Significantly expanding the firm’s M&A and private equity and leveraged finance capabilities, Milbank LLP has added market-leading attorneys Andrew Whan, Neeraj Budhwani, Davide Mencacci and John Bona to the firm’s Hong Kong office.
Whan, who will be joining the firm, and Budhwani advise an array of leading private equity funds on domestic and cross-border leveraged buyouts, management buyouts and buy-ins, venture capital and public M&A transactions. They regularly act for some of the largest private equity funds in the world, including Affinity, Carlyle, CVC, MBK Partners, Partners Group and Permira.
Mencacci and Bona focus on leveraged finance transactions, structured finance, investment-grade finance, margin lending, real estate finance and cross-border restructuring transactions. They advise global, regional and domestic banks, credit funds and other finance providers in Europe and Asia, as well as private equity funds, real estate and infrastructure funds, and corporations. They recently represented arrangers on transactions involving Affinity, CVC, KKR, MBK, Platinum Equity, Permira and TPG.
Whan and Budhwani both join Milbank from Clifford Chance’s Hong Kong office where they served as co-heads of the Asia Pacific Private Equity practice and where Whan was the head of Clifford Chance’s Asia Pacific Corporate and M&A Practice. Mencacci and Bona join from the Hong Kong office of Linklaters where Mencacci was the Global Head of Banking and Bona served as counsel.
“We are thrilled to welcome Andrew, Davide, Neeraj and John to Milbank,” says Milbank Chairman Scott A. Edelman. “We remain deeply committed to expanding our M&A, private equity and leveraged finance offerings and the addition of this tremendous team of new partners will further enhance our ability to service clients in Hong Kong, throughout Asia Pacific and globally.”
“Andrew, Davide, Neeraj and John bring a technical prowess and deep market knowledge that will allow us to continue to tackle the most complex transactions in the region and strengthen our reputation as one of the leading private equity and leverage finance practices in the Asia Pacific market,” adds Global Executive Committee member and Asia Practice Managing Partner David Zemans. “We welcome them to the Hong Kong office.”
Hong Kong Office Managing Partner Jim Grandolfo, adds: “We are committed to building market leading M&A, Private Equity and Leveraged Finance practices in Asia and globally, delivering exceptional service and integrated advice for our clients’ toughest and most innovative transactions. Andrew, Davide, Neeraj and John’s experience and reputation adds strength to our team in the region and will be invaluable to new and existing clients.”
Among other accolades, Whan is ranked Band 1 by Chambers Asia for Private Equity. Mencacci and Bona have been recognized as leading individuals in The Legal 500 for Hong Kong Banking and Finance while Budhwan is ranked as a leading individual in The Legal 500 for private equity.
“Milbank’s Hong Kong team has demonstrated a remarkable ability to deliver world-class counsel on a range of transactions including private equity, mergers and acquisitions, restructurings and related financing matters, all while remaining incredibly lean and efficient,” says Budhwani. “Together with Andrew, Davide and John, I am eager to leverage Milbank’s global platform to serve our private equity and hedge fund clients across their M&A transactions. I look forward to joining the team and providing seamless service to my clients across the globe.”
“We are thrilled to join Milbank’s Hong Kong team,” says Mencacci and Bona, adding: “This is a unique opportunity to continue building our practice under Milbank’s stellar brand and, together with our new colleagues, provide the best combined corporate and finance practice offering in the region.”
The first US law firm to open a Hong Kong office, Milbank has built a highly experienced team with unparalleled capabilities in capital markets, M&A and private equity. Milbank’s Hong Kong office offers an integrated legal service across North Asia, South and South East Asia, with a particular focus on the Philippines, India, Thailand and Vietnam. Among its recent notable work, the Hong Kong office’s Capital Markets practice advised on 11 debt issuances for Philippine issuers raising over US$4 billion in five weeks.
