Christopher Hewitt is a senior associate in the private equity transactions group in the New York office of Ropes & Gray. Triple-qualified in New York, England & Wales, and Australia, Chris brings a decade of experience advising on high-stakes private equity and M&A transactions across global markets. He is a trusted adviser to sponsors and their portfolio companies, sovereign wealth funds, and governments on complex, cross-border deals and commercial/strategic initiatives.
His practice spans the full spectrum of private equity and corporate transactional work, including leveraged buyouts, carve-outs, joint ventures, and financings. He has a strong track record across sectors such as energy (with a focus on solar), technology, healthcare, industrials, business services, consumer/retail, and asset management.
Having practiced in New York, Abu Dhabi/Dubai, Singapore, and Sydney–and educated across Australia, Hong Kong, and Singapore–Chris offers a distinctive global perspective to today’s increasingly interconnected dealmaking environment. He has demonstrated a long-term commitment to the New York market, one of the world’s most dynamic financial centers. His ability to operate seamlessly across legal systems, cultures, and commercial dynamics positions him as a go-to adviser for complex, multi-jurisdictional deals.
Experience
In addition to the representative transactions listed below, Chris provides legal advice and support to the portfolio companies of numerous sponsors, including Advent International, American Industrial Partners, Bain Capital, Harvest Partners, Highbridge Capital, Kohlberg & Company, PIMCO, Siguler Guff, and Varsity Healthcare Partners. Such support includes managing add-on acquisitions, dividend recaps, structured investments, preemptive rights processes and general counsel advice.
Leveraged Buyouts, Carve-Outs and Sale Processes
- Represented American Industrial Partners on:
- Its $550 million carve-out acquisition of the U.S. and Canadian architectural coatings business of PPG Industries (NYSE: PPG), a leading provider of paints, coatings, and specialty materials
- Its bid to acquire a global provider of ship systems and outfitting solutions
- Represented Kohlberg & Company on:
- Its leveraged acquisition of Riveron Consulting, a national business advisory firm, from H.I.G. Capital
- Various bids for consulting and advisory firms
- Represented Baupost Group on its disposal of a portfolio of joint venture and securitized oil and gas assets
- Represented Littlejohn & Co. on its bid to acquire a leading industrial products company
- Represented Varsity Healthcare Partners on its leveraged acquisition of VetEvolve
- Represented Partners Group on its $2.8bn leveraged acquisition of Foundation Risk Partners, a specialist insurance broker in the U.S., from Warburg Pincus
- Represented Mubadala on:*
- Its reorganization of Masdar and multi-billion dollar monetization of its green energy assets
- Its acquisition of UEMedical, a regional portfolio of eight health care assets and its inaugural entry into the Saudi health care market
- Represented international infrastructure funds, including Amber Infrastructure and InfraRed Capital Partners on acquisitions and disposals of pre-construction and operating U.S. and international solar power projects*
- Represented a Chinese sponsor on its proposed acquisition of a portfolio of global solar power projects from ACWA Power Green Energy (a portfolio company of the Dubai government)*
- Represented Mawarid Finance on the disposal of Salma Children’s Rehabilitation Hospital to Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA)*
- Represented DP World plc in relation to its acquisition of a controlling stake in DP World Australia and subsequent related shareholder arrangements*
- Represented Standard Chartered Bank on the MBO divestment of its private equity business and the internal restructuring of portfolio companies*
- Represented Central Group on its proposed acquisition of a majority stake in a company operating food franchises across Asia Pacific*
- Represented the selling shareholders on the proposed sale and internal restructuring of ACR Capital Holdings to Chinese SOEs for US$1+ billion*
- Represented IHH Healthcare on its merger with a leading health care provider*
- Represented UEM Edgenta on its acquisition of UEMS*
- Represented UBM plc on its acquisition of Allworld Exhibitions*
Growth Equity, Minority and Structured Investments & Sale Processes
- Represented PIMCO on:
- A multi-party restructuring and dual-track acquisition or structured foreclosure process of a social/media and technology holding company
- Its preferred equity investment in a major U.S. mortgage lender
- Represented Bain Capital and its Tech Opportunities Fund on its leveraged strategic growth investment in RenPSG, a technology provider for financial institutions and nonprofits
- Represented a number of sponsors on their growth equity investments, including 65 Equity Partners and Fortress Investment Group
- Represented Mubadala on:*
- The disposal of a 30% stake in CEPSA to the Carlyle Group
- The partial disposal of Masdar, its solar energy portfolio company to a leading government pension fund
- Represented the Abu Dhabi Government and Abu Dhabi Developmental Holding Company (ADQ) on its €100m convertible loan investment in a distressed integrated German travel company*
- Represented Northstar in its investment by way of its VC arm, NSI Ventures, in Oway, an online travel agent and taxi-service application business in Myanmar*
- Represented ADX-listed Aldar Properties PJSC (Aldar) on its acquisition of certain major project management and construction contracts of Modon and Musanada*
- Represented Standard Chartered Bank on the sale of its non-performing loans in an Indian conglomerate and the restructuring of the intercreditor arrangements*
Joint Ventures / Strategic Partnerships
- Represented PIMCO on its joint venture with a growth-stage venture firm that provides structured personal financing to founders, executives, and shareholders of late-stage tech companies
- Represented The Vistria Group on its GP stake sale to Hunter Point Capital and Abu Dhabi Developmental Holding Company (ADQ)
- Represented newly established start-up, PearlX Infrastructure on its form of virtual power plant commercial lease with the California Community Housing Agency*
- Represented the Tawazun Strategic Development Fund on its joint venture to develop and distribute civilian-use helicopters*
- Represented the Abu Dhabi Advanced Technology Institute on its joint venture with an Italian-based design house to develop prototype high-tech vehicles and software*
- Represented the wholly owned subsidiary of a global financial services firm on its proposed joint venture with a local emerging markets investor*
- Represented Al Yah Satellite Communications Company (Yahsat) on its joint venture with Hughes Network Systems to provide commercial satellite broadband services across Africa, the Middle East and Southwest Asia*
- Represented a state-owned investment fund on its subsidiaries' proposed joint venture with a Chinese P2P payments company*
Reorganizations and Recapitalizations
- Represented Americana on the reorganization of its businesses in 20+ jurisdictions and re-domiciled into a new FDI-exempted UAE Holdco structure*
- Represented the Abu Dhabi Government and Abu Dhabi Developmental Holding Company (ADQ) on a number of transactions, including the reorganization of various of strategic infrastructure companies of the government under the new sovereign wealth fund and management holding company, ADQ*
Distressed M&A / Bankruptcy
- Represented Hooters of America, LLC, an iconic casual dining and sports entertainment chain, and its affiliated debtors in their pending chapter 11 cases involving the restructuring of funded debt and the sale of its assets to a group of current franchisees, including Hooters Inc., the originator of the brand, and Hoot Owl Restaurants
- Represented Cutera, Inc. (NASDAQ: CUTR), a leading provider of aesthetic and dermatology solutions, in its successfully completed financial restructuring process as the company emerges from chapter 11
- Represented an ad hoc group of first lien term loan lenders, bridge lenders and DIP Lenders in the chapter 11 cases of Digital Media Solutions (NYSE: DMS), involving the credit bid for its assets
Public M&A and Equity Capital Markets
- Represented SENAAT (an ADQ company) on the Arkan-Emirates Steel merger*
- Represented DXB Entertainments (DXBE) on Meraas' takeover offer to acquire 100% of DXBE's shares*
- Represented ADQ on various on-market equity swap and block trade transactions*
- Represented Abu Dhabi Power Corporation on its US$54.5 billion combination of its electricity and water distribution, transmission network and generation assets with TAQA*
- Represented Mubadala on its block trade of certain of its shares in DFM-listed Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company PJSC (Du) to Emirates Investment Authority*
- Represented Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank on:*
- Its merger with Union National Bank and acquisition of Al Hilal Bank, creating the third largest bank in the Middle East
- The disposal of Global Investment House KSCC, a Kuwaiti investment bank, to Kamco Investment Company KSCP
- Represented an ADX-listed company on the disposal of its Kazakhstan banking assets*
- Represented Network International on its USD2.2bn initial public offering and listing on the Premium Segment of the London Stock Exchange*
- Represented Keppel Capital on the listing of Keppel-KBS US REIT on the Singapore Stock Exchange for US$553 million*
- Represented a Chinese/Australian investment group in its private placement in an Asia Pacific Stock Exchange capital raising services company*
*Experience prior to joining Ropes & Gray