of the generalist builders’ merchanting business of Grafton Group plc.
Vitruvian Partners on the acquisition of a majority interest in the Fotona Group, a leading medical laser focused EBD company.
Cobham on the c. £2.57 billion recommended all cash acquisition of Ultra Electronics Holdings plc.
Investindustrial on its acquisition of Guala Closures, a market leading closures business.
Advent International, Bain Capital and Clessidra in relation to a margin loan facility in connection with the listing of Nexi S.p.A.
Blackstone on the financing of its acquisition of Bourne Leisure, a leader in the UK domestic holiday market operating through three brands: Butlin’s, Haven and Warner Hotels.
Montagu Private Equity on the acquisition of the Education Software Solutions business of Capita plc. and on the agreement to invest in ParentPay.
Allied Universal on the financing for a recommended £3.8 billion cash offer for G4S.
Accel-KKR on the financing aspects of its majority growth investment in NAVTOR, a leading provider of navigational software for the maritime industry.
Advent International on its investment in the Hermes Group businesses in the UK and Germany.
Warburg Pincus on its minority investment in Visma, a leading provider of business-critical software, in a transaction valuing the business at an enterprise value of $12.2 billion.
Warburg Pincus on its investment in Polyplus-transfection, a developer of innovative and cost-effective technology used in gene and cell therapy.
CPP Investments and the consortium on financing and structuring aspects of its acquisition of Galileo Global Education, a post-secondary education group.
Warburg Pincus on its sale of Accelya, a leading global provider of financial, commercial and analytics solutions to the airline and travel industry, to Vista Equity Partners.
Blackstone on the recommended £4.77 billion cash offer for Merlin Entertainments, a global leader in location-based, family entertainment.
Altor Equity Partners on the refinancing of CTEK Sweden AB.
Lion Capital on its acquisition of Crafts Group Limited (the DMC Group).
KKR on its EUR 493 million takeover offer for TelePizza Group SA.
Bain Capital Private Equity and Cinven on their EUR 5.3 billion joint public takeover of Stada Arzneimittel AG.
Bain Capital Private Equity and Cinven on the financing aspects of their subsequent public delisting tender offer to the shareholders of STADA Arzneimittel AG.
FNZ Group on its acquisition of European Bank for Financial Services GmbH (ebase).
Vista Equity Partners on its acquisition of Allocate Software Limited.
Investindustrial on its acquisition of lifebrain AG.
Prior to joining Kirkland, Thomas advised the Merchant Banking Division of Goldman Sachs on its acquisition of Caldic B.V.
Prior Experience
Linklaters LLP
- Associate, 2017–2018
- Trainee Solicitor, 2015–2017
Barclays Capital
- Sales, 2011–2013
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Credentials
Admissions & Qualifications
- 2017, Admitted to practice as a Solicitor of England and Wales
Education
- The University of Law, MoorgateLegal Practice Course2015
- The University of Law, MoorgateGraduate Diploma in Law2014
- Trinity CollegeB.A., EnglishHons.2011