Bio
David leads the Private Equity, Venture Capital and M&A team in Hong Kong as well as the office’s corporate restructuring, distressed debt and special situations practice specialising in Cayman law.
In the last twelve months alone David closed PE / VC / M&A transactions with an aggregate value in excess of $35 billion and represented leading US and Asian based sponsors and investors including MUFG, Itochu Corporation, SoftBank Group Corp., Celadon Partners, SoftBank Vision Fund and Ascendent Capital Partners.
David also has a leading creditor and debtor restructuring practice and has been instructed on many of the largest restructuring transactions during his time in Cayman, including as counsel to the ad hoc group of Creditors in Ocean Rig, the largest ever Cayman restructuring by way of scheme of arrangement, and for the Debtor in the restructuring of CHC Group Ltd.
David is a graduate of the University of Cambridge. He trained at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer before practising in London at Kirkland & Ellis and Sullivan & Cromwell.
AWARDS AND ACCOLADES
“2019 Mergers and Acquisitions Lawyer of the Year – Cayman Islands” – Lawyer Monthly
“Most Trusted Corporate Restructuring Specialist – Cayman Islands” – CV Magazine 2019
“Corporate Finance Lawyer of the Year – Cayman Islands” – Finance Monthly 2019
“M&A Rising Star” – IFLR 1000 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
“Restructuring Rising Star” – IFLR 1000 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
“Deal of the Year” – China Business Law Journal 2018 for work on Sensetime’s Series C/C+ financing
REPRESENTATIVE DEALS:
PE / M&A
- MUFG in connection with its US$706 million investment in Grab Holdings Inc.
- Ascendent Capital Partners on its US$150 million investment in Best Assistant Education Online Limited
- Celadon Partners on multiple M&A and financing transactions
- Cornershop in connection with a US$500 million issuance and tender offer;
- SoftBank Vision Fund in connection with an investment totaling US$1.5 billion in Chehaoduo, a leading Chinese customer-to-customer auto retail services company;
- A Japanese investor in connection with a US$700 million investment in a tech company;
- Itochu Corporation in connection with the structuring and establishment of a new investment fund with affiliates of CITIC Group Corporation;
- China Automation Group on its privatization by way of a Cayman scheme of arrangement for HK$391,998,649.50 (about US$50.06 million);
- A lead investor in connection with its investment in SenseTime’s Series C and Series C+ issuance;
- China UnionPay in connection with its bid for Chinese tech assets; and
- Elliott Management on the merger between Ocean Rid UDW Inc. and Transocean.
Restructuring
Creditor Representations
- The Ad Hoc Group of Creditors of Ocean Rig UDW. Inc. on a financial restructuring by way of multiple Cayman Schemes of Arrangement to reduce the debt load by US$3.2bn;
- The Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors on the Chapter 11 of Scottish Re;
- The Ad Hoc Group of Creditors on the first restructuring of Hercules Offshore Inc. by way of US Chapter 11;
- The Ad Hoc Group of Towergate Insurance Group senior secured creditors in connection with Towergate’s successful restructuring by way of Scheme of Arrangement; and
- Senior high yield noteholders on the EUR 1.2bn restructuring of A.T.U Auto-Teile-Unger GmbH through an administration.
Debtor Representations
- Pacific Drilling on its restructuring by way of US Chapter 11;
- CHC Group Limited on its restructuring by way of US Chapter 11 and parallel Cayman process;
- Whalsay Energy Limited on its debt restructuring and subsequent listing on the Cayman Stock Exchange;
- Zim Integrated Shipping Services on the restructuring of its financing and capital markets financings, which was the largest restructuring in Israeli history; and
- Eksportfinans ASA on its USD 23bn contingency plan and successfully resisting attempts by debt funds to trigger a global restructuring of the group.
Trustee Representations
- Chapter 7 Trustee in connection with Scottish Re; and
- Nordic Trustee AS in connection with multiple bond restructurings involving assets in Europe and Asia.
Education:
University of Cambridge (England)
