Hugh O’Sullivan

Hugh O’Sullivan is a partner in Goodwin’s Private Equity group. His practice focuses on advising sponsors, corporates, funds and financial institutions across a wide range of complex and multi-jurisdictional financing transactions, including leveraged finance, bridge finance and restructurings.

Hugh’s recent representative experience includes advising:

• Triton on the disposal of German dogado GmbH to international private equity firm Cinven and Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board
• Family shareholders of Fedrigoni on their reinvestment in the Italian specialty paper producer alongside Bain Capital and BC Partners
• EMZ Partners and Sagard on the 4th LBO acquisition of Safic-Alcan, a French independent distributor of specialty chemicals
• TowerBrook Capital Partners on its acquisition of leading provider of premium finance for commercial and retail insurance products, Premium Credit, from Cinven
• EQT-backed Cerba Healthcare on its agreement to acquire specialized contract research organization Viroclinics from Summit Partners
• Creat-backed Tiancheng International
  • on the disposal of its majority stake in Bio Products Laboratory, a specialist in the development of rare disease products using fractionated blood plasma, to Permira
  • on its proposed €1.1 billion sale to Grifols of its indirect majority stake in Biotest, a specialist in innovative hematology and clinical immunology solution
• TA Associates
  • along with Stirling Square on the IPO of construction software provider Byggfakta
  • on its combination of Compusoft with Genstar-backed 2020 Technologies to create a global provider of planning and manufacturing solutions for residential and commercial spaces
  • on its investment in Apex Group, a global financial services provider to asset managers, financial institutions, family offices and corporates
• A pool of banks on the financing for the acquisition of the Grandir Group, a French group operating daycare centers under the “Les Petits Chaperons Rouges” brand, by Infravia
• HoldCo SAS, a holding company controlled by Xavier Niel, in the financing of the simplified public tender offer for iliad SA shares launched by HoldCo II, a holding company controlled by HoldCo. The iliad Group is one of the largest telecommunications companies in Europe.
• Advent International:
  • together with its consortium partners, Cinven and the RAG-Stiftung assisting on the acquisition of the elevator division of thyssenkrupp AG*
  • assisting on the financing aspects of its acquisition of Hermes UK*
  • assisting on the financing aspects of its acquisition of Industria Chimica Emiliana*
  • assisting on the financing aspects of its acquisition of Deutsche Fachpflege Gruppe and subsequent add-on acquisition of Bonitas Holdings*
  • assisting on the financing aspects of its €1.919 billion acquisition of leading European generics business Zentiva from global biopharmaceutical company Sanofi* and various add-on acquisitions*
• Bain Capital Private Equity:
  • together with its consortium partners, assisting on the €2.1 billion proposed public takeover of Ahlstrom-Munksjö Oyj*
  • assisting its portfolio company Wittur on its first and second lien refinancing*
  • assisting on the financing aspects of its acquisition of Fedrigoni a leading global producer of specialty papers and self-adhesive labels, from the Fedrigoni family*
  • assisting on the financing aspects of its acquisition of Bugaboo, a global and iconic mobility brand from its founding shareholders*
  • assisting on the financing aspects of its acquisition of Fintyre, the leading distributor of replacement tyres in Italy from Bluegem Capital*
  • assisting on the financing aspects of its acquisition of Consolis, a leading European group specialised in the design and manufacture of high-performance pre-cast concrete products, from LBO France*
• RL Datix, a portfolio company of TA Associates and Five Arrows Principal Investments, on various financing matters and add-on acquisitions*
• Nexi S.p.A. and Mercury UK Holdco Limited on the Initial Public Offering of the ordinary shares of Nexi S.p.A., the largest IPO in Europe to date in 2019, together with Nexi S.p.A.’s €1.5 billion term and revolving facilities*
• Partners Group:
  • assisting on the financing aspects of its acquisition of Civica, a leading UK-based provider of specialist software, digital solutions and outsourcing services, from OMERS Private Equity*
  • together with its consortium partner PSP Investments assisting on the financing aspects of their acquisition of French clinical pathology lab operator Cerba HealthCare from PAI Partners*
• Algeco Scotsman, a portfolio company of TDR Capital assisting on the English law financing aspects of its refinancing and reorganization*

*Denotes experience prior to joining Goodwin.

Prior to joining Goodwin, Hugh was a partner in the Debt Finance group at Kirkland & Ellis. Prior to Kirkland, he was a Senior Associate at Latham & Watkins, during which he completed a secondment with Goldman Sachs.

Hugh began his legal career as a Trainee Solicitor with Ashurst qualifying into the firm’s finance team.

Hugh is recognised as a “Notable Practioner” by IFLR1000 (2022) for Banking and Finance.

• Panelist, “Investing in the Gig Economy: Key Takeaways for Direct Lenders in Tech M&A,” Goodwin Webinar, April 2021