Kirkland & Ellis is advising investment firm Wendel on a definitive partnership agreement relating to a strategic investment, which includes the acquisition of 75% of Monroe Capital LLC, a sponsoring program of up to $800 million to accelerate Monroe Capital’s growth and a GP commitment for up to $200 million. Wendel will pay $1.13 billion at the closing. Monroe management will continue to own 25% of the company post-closing. The transaction will dramatically expand Wendel’s asset management platform and rebalance its business model towards more recurring cash flows and growth and follows Wendel’s recent acquisition of IK Partners, a European leader in middle market private equity, as it seeks to build a scaled third-party asset management platform. The transaction is subject to satisfaction of closing conditions and receipt of regulatory approvals and is expected to be completed in the first half of 2025. Read the transaction press release The Kirkland team included asset management M&A lawyers Christopher Gandia, Daniel Lavon-Krein, James Mayne and Christopher Simpson; corporate lawyers Valentine Bleicher, Vincent Ponsonnaille and Louis Gosset; and tax lawyers Nadine Gelli and Lee Morlock.