Eight Kirkland Partners Recognized Among Hollywood Reporter’s Top Dealmakers of 2024
The Hollywood Reporter named Kirkland & Ellis partners Mark Boyagi, Eric Fischer, Leslie Hung, Sarkis Jebejian, Kevin Lam, Emily Lichtenheld, Jordan Murray, and Allie Wein among its “Top Dealmakers of 2024.” The list recognizes “the most impactful and intriguing mergers and acquisitions that reshaped the industry this year — and the executives, reps and lawyers who made them happen.”
Kirkland and its partners were recognized for the following transactions:
Kirkland advised Six Flags Entertainment Corporation (NYSE: SIX) on its merger of equals with Cedar Fair (NYSE: FUN). Based on both companies’ debt and equity values, the enterprise value of the transaction was approximately $8 billion. The combined company operates under the name Six Flags Entertainment Corporation and trades under the ticker symbol “FUN” on the NYSE. The combined company includes 42 amusement parks and nine resort properties. The Kirkland team was led by corporate partners Sarkis Jebejian, Allie Wein and Emily Lichtenheld.
Kirkland is advising technology investor Silver Lake on the $13 billion acquisition of global sports and entertainment company Endeavor Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: EDR). According to the definitive agreement, Silver Lake will pay Endeavor shareholders $27.50 per share in cash, representing a 55% premium to the unaffected share price of $17.72 per share at market close on October 25, 2023, the last full trading day prior to Endeavor’s announcement of its review of strategic alternatives. The price puts an equity value of $13 billion on Endeavor with a combined enterprise value of over $25 billion when consolidating TKO’s value into Endeavor. Silver Lake previously supported Endeavor’s acquisition of UFC in 2016 and the merger of UFC and WWE, creating TKO (NYSE: TKO) in 2023. TKO is not party to the transaction and will remain publicly traded. The Kirkland team is being led by investment funds partners Mark Boyagi, Jordan Murray, Eric Fischer, Kevin Lam and Leslie Hung.
