Claire McDaid

Willkie advised Saint-Gobain in its acquisition of Adfil NV, a leading manufacturer and supplier of construction fibers for reinforced concrete. Adfil operates two plants in Belgium and has a commercial presence in more than 60 countries worldwide. The acquisition enhances Saint-Gobain’s portfolio of construction chemicals with the addition of concrete admixtures and fibers for sustainable and high-performance concrete. A worldwide leader in light and sustainable construction, Saint-Gobain designs, manufactures and distributes materials and services for the construction and industrial markets. The Willkie team was led by partner Fabrice Veverka and included partners Jean-Quentin De Cuyper, Claire McDaid, Faustine Viala and Rahul Saha.

Dec 14

1 min

Willkie advised EMG, a leading global provider of broadcast services and media solutions for live sports, entertainment and events, on its business combination with Gravity Media, a global provider of complex live creative production and media services. On January 11, the Boards of Directors of EMG and Gravity Media announced the completion of a definitive agreement to combine their businesses, creating one of the world’s largest broadcast technology and production companies with 30 offices across 12 countries. PAI Partners, which acquired EMG in 2014, will be the majority shareholder of the combined company. Gravity Media is a portfolio company of TowerBrook Capital Partners, which will retain a stake in the combined company. Willkie previously advised PAI Partners on its acquisition of EMG, then known as Euro Media Group. PAI Partners is a pre-eminent private equity firm investing in market-leading companies across the globe. Headquartered in Paris, the firm has approximately €26 billion of assets under management. The Willkie team was led by partner Christophe Garaud and included partner Claire McDaid and counsel Georges Balit, as well as partners Paul Lombard, Faustine Viala, David Kupka and Rahul Saha.

Jan 17

1 min

Willkie served as counsel to Davidson Kempner Capital Management LP, supported by operating partner Afendis Capital Management, on the €400 million syndicated TLB and €60 million revolving credit facility refinancing of the Glacier Group, an ice cream manufacturing platform. On February 20, Davidson Kempner announced the completion of its syndicated refinancing of the Glacier Group, one of the world's largest third-party ice cream manufacturing platforms, which includes leading producers YSCO and Gelato d'Italia. Davidson Kempner Capital Management LP is a global investment management firm with over 40 years of experience and approximately $38 billion of assets under management. The Willkie team was led by partners Daniel Gendron and Claire McDaid and included associates Lindsay Randerson, Ethan Douglas and Oliver Salvador.

Feb 23

1 min

Willkie advised Freshstream Investment Partners LLP on its investment in MCR Group, a rapidly growing outsourced services company based in Ireland. The MCR Group is a leading provider of cleaning, security, engineering and personnel services in Ireland. The company serves a diversified client base across various sectors, including commercial, pharmaceutical, construction and retail, as well as the public sector. MCR Group is headquartered in Dublin, with a workforce of more than 3,000 employees. Freshstream is a private equity firm headquartered in London that invests in growing businesses based in Western Europe, with a particular focus on the UK and Benelux markets. The Willkie team was led by partners Claire McDaid and Ashley Young and included associates Lindsay Murray, Meghal Mehta, Jack Michaels and Daniel Pront.

May 30

1 min

Willkie advised Davidson Kempner Capital Management LP on its joint acquisition with Nature Infrastructure Capital of the solar and storage project development platform of Greencells Group. On December 9, Davidson Kempner announced its joint acquisition of Greencell’s Netherlands-based development platform specializing in the acquisition, development, financing and operation of renewable and sustainable energy projects in Europe and Canada. The transaction includes a project portfolio of nearly four gigawatts of utility-scale solar and battery projects, with nearly 800 megawatts at a ready-to-build stage. Davidson Kempner is a global investment management firm with over 40 years of experience and a focus on fundamental investing with a multi-strategy approach. The Willkie team was led by partners Philip Coletto and Claire McDaid and included associates Vishaal Patel, Megan Gairns, Ashley Braham and Emilia Demetriades.

Dec 9

1 min