David Irvine
Partner, Co-Head of Leveraged Finance, London
“I focus on acting for financial sponsors and credit funds on their most complex and challenging financing transactions.”
Overview
Professional experience
Education and qualifications
Overview
A market leader in finance, David Irvine brings years of experience and extensive knowledge to private equity sponsors and private credit funds in major cross-border leveraged and acquisition financing transactions. David also advises on recaps, minority back-leverage, special situations financings, margin loans, fund level financings and restructurings.
In 2020, David was named a “Band 1” lawyer in Banking & Finance: Leveraged & Acquisition Finance by Chambers Asia-Pacific and a “Market Leader” in Banking & Finance by IFLR1000. He was also named a “Leading Individual” in Banking & Finance by Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2019 & 2020 and one of the “Asia Best Lawyers 2020” by IFLR. He has been based in London since late 2020.
Work highlights
- Brookfield Capital Partners: advising Brookfield on the financing for their recommended offer for the GBP2.2bn take-private of Network International PLC.
- Rhone Capital: advising Rhone on the amendment and extension and recapitalisation of the senior and PIK facilities for Ask Chemicals.
- SoftBank Vision Fund: advising SVF on multiple financings including the flagship NAV facility for SoftBank Vision Fund II.
- IK Partners: advising IK Partners on multiple financings including the take-private of The Medica Group Plc and the acquisition of Ipsum Group Limited.
- Hillhouse Capital Management: advising Hillhouse on numerous transactions, including the EUR TLB and SSN leveraged financing for the US$3.7bn acquisition of the Philips Domestic Appliances business and the US$11.6bn acquisition of GLP (SGX: MC0).
- Carlyle: advising on multiple transactions, including the leveraged financing for its acquisition of VXI Global Solutions and the US$2.08bn acquisition of the McDonald’s operations in China and Hong Kong.
- KKR: advising on multiple transactions, including the leveraged financing for the acquisition of the NVC Lighting business, the leveraged financing for the investment by KKR and GIC in Metro Pacific Hospitals; the leveraged financing of its acquisition of EuroKids pre-school chain; and the financing for its investment in Housing Development Finance Corporation Ltd.
- Blackstone Capital Partners: advising on multiple transactions, including the leveraged financing for the acquisition of a controlling stake in Essel Propak; the leveraged financing for its buy-out of Shya Hsin; and the leveraged financing for its acquisition of at least 84% of Hewlett Packard Enterprise’s stake in Mphasis, in a deal valued at up to US$1.1bn and the opco/propco leveraged financing the acquisition of Global Sources.
Professional experience
- Linklaters - Partner, Banking - Present
- Kirkland and Ellis - Partner, Hong Kong – 2015 - 2020
- Linklaters - Partner, Banking, Hong Kong - 2008 - 2015
- Linklaters - Managing Associate, Banking, London, 2005 - 2008 (including six months on secondment to the European Leveraged Finance team at JPMorgan)
- Linklaters - Associate, Banking, London, 2001 - 2005 (including nine months on secondment to the Global Corporate and Investment Banking Division of Bank of America)
- Bell, Dewar & Hall - Professional Assistant, South Africa, 2000 - 2001
Education and qualifications
University of Natal, South Africa, LL.B., 1997
University of Natal, South Africa, B.Soc.Sci., Political Science, 1993