Augustine J. Donati

Willkie advised Cerity Partners, a leading independent wealth management firm in the U.S., in its combination with Agility, a provider of outsourced chief investment officer (OCIO) solutions for endowments, foundations, family offices, corporations, healthcare organizations, and other clientele. On April 8, Cerity Partners announced that it is combining with Denver-based Agility to form Cerity Partners OCIO. The addition of Agility will expand Cerity Partners' capabilities through outsourced chief investment officer services to non-profit organizations, ultra-high-net-worth individuals, and family offices. Cerity Partners will manage approximately $100 billion in client assets. Founded in 2009, Cerity Partners is a nationally recognized financial and wealth advisory firm serving high-net-worth individuals and their families, businesses and their leadership teams, and nonprofit organizations. The Willkie team was led by partners Jeffrey Poss and Manuel Miranda and associate Augustine Donati, and included partners Jordan Messinger, Elliot Gluck and Bissie Bonner.

Apr 9

1 min

Willkie represented Ingram Micro Holding Corporation, a leading technology company for the global information technology ecosystem, in its initial public offering that raised approximately $409 million and values the company at over $5 billion. On October 25, Ingram Micro, a portfolio company of Platinum Equity, closed its initial public offering of 18.6 million shares of its common stock sold in the aggregate by the company and Platinum Equity at a public offering price of $22.00 per share. In addition, the underwriters have an option to purchase up to an additional 2.79 million shares to cover over-allotments. Shares of Ingram Micro’s Common Stock trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “INGM”. Willkie previously served as financing counsel to Platinum Equity on its $7.2 billion acquisition of Ingram Micro in 2021. The Willkie team was led by partners Cristopher Greer and Anne Barrett and included partner Amanda M. Burke and associates Augustine Donati, Brannock Furey, Christian Vidaurre, Brenna O’Connor, Leon Ebani, Gillian Blackwell and Alton Martin, and visiting foreign law clerk Carolina Seixas Braga.

Oct 25

1 min

Willkie represented Benefit Resource, LLC (BRI), a leading provider of FSAs, HRAs, HSAs, commuter plans and COBRA administration services, in its sale to Millennium Trust Company, LLC, a leading provider of health, wealth, retirement and benefits solutions. BRI is headquartered in Rochester, New York, and provides dedicated pre-tax account administration and COBRA services nationwide to clients ranging from small businesses to Fortune 100 companies. Willkie previously represented CIP Capital in its investment in BRI in 2019. The Willkie team was led by partner Jessica Sheridan and included associates Augustine Donati, Steven Mercadante and Ryan Chambers and law clerk Johana Borjas-Pavon.

Jul 14

1 min

Willkie is advising Cetera Financial Group and Genstar Capital on Cetera’s equity reinvestment from Genstar. Announced October 4, the transaction provides Cetera, the premier financial advisor Wealth Hub, with fresh equity from existing investor Genstar’s two newest funds. The reinvestment enables Cetera to continue serving advisors and their clients in new and innovative ways as part of its next chapter of growth. Genstar originally invested in Cetera in 2018. Under Genstar’s ownership, Cetera has transformed into an essential partner for its independent advisor and financial institution clients, offering critical solutions and support to enable growth. Genstar’s reinvestment is led by its newest fund, Fund XI, with additional capital from Fund X, and positions Cetera for continued growth and success. Genstar will remain Cetera’s majority investor and lead partner. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2023, subject to the receipt of regulatory approvals and the satisfaction of other closing conditions. Willkie previously represented Genstar and Cetera in numerous transactions, including Genstar’s initial investment in Cetera in 2018. The firm also recently advised Cetera on its approximately $1.2 billion acquisition of Avantax, and on its acquisitions of The Retirement Planning Group, LLC and the retail wealth business of Securian Financial Group. Cetera is the premier financial advisor Wealth Hub where financial advisors and institutions optimize their control and value creation. Genstar Capital is a leading private equity firm that has been actively investing in high-quality companies for over 30 years. Based in San Francisco, Genstar currently has approximately $49 billion of assets under management and targets investments focused on targeted segments of the financial services, software, industrials, and healthcare industries. The Willkie team was led by partners Jeffrey Poss and Manuel Miranda and included associates Augustine Donati, Joseph Moran and Brenna O’Connor.

Oct 4

1 min

Willkie advised Egen, a technology services company with leading capabilities across Google Cloud infrastructure, product and data engineering, and AI, on its acquisition of Qarik, a multinational Google Cloud Premier Partner. On October 24, Egen, a portfolio company of Recognize, announced that it acquired Qarik, further strengthening its position as a leading pure-play services partner focused on advanced data and AI applications in the Google Cloud ecosystem. Willkie previously advised Recognize on the merger of its portfolio company SpringML with Egen Solutions in 2023, creating Egen. Recognize is an investment platform exclusively focused on investments in the digital services industry. The Willkie team was led by partner Eric Halperin and associate Augustine Donati and included associates Alexandria Ku, Orlando He and Andrea Tam.

Oct 25

1 min