Ryan Giggs

Willkie advised Mutares SE & Co. KGaA on its acquisition of the Engineering Thermoplastics Business in the Americas and Europe from SABIC for an enterprise value of $450 million. The Engineering Thermoplastics Business operates a broad international platform with approximately 2,900 full-time employees and eight producing facilities across the Americas and Europe. It is the world’s second-largest producer of polycarbonates, the leading producer of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene in the United States, and the sole producer of polybutylene terephthalate in the United States. The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2026, subject to customary approvals. Mutares, headquartered in Munich, is a listed private equity holding company focused on special situations. The Willkie team was led by partners Dr. Kamyar Abrar, Georg Linde, Dr. Florian Dendl, Esther Chang, Ryan Giggs and Simon Weiss.

Jan 12

1 min

Willkie recently represented energy storage business Caliche Development Partners in its acquisition by Sixth Street, a leading global investment firm, announced on August 20. Caliche is a Houston-based energy company focused on the underground storage of natural gas, industrial gases like hydrogen and helium, and carbon sequestration. Sixth Street's investment includes the company's Golden Triangle Storage (GTS) facilities and carbon sequestration development project in Beaumont, TX, and its Central Valley Gas Storage facilities in Princeton, CA. The investment provides Caliche with additional resources to pursue new opportunities and to expand the GTS complex. Following the close of the transaction, Caliche's leadership will continue to oversee day-to-day operations and will remain investors in the company. Sixth Street's investment is subject to certain regulatory approvals. The Willkie deal team was led by partner Archie Fallon and included partners Kris Agarwal, Ryan Giggs, counsel Emerson Girardeau, and associate Zoe Sellman.

Aug 21

1 min

Willkie recently represented Henry Crown & Company in connection with the refinancing of the iconic Rockefeller Center in Manhattan. Crown, which co-owns Rockefeller Center along with Tishman Speyer, successfully closed a $3.5 billion CMBS financing, in what was the largest CMBS issuance ever for a single office asset. Rockefeller Center, originally developed over a century ago, is a 7.3 million square foot campus which includes a mix of office, retail and restaurant spaces as well as popular attractions such as the famous Rock Center ice skating rink and a new 24,000 square foot park atop Radio City Music Hall. With origins dating back to 1919, Henry Crown & Company is a Chicago-based, privately-held organization that oversees the interests of the Crown Family, including investments in publicly traded securities, real estate, private investment, and privately held operating companies. The Willkie team that handled the transaction included partner Craig Martin, Chairman, Midwest, along with partners Barbara Grayson, Maurice Lefkort, Ryan Giggs, David Drewes, Daniel Backer, Guy Inbar and Yaniv Maman, and associates Andrew O’Connor, Matthew Williams, Margaret Ebacher-Rini, Suzanna Swanson-Hart, Mallory Wildeman and Ryan Kady.

Nov 19

1 min

Willkie advised Second Nature Brands, a leading portfolio of premium and better-for-you snacks and treats brands, on its acquisition of the Voortman cookie brand from The J.M. Smucker Co. On October 22, Second Nature Brands, a portfolio company of CapVest Partners LLP, announced that it entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Voortman Cookies Limited, a leading manufacturer and marketer of zero sugar cookies and wafer cookies, in a transaction valued at approximately $305 million. Second Nature Brands owns a growing portfolio of leading snack and treat brands. The acquisition of Voortman expands Second Nature Brands’ portfolio and better positions the company in the specialty cookies category. Willkie previously advised CapVest Partners on numerous transactions, including its acquisitions of Second Nature Brands and Natra, a European producer and distributor of chocolates and cocoa products. Willkie also previously advised Second Nature Brands on its acquisitions of Brownie Brittle and Sahale Snacks. CapVest Partners is a leading international private equity investor headquartered in London. The Willkie team was led by partners David Arnold and Ryan Giggs and included partners Russell Pinilis, Mark Holdsworth and Spencer Simon and associate R. Connor Brown.

Nov 4

1 min

Willkie advised leading private equity advisory firm Triago and its shareholders in connection with global investment bank Houlihan Lokey, Inc.’s acquisition of Triago. On December 21, Triago announced that it signed a definitive agreement to be acquired by Houlihan Lokey. It will join Houlihan Lokey’s Private Funds Group, establishing it as one of the preeminent global private capital advisory platforms. The transaction is expected to be completed in the first half of 2024, pending regulatory approval. Founded in Paris in 1992, Triago is a global private equity advisory firm providing capital raising services, secondary transaction advisory, and strategic solutions for general partners and limited partners. Houlihan Lokey (NYSE:HLI) is a global investment bank with expertise in mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, financial restructuring, and financial and valuation advisory. The Willkie team was led by partner Fabrice Veverka, and included partner Ryan Giggs, counsel Charles Fillon and associate Axel Rogeon.

Dec 21

1 min