Viktor Okasmaa

Willkie recently advised the lenders on the debt financing for the acquisition of NSI Industries by Sentinel Capital Partners. Based in Huntersville, North Carolina, NSI is a leading manufacturer and supplier of branded electrical and HVAC components to third-party distributors in the United States and Canada. The Willkie team was led by partners Viktor Okasmaa, Cristopher Greer and Jenny Liu and included associates Michael D. Arena, Valentine Wolf and Jack Clarke.

Dec 2

1 min

Willkie is advising the bondholders’ steering committee on Atos SE’s landmark financial restructuring. The bondholder group and a group of banks have agreed to a plan to restructure approximately €5 billion and committed as much as €1.675 billion in new financing for the French IT services provider. Atos announced on July 15 that it had signed a lock-up agreement setting out the key terms of its financial restructuring with the bondholders' steering committee and a group of banks that comprise the majority of the company’s creditors. The financial restructuring of Atos includes the conversion of over €2.9 billion of debt into equity, a capital increase with preferential subscription rights for existing shareholders of €233 million (partly guaranteed by the participating creditors), and new secured financing of approximately €1.675 billion provided by its bank and bond creditors on an equal basis. In addition, Atos’s main creditors have agreed to provide €800 million of interim financing to fund the business until close of the financial restructuring plan. Atos plans to begin accelerated safeguard proceedings during the week of July 22 to obtain approval from the specialized Commercial Court of Nanterre to implement the financial restructuring plan. Atos's financial restructuring is the largest lender-led restructuring in France to date in terms of new money injection, and one of the largest market transactions of 2024. Atos is the leading European provider in cybersecurity, cloud and high-performance computing, providing tailored end-to-end solutions in 69 countries. The Willkie team is led by restructuring partners Lionel Spizzichino and Batiste Saint-Guily with associates Joséphine Maire and Alcyde Le Poder, and includes finance partner Thomas Binet and associate Ralph Unger, corporate partner Gabriel Flandin and associates Victor Cann and Hugo Kerbib, and antitrust partner Faustine Viala and associate Charles Bodreau. The team also includes in New York finance partners Viktor Okasmaa and Weston Eguchi, counsel Ajanaclair Nicole Lynch, and associates Daniel Chesler, Shelby Epstein and Matthew Sanders.

Jul 23

1 min

Willkie advised SGA Dental Partners, a portfolio company of Thurston Group, in connection with a new $350 million credit facility to support its ongoing efforts to expand its practice network and enhance patient care. On July 30, Thurston Group announced the new financing for SGA Dental Partners. Overland Advantage, Man Varagon, and Jefferies served as joint lead arrangers and bookrunners on the transaction. SGA Dental Partners is a leading dental support organization focused on serving communities in the Southeast United States through its network of over 125 general and specialty dentistry practices throughout the region, employing a shared-ownership model with its dentist partners. Thurston Group is a private equity firm that focuses on building industry-leading companies in the healthcare services sector. Founded by its Chairman and CEO Patrick J. Haynes III in 1986, Thurston Group has returned more than $4 billion of invested capital in its 38-year history. The Willkie team was led by partners Viktor Okasmaa and Neil Townsend and included associates Robert Mostek, Travis Simon, Chetan Tripathy and Andrew Litman.

Aug 21

1 min

New York, NY (June 30, 2025) --- Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP today announced that Gus Atiyah has joined the Firm as a partner in the Finance Department. He is based in New York. Viktor Okasmaa, Global Chair of Willkie’s Finance Department, commented: “Gus is an accomplished practitioner with an outstanding track record leading sophisticated financing transactions. His experience across the private capital sector complements our global team and Willkie’s broad transactional platform, and we are excited to welcome him to the Firm.” Gus focuses his multidisciplinary practice on private finance transactions, including  leveraged financings, acquisition financings, recapitalizations and debt investments. He has extensive experience with syndicated senior facilities, second-lien facilities, buyouts and debt restructurings, and regularly assists equity and debt funds in raising fund-level financings. His clients include private equity sponsors, financial institutions, public and private companies, funds and family offices across a wide range of industries. He joins from A&O Shearman where he had previously served as the Global Co-Head of the Debt Finance Group. Gus commented: “Willkie’s unmatched global platform and diverse transactional capabilities, including in the growing private capital arena, are an ideal match for my practice. I look forward to working with my new colleagues across the Firm to help clients navigate today’s increasingly complex financing market.” Willkie’s Finance team provides comprehensive counsel to global clients in their most sophisticated financing transactions. With 80+ dedicated finance lawyers, our team possesses the experience and in-depth knowledge of the markets in which our diverse clients operate to provide creative, business-focused legal advice. ***************************************************** Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP provides leading-edge legal solutions on complex, business critical issues spanning markets and industries. Our more than 1,200 attorneys across 15 offices worldwide deliver innovative, pragmatic and sophisticated legal services across approximately 45 practice areas. Learn more at www.willkie.com.

Jun 30

1 min

Willkie represented Bank of Montreal in connection with financing for the acquisition and combination by Charlesbank Capital Partners of Kleer and Membersy, forming the single largest dental membership plan software provider in the U.S. market. Charlesbank announced on May 7 that it acquired and merged Kleer and Membersy, the nation’s two largest providers of technology-driven dental membership plans, to form Kleer-Membersy. The Willkie team was led by partners Jacob Schtevie and Viktor Okasmaa and included associates Lee Henderson and Shelby Epstein.

Jul 30

1 min